Open AccessNeurovirulence in Mice of H5N1 Influenza Virus Genotypes Isolated from Hong Kong Poultry in 2001
Author(s) -
A. S. Lipatov,
Scott Krauss,
Yi Guan,
Malik Peiris,
Jerold E. Rehg,
Daniel R. Pérez,
Robert G. Webster
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.77.6.3816-3823.2003
Subject(s) - biology , influenza a virus subtype h5n1 , genotype , goose , virology , gene , virus , highly pathogenic , pathogenicity , virulence , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , paleontology
We studied the pathogenicity of five different genotypes (A to E) of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 viruses, which contained HA genes similar to those of the H5N1 virus A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 and five different combinations of "internal" genes, in a mouse model. Highly pathogenic, neurotropic variants of genotypes A, C, D, and E were isolated from the brain after a single intranasal passage in mice. Genotype B virus was isolated from lungs only. The mouse brain variants had amino acid changes in all gene products except PB1, NP, and NS1 proteins but no common sets of mutations. We conclude that the original H5N1/01 isolates of genotypes A, C, D, and E were heterogeneous and that highly pathogenic neurotropic variants can be rapidly selected in mice.