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Xie R, Edwards KM, Wille M, Wei X, Wong SS, Zanin M, El-Shesheny R, Ducatez M, Poon LLM, Kayali G, Webby RJ, Dhanasekaran V. The episodic resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus. Nature 2023; 622:810-817. [PMID: 37853121 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06631-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 activity has intensified globally since 2021, increasingly causing mass mortality in wild birds and poultry and incidental infections in mammals1-3. However, the ecological and virological properties that underscore future mitigation strategies still remain unclear. Using epidemiological, spatial and genomic approaches, we demonstrate changes in the origins of resurgent HPAI H5 and reveal significant shifts in virus ecology and evolution. Outbreak data show key resurgent events in 2016-2017 and 2020-2021, contributing to the emergence and panzootic spread of H5N1 in 2021-2022. Genomic analysis reveals that the 2016-2017 epizootics originated in Asia, where HPAI H5 reservoirs are endemic. In 2020-2021, 2.3.4.4b H5N8 viruses emerged in African poultry, featuring mutations altering HA structure and receptor binding. In 2021-2022, a new H5N1 virus evolved through reassortment in wild birds in Europe, undergoing further reassortment with low-pathogenic avian influenza in wild and domestic birds during global dissemination. These results highlight a shift in the HPAI H5 epicentre beyond Asia and indicate that increasing persistence of HPAI H5 in wild birds is facilitating geographic and host range expansion, accelerating dispersion velocity and increasing reassortment potential. As earlier outbreaks of H5N1 and H5N8 were caused by more stable genomic constellations, these recent changes reflect adaptation across the domestic-bird-wild-bird interface. Elimination strategies in domestic birds therefore remain a high priority to limit future epizootics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruopeng Xie
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kimberly M Edwards
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michelle Wille
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiaoman Wei
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sook-San Wong
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mark Zanin
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rabeh El-Shesheny
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mariette Ducatez
- IHAP, Université de Toulouse, Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Leo L M Poon
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Richard J Webby
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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3
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Chen P, Jin Z, Peng L, Zheng Z, Cheung YM, Guan J, Chen L, Huang Y, Fan X, Zhang Z, Shi D, Xie J, Chen R, Xiao B, Yip CH, Smith DK, Hong W, Liu Y, Li L, Wang J, Holmes EC, Lam TTY, Zhu H, Guan Y. Characterization of an Emergent Chicken H3N8 Influenza Virus in Southern China: a Potential Threat to Public Health. J Virol 2023; 97:e0043423. [PMID: 37289052 PMCID: PMC10308888 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00434-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although influenza A viruses of several subtypes have occasionally infected humans, to date only those of the H1, H2, and H3 subtypes have led to pandemics and become established in humans. The detection of two human infections by avian H3N8 viruses in April and May of 2022 raised pandemic concerns. Recent studies have shown the H3N8 viruses were introduced into humans from poultry, although their genesis, prevalence, and transmissibility in mammals have not been fully elucidated. Findings generated from our systematic influenza surveillance showed that this H3N8 influenza virus was first detected in chickens in July 2021 and then disseminated and became established in chickens over wider regions of China. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the H3 HA and N8 NA were derived from avian viruses prevalent in domestic ducks in the Guangxi-Guangdong region, while all internal genes were from enzootic poultry H9N2 viruses. The novel H3N8 viruses form independent lineages in the glycoprotein gene trees, but their internal genes are mixed with those of H9N2 viruses, indicating continuous gene exchange among these viruses. Experimental infection of ferrets with three chicken H3N8 viruses showed transmission through direct contact and inefficient transmission by airborne exposure. Examination of contemporary human sera detected only very limited antibody cross-reaction to these viruses. The continuing evolution of these viruses in poultry could pose an ongoing pandemic threat. IMPORTANCE A novel H3N8 virus with demonstrated zoonotic potential has emerged and disseminated in chickens in China. It was generated by reassortment between avian H3 and N8 virus(es) and long-term enzootic H9N2 viruses present in southern China. This H3N8 virus has maintained independent H3 and N8 gene lineages but continues to exchange internal genes with other H9N2 viruses to form novel variants. Our experimental studies showed that these H3N8 viruses were transmissible in ferrets, and serological data suggest that the human population lacks effective immunological protection against it. With its wide geographical distribution and continuing evolution in chickens, other spillovers to humans can be expected and might lead to more efficient transmission in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziying Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Liuxia Peng
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zuoyi Zheng
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiu-Man Cheung
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jing Guan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Liming Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiteng Huang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohui Fan
- Department of Microbiology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zengfeng Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Dongmei Shi
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Xie
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Rirong Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Boheng Xiao
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chun Hung Yip
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David K. Smith
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wenshan Hong
