Comparison of 2016–17 and Previous Epizootics of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5 Guangdong Lineage in Europe
Emerging Infectious Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.3201/eid2412.171860
- PMID
- 30457528
- PMCID
- PMC6256410
- OpenAlex
- W2898685318
- Study type
- Genomic study
- Publisher
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The findings emphasize the need for global surveillance of viral evolution to support disease preparedness, detection, and control efforts. The unpredictability of future epizootics, given observed variation across events, underscores the importance of continued monitoring.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study compared the 2016-17 highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 epizootic in Europe with two earlier epizootics caused by the same Guangdong lineage, examining epidemiologic and genetic characteristics.
Study design
This was a comparative genomic and epidemiologic analysis of three European HPAI H5 epizootics, including phylogenetic examination of 2016-17 viral sequences.
Population and setting
The analysis covered European countries affected by HPAI H5 epizootics, including both poultry farms and wild bird populations.
Main findings
The 2016-17 epizootic was the largest recorded in Europe by affected countries, farms, and wild bird species diversity. Substantial differences in region, epidemic curve, seasonality, and duration were observed across the three epizootics. In both 2005-06 and 2016-17, wild bird detections peaked before poultry outbreaks within Europe. Phylogenetic analysis identified two main viral introduction pathways into Europe during 2016-17.
Public-health relevance
The findings emphasize the need for global surveillance of viral evolution to support disease preparedness, detection, and control efforts. The unpredictability of future epizootics, given observed variation across events, underscores the importance of continued monitoring.
Important limitations
This summary relies on the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. Full interpretation of methods, data quality, sampling representativeness, and analytical limitations requires access to the complete published paper.
GIDS interpretation
The article was identified through classifier links to H5N1, Influenza, genomic epidemiology, outbreak investigation, and surveillance topics. It provides comparative historical context for European HPAI H5 epizootics but does not itself represent or confirm a current surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 9 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.