An historic ice-bound expedition by two researchers from the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie. “An extraordinary achievement,” says the DG Antonia Ricci.
An historic expedition to search for avian influenza was conducted in the ice lands of Antarctica by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), between October and November 2024. The aim of the mission was to investigate the presence of the H5N1 virus among the penguin populations and to curb this global threat in the remotest parts of the planet.
The mission was promoted as part of an initiative by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), the entity behind the operational planning and technical-logistics management of Italian research activities in the continent of Antarctica. ENEA invited IZSVe to investigate the presence of the virus among the penguin colonies located in the operating radius of the “Mario Zucchelli” Station, one of the two Italian bases in Antarctica, with a view to providing staff with procedures and personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of infection with H5N1.
The two researchers deployed to the field were Francesco Bonfante and Alessio Bortolami, veterinary virologists of the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences who, after completing all the necessary training, departed on a totally unique mission to better understand the dynamics behind the spread of avian influenza in the Antarctic. In 2022, avian influenza found its way for the first time to the southernmost coasts of South America, where it caused mass mortality events in numerous species of birds, in addition to sealions and elephant seals. The H5N1 virus was isolated in penguins in South Georgia, a group of islands close to Antarctica, and in February 2024, it was first detected in Antarctica, close to the Argentinian research station, Spring Base.
“Avian flu’s entry into the continent poses new challenges for scientific and logistics staff working at the Antarctic stations – stresses Francesco Bonfante. Fortunately, we didn’t find any trace of the virus in this part of Antarctica and this is very good news not only for the wildlife in the Ross Sea but also for the staff deployed in the area. This doesn’t mean the disease won’t reach this region of Antarctica in the near future, via the migration of formidable vectors such as south polar skuas and other seabirds.
Scientifically speaking – adds Bonfante – the mission marks a milestone for [Italian] Veterinary Health and Research Authorities and for the veterinary community as a whole, since, for the first time at an Antarctic station, we were able not only to collect but also to analyse within 24 hours both sera and swabs from penguins, without the help of specialized laboratories outside of Antarctica.”
Equipped with portable field PCR systems, freeze-dried reagents, thermal working gloves, anoraks, and ice boots, the two researchers headed for the extreme South, via New Zealand, at the end of October. Their new home for two weeks was the Mario Zucchelli Station, located on a small rocky peninsula along the coast of North Victoria Land, on the Ross Sea. Besides our colleagues, the base hosted approximately 80 other people including researchers, technicians and support staff.
Every two days the researchers, accompanied by alpine guides, reached the penguin colonies by helicopter. They were equipped with a 25-kg survival bag, including a tent, a sleeping bag and general supplies, to be used should adverse weather conditions prevent them from returning to the base. The study included testing of Adélie penguins and Emperor penguins, which live in colonies of very different sizes ranging from a few thousand to several hundred thousand birds.
In just two weeks, the researchers collected and tested samples from over 250 animals, belonging to 5 different colonies. The colonies were located on a strip of coastline extending for over 400 km from the Mario Zucchelli station to Cape Adare, a promontory housing the world’s largest colony of Adélie penguins, consisting of over 300 thousand birds. It is also the first settlement to have been built in the Antarctic, formed by a series of huts constructed in 1899 by Norwegian explorers led by Carsten Borchgrevink.
Physically speaking, it was a highly arduous experience, also on account of the direct contact the researchers needed to have with the animals, as described by Alessio Bortolami:
“We literally had to put our arms around the penguins to be able to restrain them and take the required samples. This was done also to minimize the stress of these animals and prevent any injury. The large size of the emperor penguins – which are 1 metre in height and weigh up to 30-40 kg – meant we needed the help of two Alpine guides to properly restrain them on the ice pack, at -20°C. It was an entirely new experience compared to our routine work as national health service veterinarians. However, we are really proud of what has been achieved in only two weeks. We had never seen a penguin before! I guess our expertise as state veterinarians and researchers of the European Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease played a significant role in this expedition.
For each colony, approximately 50 penguins were sampled to collect blood and oropharyngeal swabs. At the base, the researchers spent hours to decontaminating the overalls and of the equipment using bleach baths in preparation for the next survey. On the following day the researchers turned their attention to the related molecular and serological analyses.
The entire operation was carefully planned by Rocco Ascione, Expedition Leader (ENEA) of the 40th Italian Expedition at the Mario Zucchelli Station, while flight operations were managed by staff of the Italian Air Force and the support on the ground was given by other military personnel. To minimize the environmental and ecological impact of the mission, the researchers worked in close contact with Dr. Carla Ubaldi, ENEA’s Environmental Officer at the Mario Zucchelli station.
One of the ambitions of the mission was that testing would continue after the departure of the two veterinarians. To allow this to happen, since the beginning of the expedition ENEA staff at the Italian base were trained to perform both molecular and serological techniques.
The training provided excellent results, since in December, Dr. Carla Ubaldi successfully carried out analytical investigations on penguin samples collected at Inexpressible Island, a strategic site for various research studies conducted under the National Research Program in Antarctica (PNRA).
“I didn’t expect to be able to test this colony without the help of Francesco and Alessio – confesses Carla Ubaldi -, as poor weather conditions prevented us from reaching the island during their stay. Nonetheless we managed to do so thanks to their advice and remote support over the internet and to the equipment and reagents provided by Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie”.
“Just like viruses, scientific research knows no boundaries – said Antonia Ricci, General Director of IZSVe. – We went as far as Antarctica in search of avian flu, where we opened a mini laboratory and carried out analyses in the field in record time: a truly extraordinary achievement! This expedition has significant scientific value, particularly in its contribution to the One Health global prevention strategy. It showcases our Institute’s exceptional scientific expertise and reflects the tremendous preparatory work by our technical and administrative teams. It’s been an exceptional experience for our researchers and for the whole Institute, something I’m truly proud of”.
New expeditions to the Mario Zucchelli station are not currently scheduled. Much will depend on the development of the disease, the availability of funds, and other variables. What is certain is that nothing seems to stop the geographical expansion of the H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) virus. Protecting the Antarctic habitat and monitoring the virus in the local wildlife will require long-term international coordination.
