Detection of antibodies specific to H5 avian influenza virus in a sheep in Norway, June 2024, eleven months after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a nearby seabird colony

A 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in seabirds in Norway caused substantial environmental contamination of grazing areas frequented by local sheep. Eleven months later, 220 sheep were tested for antibodies to type A influenza and H5 subtype using ELISA, haemagglutination inhibition, and microneutralisation assays. One ewe (0.5%) tested positive by all methods, consistent with prior spillover infection. This underscores the importance of restricting livestock access to outbreak areas to mitigate cross-species transmission and zoonotic risk.