The highly pathogenic avian influenza epidemic 2021–2022 from the point of view of an Italian network of Wildlife Rescue Centres

Lipu Birdlife Italia is a large environmental association that manages nine Wildlife Rescue Centres (WRCs) throughout Italy, where testing of large numbers of animals/birds of different species admitted showed WRCs can play an important role in active and passive surveillance of HPAI. We describe how Lipu and its WRCs responded to the 2021–2022 HPAI outbreak. At the start of the HPAI outbreak, Lipu created an active communication network with its WRCs, coordinated their activities and established relationships with the Italian health authorities. WRCs were involved in implementing measures from the Ministry of Health, in particular collecting swabs and carcasses for the surveillance of avian influenza. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 4,833 samples were collected from the Lipu WRCs, comprising 4,725 bird carcasses and 108 swabs from live birds, involving 110 different species; 22 samples tested positive for avian influenza. Central coordination between WRCs is possible and can prove very effective in managing a health emergency; data collected from WRCs can be useful in the avian influenza surveillance effort.