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Phylogenetic tracing and biological characterization of a novel clade 2.3.2.1 reassortant of H5N6 subtype avian influenza virus in China
Author(s) -
Ge Zhichuang,
Gu Min,
Cai Tianyu,
Liu Kaituo,
Gao Ruyi,
Liu Dong,
Sun Wenqiang,
Li Xiuli,
Shi Lei,
Liu Jiao,
Wang Xiaoquan,
Hu Jiao,
Liu Xiaowen,
Hu Shunlin,
Chen Sujuan,
Peng Daxin,
Jiao Xinan,
Liu Xiufan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
transboundary and emerging diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.392
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1865-1682
pISSN - 1865-1674
DOI - 10.1111/tbed.13736
Subject(s) - clade , reassortment , influenza a virus subtype h5n1 , biology , phylogenetic tree , virology , phylogenetics , gene , virus , genetics , covid-19 , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
In recent years in China, clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 plus clade 2.3.2.1 H5N1 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have gradually become endemic in poultry, and their co‐circulation could inevitably facilitate the gene reassortment between each other. During our routine surveillance in live poultry markets (LPMs) in eastern China in 2017–2018, a novel reassortant H5N6 strain with the HA gene derived from clade 2.3.2.1 was isolated from the cloacal swabs of apparently healthy ducks. Phylogenetic tracing analysis indicated that another two clade 2.3.2.1 H5N1 strains with divergent lineages of PB1 gene and one clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 isolate of the dominant genotype sharing spatio‐temporal proximity were intimately involved in the generation of this rarely reported clade 2.3.2.1 H5N6 reassortant. Distinct with the other three HPAI H5 viruses showing moderate virulence in mice, the H5N1 strain of the homologous internal gene constellation against the clade 2.3.2.1 H5N6 reassortant was highly pathogenic, which might probably attribute to the H3 subtype‐derived PB1 gene. However, as compared to the clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 ancestor, the clade 2.3.2.1 H5N6 reassortant displayed a broader tissue distribution and higher viral titres in mice, which could likely facilitate the viral maintenance and spread in nature. Therefore, our results highlight that continuous epidemiological survey of H5 subtype HPAI viruses in LPMs needs to be strengthened to prevent the potential poultry or even public health threat of the novel reassortants from endemic viruses.