Novel reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N5) viruses in domestic ducks, China

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 17; no. 6; pp. 1060 - 1063
• Main Authors: Gu, Min, Liu, Wenbo, Cao, Yongzhong, Peng, Daxin, Wang, Xiaobo, Wan, Hongquan, Zhao, Guo, Xu, Quangang, Zhang, Wei, Song, Qingqing, Li, Yanfang, Liu, Xiufan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.06.2011; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Animals; Avian influenza viruses; Cell Line; China - epidemiology; Diseases; Dispatch; domestic ducks; Ducks; Genome, Viral - genetics; H5N5; Health aspects; highly pathogenic avian influenza; influenza; Influenza A virus - classification; Influenza A virus - genetics; Influenza A virus - isolation & purification; Influenza in Birds - epidemiology; Influenza in Birds - pathology; Influenza in Birds - virology; Liver; Medical examination; Mice; Phylogeny; Poultry Diseases - epidemiology; Poultry Diseases - virology; reassortant; Reassortant Viruses - classification; Reassortant Viruses - genetics; Reassortant Viruses - isolation & purification; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Spleen; viruses; China
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid1706.101406

In China, domestic ducks and wild birds often share the same water, in which influenza viruses replicate preferentially. Isolation of 2 novel reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N5) viruses from apparently healthy domestic ducks highlights the role of these ducks as reassortment vessels. Such new subtypes of influenza viruses may pose a pandemic threat.