Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of H5 clade 2.3.4.4b pose an ongoing threat worldwide.
Assessing virulence in Pekin ducklings in an intramuscular infection model revealed that the two genotypes that dominated the epidemiological situation in Germany during the period 2021 and 2022 were of high virulence. In contrast, rare genotypes were of intermediate virulence.
In this article, titled Dominant HPAIV H5N1 genotypes of Germany 2021/2022 are linked to high virulence in Pekin ducklings, scientists from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute conclude that viruses with high duckling virulence were the most successful in terms of geographical spread and duration of circulation, while genotypes with lower virulence remained in the minority during outbreaks and were detected in very limited geographical areas only.
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