Arch Virol. Increased detection of influenza A H16 in the United States.

[Giuseppe]

Arch Virol. 2008 Sep 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Increased detection of influenza A H16 in the United States.

Vandalen KK, Anderson TD, Killian ML, Pedersen JC, Franklin AB, Piaggio AJ. - US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 La Porte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA, kaci.vandalen@aphis.usda.gov.

As a result of an US interagency avian influenza surveillance effort in wild birds, four isolates of influenza A viruses were initially identified as H7 by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) but subsequently identified as H16 through genetic sequence analysis.

We report the development of internal primers for amplification and cycle-sequencing of the full-length H16 gene, increased detection of H16 within the US, and possible steric inhibition or cross-reaction between H7 and H16 antigens during the conventional HI assay.

The latter could have critical implications for poultry operations if H16 viruses are detected and mistakenly reported as H7 viruses.

PMID: 18825483 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher
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[sharon sanders]

Re: Arch Virol. Increased detection of influenza A H16 in the United States.

Thank you IOH. Very interesting.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Arch Virol. Increased detection of influenza A H16 in the United States.

Characterization of a novel influenza A virus hemagglutinin subtype (H16) obtained from black-headed gulls.

Fouchier RA, Munster V, Wallensten A, Bestebroer TM, Herfst S, Smith D, Rimmelzwaan GF, Olsen B, Osterhaus AD.

Dept. of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. r.fouchier@erasmusmc.nl

In wild aquatic birds and poultry around the world, influenza A viruses carrying 15 antigenic subtypes of hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 antigenic subtypes of neuraminidase (NA) have been described. Here we describe a previously unidentified antigenic subtype of HA (H16), detected in viruses circulating in black-headed gulls in Sweden. In agreement with established criteria for the definition of antigenic subtypes, hemagglutination inhibition assays and immunodiffusion assays failed to detect specific reactivity between H16 and the previously described subtypes H1 to H15. Genetically, H16 HA was found to be distantly related to H13 HA, a subtype also detected exclusively in shorebirds, and the amino acid composition of the putative receptor-binding site of H13 and H16 HAs was found to be distinct from that in HA subtypes circulating in ducks and geese. The H16 viruses contained NA genes that were similar to those of other Eurasian shorebirds but genetically distinct from N3 genes detected in other birds and geographical locations. The European gull viruses were further distinguishable from other influenza A viruses based on their PB2, NP, and NS genes. Gaining information on the full spectrum of avian influenza A viruses and creating reagents for their detection and identification will remain an important task for influenza surveillance, outbreak control, and animal and public health. We propose that sequence analyses of HA and NA genes of influenza A viruses be used for the rapid identification of existing and novel HA and NA subtypes.

PMID: 15709000 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC548452