Susceptibility of Mammals to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: A Qualitative Risk Assessment From the Belgian Perspective [1]
Peer reviewed scientific article
English
SCIENSANO
Authors
Virginie Van Leeuw [4]; Depoorter, Pieter [5]; Mauroy, Axel [6]; Olivier Beck [7]; Herman Claeys [8]; Nick De Regge [9]; Valérie De Waele [10]; Paul De Winter [11]; Jean‐François Heymans [12]; Hooyberghs, Jozef [13]; Houdart, Philippe [14]; Cyrelle Houtsaeger [15]; Linden, Annick [16]; Marcella Mori [17]; Nauwynck, Hans [18]; Anna Parys [19]; Javiera Rebolledo [20]; Chantal Rettigner [21]; Rouffaer, Lieze [22]; Jorgen Stassijns [23]; Mieke Steensels [24]; Steven Van Gucht [25]; Van Reeth, Kristien [26]; Vermeersch, Katie [27]; Vervaeke, Muriel [28]; Saegerman, Claude [29]; Dewulf, Jeroen [30]Keywords
Article written during project(s) :
Abstract:
he world experienced a huge number of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in birds, which could represent one of the largest registered epidemics of infectious disease in food-producing animals. Therefore, mammals, including humans, are continuously exposed to HPAI viruses leading to sporadic and sometimes unusual mammal infections. The aim of this paper is to assess the risk of crossing the avian/mammalian species barrier by the currently circulating HPAI viruses, focusing on the epidemiological situation of Belgium, a representative country for Western Europe.