Abstract

Subtype H6 influenza A viruses (IAVs) are commonly detected in wild birds and domestic poultry and can infect humans. In 2010, a H6N6 virus emerged in southern China, and since then, it has caused sporadic infections among swine. We show that this virus binds to α2,6-linked and α2,3-linked sialic acids. Mutations at residues 222 (alanine to valine) and 228 (glycine to serine) of the virus hemagglutinin (HA) affected its receptor-binding properties. Experiments showed that the virus has limited transmissibility between ferrets through direct contact or through inhalation of infectious aerosolized droplets. The internal genes of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which is prevalent in swine worldwide, increases the replication efficiency of H6N6 IAV in the lower respiratory tract of ferrets but not its transmissibility between ferrets. These findings suggest H6N6 swine IAV (SIV) currently poses a moderate risk to public health, but its evolution and spread should be closely monitored.

Emerging Microbes & Infections (2017) 6, e17; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.3; published online 12 April 2017

Details

Title
Pathogenicity and transmission of a swine influenza A(H6N6) virus
Author
Sun, Hailiang 1 ; Kaplan, Bryan S 2 ; Guan, Minhui 1 ; Zhang, Guihong 3 ; Ye, Jianqiang 1 ; Li-Ping, Long 1 ; Blackmon, Sherry 1 ; Chun-Kai, Yang 1 ; Meng-Jung, Chiang 4 ; Xie, Hang 4 ; Zhao, Nan 1 ; Cooley, Jim 5 ; Smith, David F 6 ; Liao, Ming 3 ; Cardona, Carol 7 ; Li, Lei 8 ; George Peng Wang 8 ; Webby, Richard 2 ; Xiu-Feng Wan 1 

 Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39759, USA 
 Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA 
 College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510462, Guangdong, China 
 Laboratory of Respiratory Viral Diseases, Division of Viral Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA 
 Department of Population Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39759, USA 
 Department of Biochemistry, Glycomics Center, School of Medicine Emory University, Atlanta 30322, GA, USA 
 College of Veterinary Medicine University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 30322, USA 
 Department of Chemistry Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA 
Pages
1-13
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Jan 2017
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
e-ISSN
22221751
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2516722467
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2017. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.