Isolation and complete genomic characterization of pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza viruses from Cuban swine herds

• Published in: Research in veterinary science Vol. 94; no. 3; pp. 781 - 788
• Main Authors: Pérez, Lester Josué, Perera, Carmen Laura, Vega, Armando, Frías, Maria T., Rouseaux, Dagmar, Ganges, Llilianne, Nuñez, José Ignacio, Díaz de Arce, Heidy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2013; Elsevier India Pvt Ltd; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Birds; Cuba - epidemiology; Evolution; Genes; genetic markers; Genome, Viral - genetics; herds; Hogs; influenza; Influenza A virus; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - genetics; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - isolation & purification; Influenza virus; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; monitoring; Mutation; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - veterinary; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology; pandemic; Pandemic H1N1/2009 virus; Pandemics; Phylogenetic analysis; Phylogeny; Sequence Alignment - veterinary; swine; Swine - virology; Swine Diseases - epidemiology; Swine Diseases - virology; Veterinary medicine; virulence; viruses; Cuba; ASW, Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles, Cuba; Phylogenetic analysis; Evolution; Mutation; Pandemic H1N1/2009 virus
• ISSN: 0034-5288; 1532-2661
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2012.11.018

The emergence of the pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza virus poses a potential global threat for human and animal health. In this study, we carried out pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza virus surveillance in swine herds in Cuba intending to determine whether the virus was circulating among pig populations. As a result we describe, for the first time, the detection of pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza virus in swine herds in Cuba. In addition, phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization of three viral isolates were performed. Phylogenetic relationships confirmed that all of the eight genes of the three isolates were derived from the pandemic H1N1/2009 virus. The Cuban isolates, formed an independent cluster within the pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza strains. Different molecular markers, previously described in pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza viruses, related with adaptive evolution, viral evasion from the host-immune response, virulence and dissemination were also present in Cuban pandemic H1N1/2009 isolates.