Study finds H5N1 widespread in dead black vultures

University of Georgia researchers report that highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) is hitting black vultures far harder than many clinicians may have assumed. In a new Scientific Reports study, investigators found HPAI in 113 of 134 dead black vultures submitted from seven Southeastern states in 2022–2023, an 84.3% positivity rate, and linked the deaths to severe, consistent lesions, especially in the spleen and liver. The work, highlighted by UGA in March 2026, suggests black vultures are not just incidental spillover cases, but a wildlife species experiencing substantial mortality during the ongoing clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 epizootic. (nature.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially those in wildlife, mixed animal, public health, and poultry-adjacent practice, the findings sharpen the picture of how scavenging species may help sustain exposure risk outside the usual seasonal pattern. The authors said year-round mortality in 2022 may have been maintained by conspecific scavenging, and USDA APHIS continues to stress prompt reporting of suspected avian influenza and veterinary involvement when disease is suspected. That makes dead or neurologic scavenger birds a more important surveillance signal for both wildlife health and biosecurity conversations with pet parents, rehabilitators, and producers. (nature.com)

What to watch: Watch for follow-up surveillance, state wildlife advisories, and any updated veterinary guidance on handling sick or dead scavenger birds as H5N1 continues circulating in U.S. wild birds. (usgs.gov)