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Volume 29, Number 10—October 2023
Dispatch

Limited Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Influenza A(H5N1) in Herring Gull Colony, Canada, 2022

Liam U. TaylorComments to Author , Robert A. Ronconi, Hayley A. Spina, Megan E.B. Jones, C. Brandon Ogbunugafor, and Andrea J. Ayala
Author affiliations: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (L.U. Taylor, C.B. Ogbunugafor, A.J. Ayala); Canadian Wildlife Service, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada (R.A. Ronconi); Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth (R.A. Ronconi); University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (H.A. Spina); University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada (M.E.B. Jones); Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Charlottetown (M.E.B. Jones)

Main Article

Table 1

Summary of influenza-related herring gull deaths on Kent Island and neighboring islands in study of limited outbreak of highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1), Canada, 2022*

Area Census count† (+SD) No. censuses conducted No. deaths Death rate,‡ % Survey schedule
Kent Island, East Beach 526 (169) 110 22 4.2 1–3×/d, Jun 1–Aug 15, Sep 2
Kent Island, West Beach 221 (60) 88 15 6.8 1–2×/d, Jun 1–Jul 7, Jul 22–Aug 14, Sep 2
Kent Island, total§
 3,077 (937)
 10
 66–87
 2.1–2.8
 1×/wk, Jun 1–Jul 7, Jul 15 (partial), Jul 22–Aug 14, Sep 2 (partial)
Sheep Island 900 1 25 2.8 Jul 5 (boat count), Jul 14 (partial), Aug 29
Hay Island 617 (267) 2 41 6.7 Jun 21, Aug 7

*Mean counts are of adult herring gulls >10 months of age. Partial surveys covered only part of the survey area. †Census counts varied with time, tide, and seasonal fluctuations for both breeding and nonbreeding populations. ‡Calculated according to mean census count. Our assumption that all intact adult gull carcasses were influenza-related might have raised death rate estimates, whereas intermittent surveys and imperfect carcass detection might have lowered death rate estimates. §Ranges for number of deaths and death rate are provided because of possible double counting of untagged carcasses by 2 observers outside of the main study sites.

Main Article

Page created: August 03, 2023
Page updated: September 20, 2023
Page reviewed: September 20, 2023
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