Cosmos Discovery of how the deadly avian influenza virus spread to the Antarctic has raised concerns about how vulnerable the region will be during seabird breeding season.
In October 2023, British researchers confirmed for the first time the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.
The strain detected in remote South Georgia and the Falkland Islands was HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, the virus responsible for the global animal pandemic that has caused the death and destructions of millions of wild and domestic animals.
The initial viral genome sequences were made freely available months ago. Now, a full documentation of the extensive field sampling and diagnostic testing, published in Nature Communications, has revealed the virus spread from South America, likely through migratory wild birds.
The study details the virus’ initial detection in brown skuas in South Georgia inside the Antarctic region, followed by its rapid spread across multiple avian species and 2 seal species. It was simultaneously detected in southern fulmar and black-browed albatross in the Falkland Islands archipelago 1,500km to the west.