Tropism of avian influenza A (H5N1) in the upper and lower respiratory tract

• Published in: Nature medicine Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 147 - 149
• Main Authors: Nicholls, J M, Peiris, J S M, Chan, M C W, Chan, W Y, Wong, H K, Cheung, C Y, Kwong, D L W, Wong, M P, Chui, W H, Poon, L L M, Tsao, S W, Guan, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Nature Publishing Group 01.02.2007
• Subjects: Avian flu; Cells, Cultured; Disease transmission; Epithelium - virology; Histocytochemistry; Hong Kong; Humans; Infections; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - metabolism; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype - metabolism; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - metabolism; Influenza, Human - metabolism; Influenza, Human - transmission; Phytohemagglutinins - metabolism; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory System - virology; Respiratory tract; Virology; Virus Attachment; Virus Replication - physiology; Hong Kong
• ISSN: 1078-8956; 1546-170X
• DOI: 10.1038/nm1529

Poor human-to-human transmission of influenza A H5N1 virus has been attributed to the paucity of putative sialic acid α2-3 virus receptors in the epithelium of the human upper respiratory tract, and thus to the presumed inability of the virus to replicate efficiently at this site. We now demonstrate that ex vivo cultures of human nasopharyngeal, adenoid and tonsillar tissues can be infected with H5N1 viruses in spite of an apparent lack of these receptors.