Avian influenza suRveillance in Companion animal and Human healthcare settings [ARCH]

In 2021, the highly infectious avian influenza H5N1 began circulating among wild and farmed animals. Recently, there have been isolated reports of the virus spreading to humans and companion animals (including cats and dogs). To monitor the spread of H5N1, we propose environmental surface sampling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our team developed a method for detecting viruses using swab samples taken from floors. We believe floor swab sampling could improve our ability to monitor and understand the spread of avian influenza H5N1. We will conduct our study across hospital emergency departments, veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Ontario. Floor swabs samples will be collected from each site every 2 weeks and sent to a central laboratory for detection of H5N1 virus on the sample. These analyses will be used to determine areas where we are finding H5N1. Samples that are positive for H5N1 will also undergo genetic sequencing to help us study patterns of virus transmission. For example, if the genetic sequences of the virus found in samples from the floor of an animal shelter share features with the genetic sequences of the virus found in wild birds, perhaps one of the animals in the shelter became infected through a wild bird, or a water source contaminated by infected birds, etc. Our team consists of experts in environmental microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, infectious diseases, infection control, clinical medicine, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, public health, and health policy. Our aim is to improve surveillance methods for H5N1 influenza, and to study this emerging virus across sites where human and animal health intersect. Using the knowledge gained from this study, we believe this approach has the potential to be scaled to complement existing surveillance networks and to provide near real-time data to improve H5N1 detection, prediction, and prevention.