Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41577748›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Disease susceptibility and biological vulnerability of black vultures to fatal clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection.

Nicole M Nemeth, Victoria A Andreasen, Alisia A W Weyna, Robert Sargent, Mark Cunningham, Melanie R Kunkel, Paul T Oesterle, Chloe C Goodwin, Xuan Hui Teo, Rebecca Hardman and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Nicole M NemethSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. nmnemeth@uga.edu.
Victoria A AndreasenSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. tandreasen@uga.edu.
Alisia A W WeynaSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Robert SargentWildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Forsyth, GA, 31029, USA.
Mark CunninghamFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA.
Melanie R KunkelSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Paul T OesterleSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Chloe C GoodwinSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Xuan Hui TeoSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Rebecca HardmanFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA.
David E StallknechtSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Mark G RuderSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Rebecca L PoulsonSoutheastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

High numbers of black vultures (Coragyps atratus) have died from clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (IAV) since its initial detection in North America in November 2021. Year-round mortality in 2022 may have been maintained by conspecific scavenging. HP IAV was detected in samples from 113/134 (84.3%) dead vultures collected from seven southeastern states in 2022–23. Results indicated that 53/73 (72.6%) of those with gross evaluation in 2022–23 consistently had grossly enlarged and mottled spleen and liver. Histologically, spleens and livers of 14/14 black vultures had widespread, severe necrosis concurrent with immunohistochemical IAV labeling. Additional lesions included segmental digestive tract ulceration, necrosis, and hemorrhage from the oropharynx to the large intestine. Influenza immunolabeling was common in gonad, adrenal gland, kidney, and digestive tract. This pattern, concurrent with field observations, substantiates the digestive tract as the initial site of viral entry during ingestion of high viral doses with strong epitheliotropism. Viral spread outside of seasonal migration is concerning but likely self-limiting in black vulture populations. This efficient, self-perpetuating transmission system may warrant conservation consideration in vultures and other near-obligate scavengers. Continued monitoring of HP IAV in black vultures is needed to evaluate population trends and ecological impacts.

Indexed as

FalconiformesInfluenza A Virus, H5N1 SubtypeInfluenza in BirdsAnimalsDisease SusceptibilityLiverSpleenCathartiformesOutbreakPathologyRaptorScavengerWildlife

Identifiers

PMID41577748
PMCPMC12902094

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.