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Appl Environ Microbiol. 2017 Jul 21. pii: AEM.01346-17. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01346-17. [Epub ahead of print]
US feral swine were exposed to both avian and swine influenza A viruses.
Martin BE1, Sun H1, Carrel M2, Cunningham FL3, Baroch JA4, Hanson-Dorr KC3, Young SG5, Schmit B4, Nolting JM6, Yoon KJ7, Lutman MW8, Pedersen K8, Lager K9, Bowman AS6, Slemons RD6, Smith DR10, DeLiberto T11, Wan XF12.
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Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine can cause sporadic infections and pandemic outbreaks among humans, but how avian IAV emerges in swine is still unclear. Unlike domestic swine, feral swine are free ranging and have many opportunities for IAV exposure through contacts with various habitats and animals, including migratory waterfowl, a natural reservoir for IAVs. During 2010--2013, 8,239 serum samples were collected from feral swine across 35 US states and tested against 45 contemporary antigenic variants of avian, swine, and human IAVs; of these, 406 (4.9%) samples were IAV-antibody positive. Among 294 serum samples selected for antigenic characterization, 271 cross-reacted with ≥1 testing virus whereas the other 23 did not cross-react with any testing virus. Of the 271 IAV-positive samples, 236 cross-reacted with swine IAVs, 1 with avian IAVs, and 16 with avian and swine IAVs, indicating that feral swine were exposed to both swine and avian IAVs but predominantly to swine IAVs. Our findings suggest that feral swine could potentially be infected with both avian and swine IAVs, generating novel IAVs by hosting and reassorting IAVs from wild birds and domestic swine and facilitating adaptation of avian IAVs to other hosts, including humans, before their spillover. Continued surveillance to monitor the distribution and antigenic diversities of IAVs in feral swine is necessary to increase our understanding of the natural history of IAVs.Importance There are more than 5 million feral swine distributed across at least 35 states in the USA. In contrast to domestic swine, feral swine are free ranging and have unique opportunities for contact with wildlife, livestock and their habitats. Our serological results indicate that feral swine in the United States have been exposed to influenza A viruses (IAVs) consistent with those found in both domestic swine and wild birds, with the predominant infections consisting of swine adapted IAVs. Our findings suggest that feral swine having been infected with IAVs at low levels and could serve as hosts for the generation of novel IAVs at the interface of feral swine, wild birds, domestic swine, and humans.
Copyright ? 2017 American Society for Microbiology.
PMID: 28733290 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01346-17
US feral swine were exposed to both avian and swine influenza A viruses.
Martin BE1, Sun H1, Carrel M2, Cunningham FL3, Baroch JA4, Hanson-Dorr KC3, Young SG5, Schmit B4, Nolting JM6, Yoon KJ7, Lutman MW8, Pedersen K8, Lager K9, Bowman AS6, Slemons RD6, Smith DR10, DeLiberto T11, Wan XF12.
Author information
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine can cause sporadic infections and pandemic outbreaks among humans, but how avian IAV emerges in swine is still unclear. Unlike domestic swine, feral swine are free ranging and have many opportunities for IAV exposure through contacts with various habitats and animals, including migratory waterfowl, a natural reservoir for IAVs. During 2010--2013, 8,239 serum samples were collected from feral swine across 35 US states and tested against 45 contemporary antigenic variants of avian, swine, and human IAVs; of these, 406 (4.9%) samples were IAV-antibody positive. Among 294 serum samples selected for antigenic characterization, 271 cross-reacted with ≥1 testing virus whereas the other 23 did not cross-react with any testing virus. Of the 271 IAV-positive samples, 236 cross-reacted with swine IAVs, 1 with avian IAVs, and 16 with avian and swine IAVs, indicating that feral swine were exposed to both swine and avian IAVs but predominantly to swine IAVs. Our findings suggest that feral swine could potentially be infected with both avian and swine IAVs, generating novel IAVs by hosting and reassorting IAVs from wild birds and domestic swine and facilitating adaptation of avian IAVs to other hosts, including humans, before their spillover. Continued surveillance to monitor the distribution and antigenic diversities of IAVs in feral swine is necessary to increase our understanding of the natural history of IAVs.Importance There are more than 5 million feral swine distributed across at least 35 states in the USA. In contrast to domestic swine, feral swine are free ranging and have unique opportunities for contact with wildlife, livestock and their habitats. Our serological results indicate that feral swine in the United States have been exposed to influenza A viruses (IAVs) consistent with those found in both domestic swine and wild birds, with the predominant infections consisting of swine adapted IAVs. Our findings suggest that feral swine having been infected with IAVs at low levels and could serve as hosts for the generation of novel IAVs at the interface of feral swine, wild birds, domestic swine, and humans.
Copyright ? 2017 American Society for Microbiology.
PMID: 28733290 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01346-17