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Volume 31, Number 4—April 2025
Dispatch

Exposure of Wild Mammals to Influenza A(H5N1) Virus, Alaska, USA, 2020–2023

Andrew M. RameyComments to Author , Kimberlee B. Beckmen, David T. Saalfeld, Kerry Nicholson, Buck A. Mangipane, Laura C. Scott, David E. Stallknecht, and Rebecca L. Poulson
Author affiliation: US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (A.M. Ramey, L.C. Scott); Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (K.B. Beckmen, K. Nicholson); Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Anchorage (D.T. Saalfeld); National Park Service, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Port Alsworth, Alaska, USA (B.A. Mangipane); Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA (D.E. Stallknecht, R.L. Poulson).

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Table

Seropositivity of samples to influenza A virus antigens from exposure of wild mammals, Alaska, USA, 2020–2023*

Sample collection dates NP bELISA+
 H5 clade 2.3.4.4b+
 H5 North American lineage+
 N1+, ELLA§ Antibodies to H5 clade 2.3.4.4b and N1¶
ASC, <0.5† SCWDS <0.5† ASC, <0.7† SCWDS <0.7† HI‡ VN‡ HI‡ VN‡
2020 Jan 3–2021 Apr 5
 0/34
 0/34
 0/34
 0/34
0/33
 0/33
0/33
 0/33
 0/33
 0/33
2021 Dec 16–2023 Sep 2
 13/135 (10)
 17/135 (13)
 33/135 (24)
 29/135 (21)
25/124 (20)
 36/124 (29)
15/124 (12)
 26/124 (21)
 34/124 (27)
 33/124 (27)
All dates combined 13/169 (8) 17/169 (10) 33/169 (20) 29/169 (17) 25/157 (16) 36/157 (23) 15/157 (10) 26/157 (17) 34/157 (22) 33/157 (21)

*Values are no. positive/no. tested (%). ASC, US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center; bELISA, blocking ELISA; ELLA, enzyme-linked lectin assay; HI, hemagglutination inhibition; NP, nucleoprotein 1; SCWDS, University of Georgia Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study; VN, virus microneutralization; +, positive. †bELISA seropositivity to the influenza A virus NP at the ASC and SCWDS determined using the manufacturer’s recommendation of serum/negative optical density of <0.5 or the threshold of <0.7 evidenced to be both sensitive and specific for wild birds (8,9). ‡HI and VN seropositivity determined by using a reverse genetic antigen (IDCDC-RG71A [H5N8]) constructed with the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase gene segments from A/Astrakhan/3212/2020 (H5N8) on PR8 backbone (clade 2.3.4.4b H5) or a reverse genetic antigen constructed with the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase gene segments from A/Blue-winged teal/AI12-4150/Texas/2012 (H5N2) on PR8 backbone (North American lineage H5). §ELLA seropositivity determined by using the antigen A/ruddy turnstone/New Jersey/AI13-2948/2013(H10N1) (N1). ¶Serum samples from mammals inhabiting Alaska testing positive for antibodies to H5 and N1 as determined by VN and ELLA.

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References
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