Characterization of a novel reassortant H7N3 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus isolated from a poultry meat product taken on a passenger flight to Japan

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 81; no. 3; pp. 444 - 448
• Main Authors: SHIBATA, Akihiro, HARADA, Rieko, OKAMATSU, Masatoshi, MATSUNO, Keita, ARITA, Tomoko, SUZUKI, Yasushi, SHIRAKURA, Masayuki, ODAGIRI, Takato, TAKEMAE, Nobuhiro, UCHIDA, Yuko, SAITO, Takehiko, SAKODA, Yoshihiro, OSAKA, Hiroyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2019; Japan Science and Technology Agency; The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
• Subjects: Antigenicity; Avian flu; Epidemics; Evolution & development; Flight; H7N3 subtype; Hemagglutinins; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; Influenza; Meat; Meat products; reassortant virus; Virology; Japan; reassortant virus; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; H7N3 subtype
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.18-0628

A new reassortant H7N3 avian influenza virus (AIV) was isolated from a duck meat product that was illegally taken on board a passenger flight from China to Japan in March 2018. Sequencing analysis revealed that the H7N3 isolate, A/duck/Japan/AQ-HE30-1/2018 (Dk/HE30-1) (H7N3), was a reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) that contained the haemagglutinin (HA) gene of Chinese H7N9 HPAIV. Dk/HE30-1 (H7N3) possessed a novel polybasic sequence motif PEVPKRRRTAR/GLF at the HA cleavage site that has never previously been reported in H7 HPAIVs. The HA antigenicity of Dk/HE30-1 (H7N3) slightly differed from that of H7N9 HPAIVs previously reported. These findings will help further our knowledge of the circulation and genetic evolution of emerging AIVs in endemic areas.