Genetic and biological characterization of two novel reassortant H5N6 swine influenza viruses in mice and chickens

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2015-12, Vol.36, p.462-466
• Main Authors: Li, Xuyong, Fu, Yuguang, Yang, Jiayun, Guo, Jing, He, Jijun, Guo, Jianhong, Weng, Shaoting, Jia, Yane, Liu, Bin, Li, Xiaoyang, Zhu, Qiyun, Chen, Hualan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Chickens; Female; Genes, Viral; Genotype; H5N6; Influenza A virus - classification; Influenza A virus - isolation & purification; Influenza A virus - physiology; Influenza in Birds - virology; Influenza virus; Mice; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - pathology; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology; Phylogeny; Public health; Reassortant Viruses; Reassortment; Swine; Virulence Factors - genetics; Virus Replication - genetics
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.08.017

Novel H5N6 influenza A viruses have infected birds and human beings and caused four human clinical cases in China since 2014. The pig, as a mixing vessel, plays an important role for influenza virus reassortment and transmission. Towards this, routine surveillance for swine influenza in Guangdong province was conducted in 2014. In this study, we reported the biological characterization of two H5N6 influenza viruses isolated from healthy pigs in Guangdong province. Genetic analysis indicates that the two viruses are reassortants of 2.3.4.4 H5N1 and H6N6 avian influenza viruses with a high similarity to duck and human H5N6 influenza viruses isolated from Guangdong province. The data from chicken and mouse experiments show that the viruses are highly pathogenic in chickens and result in a systemic infection, and replicate in the mouse lung accompanying with a clinical inflammatory pathology. The results of the study demonstrate that the two H5N6 influenza viruses isolated from swine are the avian-originated viruses and have not adapted to swine population yet. However, they might keep evolving and pose a potential risk to public health and the continued surveillance of swine influenza should be strengthened. •Two reassortant H5N6 swine influenza viruses were isolated from Guangdong province in China in 2014.•These two H5N6 influenza viruses are reassortants of 2.3.4.4 H5N1 and H6N6 avian influenza viruses.•The viruses are highly pathogenic in chickens with a systemic infection, and replicate in the mouse.•The continued monitoring and evaluation of the H5 and other subtypes of novel influenza viruses in pigs should be done.