DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vx0k6dk56
title: Data from: Wild birds affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) worldwide: Epidemiological insights into the recent panzootic

description: In recent years, especially as a consequence of global change, several
 emerging pathogens have caused alarming effects in wild species. One of
 these pathogens, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1), is causing
 global mortalities in animals with an increasing risk to humans. Wild
 birds play a key role in viral transmission and spread. Using the
 distribution ranges of wild bird species reported as infected, we mapped
 global risk areas for viral spread and analyzed the spatio-temporal
 evolution of H5N1 from 2017 to March 2025. We also examined the overlap
 between the mapped risk areas and positive cases occurring in wild and
 poultry over this period to evaluate whether these cases align with the
 risk areas previously identified. Finally, we evaluated whether ecological
 traits of wild birds, such as gregariousness, tolerance of anthropic
 habitats, migratory behavior, and trophic level, are associated with the
 viral infection. From 2017 to October 2020, the H5N1 high-risk areas and
 cases in wild and domestic birds were few and limited to Asia and Europe.
 From 2020 to 2025, the rise in H5N1 cases led to rapid expansion of
 high-risk areas for virus circulation and spread to almost the entire
 world. The increase in cases occurred within predicted high-risk areas for
 both wild and domestic birds. The wild bird species most at risk of
 contracting the viral infection were those that are gregarious, tolerant
 of anthropic habitats, are non-migratory, and occupy the upper trophic
 level. Our findings provide insights that could enhance surveillance and
 conservation efforts aimed at mitigating the adverse impacts of H5N1.
 These efforts can be optimized by prioritizing high-risk regions and
 species identified as particularly susceptible to H5N1.
description: # Data from: Wild birds affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
 A(H5N1) worldwide: Epidemiological insights into the recent panzootic
 Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.vx0k6dk56](10.5061/dryad.vx0k6dk56) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The data presented here are
 valid to replicate the analysis performed in the article: Manuscript ID
 GCB-25-0888 "*Wild birds affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian
 Influenza A(H5N1) worldwide: Epidemiological insights into the recent
 panzootic*" ### Files and variables #### File:
 Complete_Data_wildbirds.xlsx **Description:** Data on wild birds reported
 to be infected with H5N1 by WAHIS are valid for replicating risk maps
 (with and without cases) and the global model. ##### Variables
 epi_event_id: Corresponds to the number of the event assigned by the WOAH
 (WAHIS). sero_sub_genotype_eng: Corresponds to the serotype of Avian
 Influenza Virus. country: Country that reports the epi event. region:
 Region of the country. Outbreak_start_date: Day the outbreak started.
 Epi_unit: Landscape where the outbreak happened. The levels are farm,
 forest, natural park, backyard, body of water, zoo, village, others, not
 applicable. Longitude: Geolocation of the outbreak. Latitude: Geolocation
 of the outbreak. Location_name: City or geographical region where the
 outbreak started. wild_type: Whether animals are domestic or wild. The
 levels are wild, captive, feral. Species: Species scientific name. cases:
 Number of H5N1 cases. anthropic: Whether the species is tolerant or not
 tolerant to anthropic habitats. Levels: Yes and No. migration: Whether a
 species is migratory or sedentary. Levels: Yes and No. trophic_level:
 Trophic level of a species. Levels: C (carnivorous), H (herbivorous), O
 (omnivores). gregarious: Whether the species is gregarious or not. Levels:
 Yes and No. Empty cells correspond to non-available data. #### File:
 EFSA-Database.xlsx Description: Data on wild birds reported to be infected
 with H5N1 by EFSA are valid for replicating the European model. #####
 Variables Species: Species scientific name. infection: Whether the species
 had been infected. Levels: 1 (yes), 0 (no). anthropic: Whether the species
 is tolerant or not tolerant to anthropic habitats. Levels: sí (yes) and no
 (not). migration: Whether a species is migratory or sedentary. Levels: sí
 (yes) and no (not). gregarious: Whether the species is gregarious or not.
 Levels: sí (yes) and no (not). Empty cells correspond to non-available
 data. #### File: Complete_Data__poultry_F.xlsx **Description:** Data on
 poultry reported to be infected with H5N1 by WAHIS are valid to replicate
 maps with cases. ##### Variables epi_event_id: Corresponds to the number
 of the event assigned by the WOAH (WAHIS). sero_sub_genotype_eng:
 Corresponds to the serotype of Avian Influenza Virus. country: Country
 that reports the epi event. region: Region of the country.
 Outbreak_start_date: Day the outbreak started. Longitude: Geolocation of
 the outbreak. Latitude: Geolocation of the outbreak. Location_name: City
 or geographical region where the outbreak started. cases: Number of H5N1
 cases. Empty cells correspond to non-available data. ## Code/software R
 program (R Core Team, 2024) Zonation v.5 ## Access information Other
 publicly accessible locations of the data: * n/a Data was derived from the
 following sources: * World Organization of Animal Health (WAHIS) * EFSA
 (European Food Safety Authority)