Wholly Eurasian highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus was isolated from 2 free-ranging black bears with meningoencephalitis in Quebec, Canada. We found that isolates from both animals had the D701N mutation in the polymerase basic 2 gene, previously known to promote adaptation of H5N1 viruses to mammal hosts.
Keywords: Canada; Quebec; Ursus americanus; avian influenza; bears; free-ranging black bears; hemagglutinin; infections; influenza; influenza A(H5N1) virus; influenza virus; meningoencephalitis; viruses; zoonoses.