Emerging Infectious Diseases (Oct 2018)

New Reassortant Clade 2.3.4.4b Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus in Wild Birds, South Korea, 2017–18

  • Jung-Hoon Kwon,
  • Sol Jeong,
  • Dong-Hun Lee,
  • David E. Swayne,
  • Yu-jin Kim,
  • Sun-hak Lee,
  • Jin-Yong Noh,
  • Tseren-Ochir Erdene-Ochir,
  • Jei-Hyun Jeong,
  • Chang-Seon Song

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2410.180461
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 10
pp. 1953 – 1955

Abstract

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We isolated new reassortant avian influenza A(H5N6) viruses from feces of wild waterfowl in South Korea during 2017–18. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that reassortment occurred between clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 and Eurasian low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses circulating in wild birds. Dissemination to South Korea during the 2017 fall migratory season followed.

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