Concomitant NA and NS deletion on avian Influenza H3N1 virus associated with hen mortality in France in 2019

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 104; p. 105356
• Main Authors: Briand, François-Xavier, Schmitz, Audrey, Scoizec, Axelle, Allée, Chantal, Busson, Rachel, Guillemoto, Carole, Quenault, Hélène, Lucas, Pierrick, Pierre, Isabelle, Louboutin, Katell, Guillou-Cloarec, Cécile, Martenot, Claire, Cherbonnel-Pansart, Martine, Thomas, Rodolphe, Massin, Pascale, Souchaud, Florent, Blanchard, Yannick, Steensels, Mieke, Lambrecht, Benedicte, Eterradossi, Nicolas, Le Bouquin, Sophie, Niqueux, Eric, Grasland, Béatrice
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: avian influenza; farms; France; hens; infection; Influenza A virus; Influenza A virus H3N1 subtype; Influenza in birds; Life Sciences; mortality; phylogeny; Virulence; viruses; France; Influenza A virus H3N1 subtype; Influenza in birds; Virulence; Female; Animals; Chickens
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105356

An H3N1 avian influenza virus was detected in a laying hens farm in May 2019 which had experienced 25% mortality in Northern France. The complete sequencing of this virus showed that all segment sequences belonged to the Eurasian lineage and were phylogenetically very close to many of the Belgian H3N1 viruses detected in 2019. The French virus presented two genetic particularities with NA and NS deletions that could be related to virus adaptation from wild to domestic birds and could increase virulence, respectively. Molecular data of H3N1 viruses suggest that these two deletions occurred at two different times. •Avian Influenza H3N1 virus detected in poultry farm exhibited mortality in France.•Concomitant NA and NS deletion on French avian Influenza H3N1 virus.•tMRCA analyses suggest two independent event dates for the occurrence of NA and NS deletions.