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongmei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Edward C. Holmes
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huachen Zhu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yi Guan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Noisumdaeng P, Phadungsombat J, Weerated S, Wiriyarat W, Puthavathana P. Genetic evolution of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Thailand. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14419. [PMID: 36518286 PMCID: PMC9744161 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ongoing outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses and the emergence of the genetic-related hemagglutinin (HA) gene of reassortant H5Nx viruses currently circulating in wild birds and poultries pose a great global public health concern. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the genetic evolution of Thai H5N1 HA and neuraminidase (NA) genes between 2003 and 2010. The H5N1 Thailand virus clade 2.3.4 was also genetically compared to the currently circulating clade 2.3.4.4 of H5Nx viruses. Methods Full-length nucleotide sequences of 178 HA and 143 NA genes of H5N1 viruses circulating between 2003 and 2010 were phylogenetically analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic construction. Bayesian phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using BEAST analysis with a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach. The maximum clade credibility (MCC) tree was determined, and the time of the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) was estimated. The H5N1 HA nucleotide sequences of clade 2.3.4 Thailand viruses were phylogenetically analyzed using ML phylogenetic tree construction and analyzed for nucleotide similarities with various subtypes of reassortant H5Nx HA clade 2.3.4.4. Results ML phylogenetic analysis revealed two distinct HA clades, clade 1 and clade 2.3.4, and two distinct NA groups within the corresponding H5 clade 1 viruses. Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction for molecular clock suggested that the Thai H5N1 HA and NA emerged in 2001.87 (95% HPD: 2001.34-2002.49) and 2002.38 (95% HPD: 2001.99-2002.82), respectively, suggesting that the virus existed before it was first reported in 2004. The Thai H5N1 HA clade 2.3.4 was grouped into corresponding clades 2.3.4, 2.3.4.1, 2.3.4.2, and 2.3.4.3, and shared nucleotide similarities to reassortant H5Nx clade 2.3.4.4 ranged from 92.4-96.8%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed monophyletic H5Nx clade 2.3.4.4 evolved from H5N1 clade 2.3.4. Conclusion H5N1 viruses existed, and were presumably introduced and circulated in avian species in Thailand, before they were officially reported in 2004. HA and NA genes continuously evolved during circulation between 2004 and 2010. This study provides a better understanding of genetic evolution with respect to molecular epidemiology. Monitoring and surveillance of emerging variants/reassortants should be continued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pirom Noisumdaeng
- Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand,Thammasat University Research Unit in Modern Microbiology and Public Health Genomics, Thammasat University, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Juthamas Phadungsombat
- Mahidol-Osaka Center for Infectious Diseases (MOCID), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Viral Infections, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sasrinakarn Weerated
- Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | | | - Pilaipan Puthavathana
- Center for Research and Innovation, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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Fujimoto Y, Ogasawara K, Isoda N, Hatai H, Okuya K, Watanabe Y, Takada A, Sakoda Y, Saito K, Ozawa M. Experimental and natural infections of white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) with high pathogenicity avian influenza virus of H5 subtype. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1007350. [PMID: 36262320 PMCID: PMC9574225 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1007350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
White-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), a regionally rare species of raptor, is threatened in several countries. To assess the risk of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viral infection in rare bird species, we performed experimental infections with a GS/GD96-lineage H5N6 HPAI virus of clade 2.3.4.4e in white-tailed sea eagles. Additionally, during the winter of 2020–2021 in Japan, we accidentally encountered a white-tailed sea eagle that had a fatal outcome due to natural infection with a GS/GD96-lineage H5N8 HPAI virus of clade 2.3.4.4b, allowing us to compare experimental and natural infections in the same rare raptor species. Our experiments demonstrated the susceptibility of white-tailed sea eagles to the GS/GD96-lineage H5 HPAI virus with efficient replication in systemic organs. The potential for the viruses to spread within the white-tailed sea eagle population through indirect transmission was also confirmed. Comprehensive comparisons of both viral distribution and histopathological observations between experimentally and naturally infected white-tailed sea eagles imply that viral replication in the brain is responsible for the disease severity and mortality in this species. These findings provide novel insights into the risk assessment of H5 HPAI viral infection in white-tailed sea eagles, proper diagnostic procedures, potential risks to artificially fed eagle populations and persons handling superficially healthy eagles, potential impact of intragastric infection on eagle outcomes, and possibility of severity of the disease being attributed to viral replication in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshikazu Fujimoto
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | | | - Norikazu Isoda
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hatai
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kosuke Okuya
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | - Ayato Takada
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Sakoda
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Saito
- Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan, Kushiro, Japan
| | - Makoto Ozawa
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- *Correspondence: Makoto Ozawa
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