Irish Veterinary Journal (Mar 2006)

Isolation of avian influenza virus (H9N2) from emu in china

  • Kang Wenhua,
  • Pang Wanyong,
  • Hao Junfeng,
  • Zhao Deming

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-0481-59-3-148
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 59, no. 3
pp. 148 – 152

Abstract

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Abstract This is the first reported isolation of avian influenza virus (AIV) from emu in China. An outbreak of AIV infection occurred at an emu farm that housed 40 four-month-old birds. Various degrees of haemorrhage were discovered in the tissues of affected emus. Cell degeneration and necrosis were observed microscopically. Electron microscopy revealed round or oval virions with a diameter of 80 nm to 120 nm, surrounded by an envelope with spikes. The virus was classified as low pathogenic AIV (LPAIV), according to OIE standards. It was named A/Emu/HeNen/14/2004(H9N2)(Emu/HN/2004). The HA gene (1683bp) was amplified by RT-PCR and it was compared with other animal H9N2 AIV sequences in GenBank, the US National Institutes of Health genetic sequence database. The results suggested that Emu/HN/2004 may have come from an avian influenza virus (H9N2) from Southern China.

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