Comparative susceptibility of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) to infection with high pathogenicity avian influenza virus strains (Gs/Gd lineage) isolated in Japan in 2004–2017

The Goose/Guangdong-lineage (Gs/Gd) H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) spread among poultry and wild birds worldwide; an association has been identified between the migration of wild birds and spread of HPAIVs. Every autumn–spring season, the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) migrates to Japan in substantial numbers for overwintering; however, to the best of our knowledge, no virological studies have focused on mallards’ susceptibility to the HPAIVs in Japan. To evaluate the susceptibility of mallards to infection with Gs/Gd H5 HPAIVs isolated during previous outbreaks in Japan, we experimentally infected the birds with various virus strains: A/chicken/Yamaguchi/7/2004 (H5N1) (clade 2.5), A/chicken/Miyazaki/K11/2007 (H5N1) (clade 2.2), A/whooper swan/Akita/1/2008 (H5N1) (clade 2.3.2), A/mandarin duck/Miyazaki/22M-765/2011 (H5N1) (clade 2.3.2.1c), A/duck/Chiba/26-372-48/2014 (H5N8) (clade 2.3.4.4c), A/duck/Hyogo/1/2016 (H5N6) (clade 2.3.4.4e) and A/mute swan/Shimane/3211A002/2017 (H5N6) (clade 2.3.4.4b). The birds exhibited high tracheal shedding for a prolonged period, particularly those infected with A/duck/Hyogo/1/2016 (H5N6). Various clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to mild (corneal opacity) infections to neurological disorders accompanied by mortality were noted depending on the virus strain. Furthermore, virus-infected mallards contaminated both cohoused mallards and water in their surroundings. Thus, mallards may disseminate viruses in the environment, thereby influencing HPAI outbreaks in Japan. Therefore, mallards represent an important migratory bird species that spread HPAIVs in Japan.