Mass mortality at penguin mega-colonies due to avian cholera confounds H5N1 HPAIV surveillance in Antarctica

Abstract

In the austral summer 2023/2024, H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) was reported for the first time in Antarctica. Concerns of HPAIV causing high mortality of seabirds and mammals prompted immediate efforts to track its spread and impact on endemic wildlife. In March 2024, we visited the Danger Islands archipelago, that hosts two mega-colonies of Adelie penguins, and observed an unusual mortality estimated in thousands of Adelie penguins and other species. Swabs and tissues were collected for molecular detection of infectious agents from 49 carcasses, and additional tissues for histology from a selection of 9 carcasses. We unexpectedly detected Pasteurella multocida DNA in 46 of 49 individuals, and diagnosed avian cholera, and not HPAI, as the cause of death of most of these animals. By metagenomics, we retrieved the genomic sequences of the Pasteurella multocida strain which caused the epizootic, and the phylogenetic analysis showed a close relation with strains previously reported in the Southern Ocean area. This study confirms avian cholera as a relevant cause of mortality in the Antarctic region, and overall highlights the importance of considering avian cholera in the differential diagnoses during mortality events in Antarctica, even with the concurrent circulation of HPAIV.