Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 Clade 2.3.2.1c virus in migratory birds, 2014-2015

• Published in: Virologica Sinica Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 300 - 305
• Main Authors: Bi, Yuhai, Chen, Jianjun, Zhang, Zhenjie, Li, Mingxin, Cai, Tianlong, Sharshov, Kirill, Susloparov, Ivan, Shestopalov, Alexander, Wong, Gary, He, Yubang, Xing, Zhi, Sun, Jianqing, Liu, Di, Liu, Yingxia, Liu, Lei, Liu, Wenjun, Lei, Fumin, Shi, Weifeng, Gao, George F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.08.2016; KeAi Publishing Communications Ltd
• Subjects: Africa; Africa - epidemiology; Animal Migration; Animals; Animals, Wild - physiology; Animals, Wild - virology; Asia - epidemiology; Avian flu; avian influenza; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Bird migration; Birds; Black Sea; Bulgaria; China; Epidemics; Europe - epidemiology; genes; Genetic relationship; genetic relationships; Humans; Influenza A virus; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - genetics; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - isolation & purification; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - pathogenicity; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - physiology; Influenza in Birds - epidemiology; Influenza in Birds - physiopathology; Influenza in Birds - virology; Medical Microbiology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Migratory birds; Oncology; Outbreaks; Phylogeny; poultry; Research Article; Romania; Russia; United Arab Emirates; Virology; Viruses; wild birds; China; Romania; Africa; United Arab Emirates; Bulgaria; Black Sea; Russia; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; H5N1; outbreak; Clade 2.3.2.1c; migratory birds
• ISSN: 1674-0769; 1995-820X; 1995-820X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12250-016-3750-4

A novel Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortant virus caused several outbreaks in wild birds in some regions of China from late 2014 to 2015. Based on the genetic and phylogenetic analyses, the viruses possess a stable gene constellation with a Clade 2.3.2.1c HA, a H9N2-derived PB2 gene and the other six genes of Asian H5Nl-origin. The Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortants displayed a high genetic relationship to a human H5N1 strain （A/Alberta/01/2014）. Further analysis showed that similar viruses have been circulating in wild birds in China, Russia, Dubai （Western Asia）, Bulgaria and Romania （Europe）, as well as domestic poultry in some regions of Africa. The affected areas include the Central Asian, East Asian-Australasian, West Asian-East African, and Black Sea/Mediterranean flyways. These results show that the novel Clade 2.3.2.1c reassortant viruses are circulating worldwide and may have gained a selective advantage in migratory birds, thus posing a serious threat to wild birds and potentially humans.