Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance Across New Zealand and Its Subantarctic Islands Detects H1N9 in Migratory Shorebirds, but Not 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 has never been detected in New Zealand. The potential impact of this virus on New Zealand's wild birds would be catastrophic. To expand our knowledge of avian influenza viruses across New Zealand, we sampled wild aquatic birds from New Zealand, its outer islands and its subantarctic territories. Metatranscriptomic analysis of 700 individuals spanning 33 species revealed no detection of H5N1 during the annual 2023-2024 migration. A single detection of H1N9 in red knots (Calidris canutus) was noted. This study provides a baseline for expanding avian influenza virus monitoring in New Zealand.
Authors
- David M. Houston (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1927-252X)
- Johannes H. Fischer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3527-1671)
- Mike Perry
- Linda J. Thomson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7049-0744)
- Bianca C. Keys (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9082-8420)
- Phil F. Battley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8590-8098)
- Michelle Wille (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5629-0196)
- Rob Schuckard
- Chris N. Niebuhr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8892-3605)
- Ursula Ellenberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3100-6742)
- Kevin A. Parker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2370-492X)
- Peter F. Moore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2352-6171)
- Jemma L. Geoghegan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0970-0153)
- James Faulkner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3704-6737)
- Thomas Mattern (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0745-8180)
- David S. Melville
- James Charles Russell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5901-6416)
- Kalinka Rexer‐Huber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3345-7990)
- Lydia Uddstrom
- Allison K. Miller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5334-2771)
- Stephanie J. Waller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0618-9556)
- Joris Tinnemans
- Jeremy Dubrulle
- David J. Winter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6165-0029)
- Julia Reid
- Jim Fyfe
- Jennifer Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8752-9286)
- Kate McInnes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6993-9348)
- Edin Whitehead (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1075-4861)
- Brodie Philp
- Robin Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3678-2917)
- Jamie A. Cooper (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1591-9939)
- Melanie J. Young (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2818-2398)
- L. Hay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7086-7641)
- Lia Heremia
- Jessica A. Darnley
- Isa de Vries
- Zoe Robinson
- L A McNutt
- Kath Walker
- Graeme Elliott (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0514-6416)
- Jake Osborne
- Rachael Sagar
- A. B. P. Page
- Janelle R. Wierenga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4474-9289)
- Rosalind Cole
- Theo Thompson
- Te Arawhetu Waipoua
- Ben Alai
- Hollie McGovern
- Odin Neil
- Thor T. Ruru
- Chrissy Wickes
Institutions
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Parker Conservation (NZ)
- Peter Doherty Institute (AU)
- Clinical Trials New Zealand (NZ)
- New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (NZ)
- Department of Conservation (NZ)
- Massey University (NZ)
- University of Otago (NZ)
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research (NZ)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
- Published
- 2025-03-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.70099
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.42