Molecular and pathological investigation of Avian Influenza in cetaceans stranded on the Brazilian coast.

• Grant number: 24/16329-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Luiz Catao Dias
• Grantee: Caroline Freitas Pessi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cetaceans are considered sentinels of the marine environment and, therefore, important sanitary indicators for public health (BOSSART, 2011). Infectious diseases are a significant threat to these animals and can be caused by viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic agents (ARBELO et al., 2013; DÍAZ-DELGADO et al., 2018). Several viral groups have already been described in cetaceans, and many can be associated with high morbidity and mortality, including the Influenzavirus. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been responsible for recent outbreaks in wild and farmed birds and aquatic mammals worldwide, causing high mortality rates due to the H5N1 strain. The cases recently reported in South America demonstrate a growing number of detections in marine mammals, including cetaceans (MMA, ICMBio & CMA, 2023; LEGUIA et al., 2023). Active surveillance through educational and research institutions is an important tool for monitoring and diagnosing HPAI cases, as it intensifies the epidemiological effort for a comprehensive and accurate diagnosis of the disease. Given the cases already reported in Brazil and other countries, and the potential for spillover to humans, emphasizing the zoonotic potential of the disease, this work proposes to investigate, through molecular and anatomopathological tools, the occurrence of Alphainfluenzavirus in cetaceans stranded on the Brazilian coast from 2019 to 2024.