The detection of avian influenza virus in human pathology laboratories in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific nations

Medical Journal of AustraliaEarly View Research letter The detection of avian influenza virus in human pathology laboratories in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific nations Lisa M Sedger, Lisa M Sedger orcid.org/0000-0003-1009-5683 NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorVishal Ahuja, Vishal Ahuja Public Health Pathoilogy, NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW Equal first authors.Search for more papers by this authorKatherine A Lau, Katherine A Lau The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorDeane L Byers, Deane L Byers The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorTorsten Theis, Torsten Theis The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorPeter D Kirkland, Peter D Kirkland Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorCatherine Pitman, Corresponding Author Catherine Pitman [email protected] Public Health Pathoilogy, NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this author Lisa M Sedger, Lisa M Sedger orcid.org/0000-0003-1009-5683 NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorVishal Ahuja, Vishal Ahuja Public Health Pathoilogy, NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW Equal first authors.Search for more papers by this authorKatherine A Lau, Katherine A Lau The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorDeane L Byers, Deane L Byers The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorTorsten Theis, Torsten Theis The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorPeter D Kirkland, Peter D Kirkland Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this authorCatherine Pitman, Corresponding Author Catherine Pitman [email protected] Public Health Pathoilogy, NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSWSearch for more papers by this author First published: 15 October 2025 https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.70076 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookxLinkedInRedditWechatBluesky No abstract is available for this article. References 1Ly H. Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus infections of dairy cattle and livestock handlers in the United States of America. Virulence 2024; 15: 2343931. 10.1080/21505594.2024.2343931 PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar 2 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; World Health Organization; World Organisation for Animal Health. Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events in animals and people. Assessment based on data as of 1 March 2025. 17 Apr 2025. https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-17-fao-woah-who-h5n1-assessment.pdf (viewed July 2025). Google Scholar 3 World Health Organization. Avian influenza A(H5N1): Cambodia [media release] 5 July 2025. https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON575 (viewed July 2025). Google Scholar 4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (United States) H5 bird flu: current situation. 1 Aug 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html (viewed Aug 2025). Google Scholar 5Garg S, Reinhart K, Couture MPH, et al. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in humans. N Eng J Med 2025; 392: 843-854. 10.1056/NEJMoa2414610 CAS PubMed Google Scholar 6Jassem AN, Roberts A, Tyson J, et al. Critical illness in an adolescent with influenza A (H5N1) virus infection. N Eng J Med 2025; 392: 927-929. 10.1056/NEJMc2415890 PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar 7Mellis AM, Coyle J, Marshall KE, et al. Serologic evidence of recent infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) virus among dairy workers: Michigan and Colorado, June–August 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024; 73: 1004-1009. 10.15585/mmwr.mm7344a3 PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar 8Deng YM, Willie M, Dapat C, et al. Influenza A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.2.1a in a traveller returning to Australian from India. Emerg Infect Dis 2025; 31: 135-138. 10.3201/eid3101.241210 PubMed Google Scholar 9 Australian Government. H7 high pathogenicity avian influenza. Updated 27 June 2025. https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-outbreaks/avian-influenza (viewed June 2025). Google Scholar 10 New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. Astrain of bird flu (H7N6) in Otago. 28 Apr 2025. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/exotic-pests-and-diseases-in-new-zealand/active-biosecurity-responses-to-pests-and-diseases/a-strain-of-bird-flu-h7n6-in-otago (viewed July 2025). Google Scholar 11He L, Zhang Y, Si K, et al. Evidence of an emerging triple-reassortant H3N3 avian influenza virus in China. BMC Genomics 2024; 25: 1249. 10.1186/s12864-024-11152-x CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar 12 Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 monitoring project. 2025. https://scar.org/library-data/avian-flu (viewed Aug 2025). Google Scholar Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation