A massive outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza spreading among elephant seals and sea lions in South America provided evidence of mammal to mammal transmission of this deadly disease. A study published in the journal Nature Communications and co-led by UC Davis and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology in Argentina shows that the outbreak in elephant seals was a steppingstone amid the first transnational spread of the virus in these species, extending across five countries in southern South America.
