Re-emergence of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds, China

Juan Li; Chunge Zhang; Jian Cao; Yongchun Yang; Hui Dong; Yanan Cui; Xue Yao; Hong Zhou; Lu Lu; Samantha Lycett; Xiaodu Wang; Houhui Song; Wenjun Liu; George F. Gao; Weifeng Shi; Yuhai Bi

doi:10.1080/22221751.2021.1968317

Emerging Microbes and Infections (Jan 2021)

Re-emergence of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds, China

Juan Li,
Chunge Zhang,
Jian Cao,
Yongchun Yang,
Hui Dong,
Yanan Cui,
Xue Yao,
Hong Zhou,
Lu Lu,
Samantha Lycett,
Xiaodu Wang,
Houhui Song,
Wenjun Liu,
George F. Gao,
Weifeng Shi,
Yuhai Bi

Affiliations

Juan Li: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Chunge Zhang: Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, People’s Republic of China
Jian Cao: CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Yongchun Yang: Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, People’s Republic of China
Hui Dong: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Yanan Cui: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Xue Yao: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Hong Zhou: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Lu Lu: Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences & Informatics, Ashworth Laboratories, Kings Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Samantha Lycett: Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Xiaodu Wang: Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, People’s Republic of China
Houhui Song: Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, People’s Republic of China
Wenjun Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
George F. Gao: CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Weifeng Shi: Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Universities of Shandong, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People’s Republic of China
Yuhai Bi: CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2021.1968317
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1819 – 1823

Abstract

Read online

In mid-November 2020, deaths of whooper swan were reported in the Yellow River Reservoir Area, China. In the present study, we describe the genetic characterizations and phylogenetic relationships of four clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 highly avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) identified from a sick whooper swan and environmental samples collected in the Yellow River Reservoir Area in late November 2020. They were closely related to recent H5Nx HPAIVs causing outbreaks in Eurasia in the 2020-2021 influenza season, suggesting these isolates might be imported into China via migratory birds. The newly identified H5N8 HPAIVs possessed Q226 and G228 (H3 numbering), indicating that they prefer to avian-like receptors. However, they had three mutations falling within known antigenic regions, including T144A in antigenic region A, T192I in antigenic region B, and N240D in antigenic region D. Our study highlights the risk of the rapid global spread of H5N8 HPAIVs and the necessity for continuous monitoring of avian influenza viruses in wild birds.

Published in Emerging Microbes and Infections

ISSN: 2222-1751 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Science: Microbiology
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/temi

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords