Literature detail

Pathobiological Characterization of a Novel Reassortant Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Virus Isolated in British Columbia, Canada, 2015.

Yohannes Berhane^1,2 Darwyn Kobasa^3,4 Carissa Embury-Hyatt¹ Brad Pickering¹ Shawn Babiuk^1,5 Tomy Joseph⁶ Victoria Bowes⁶ Mathew Suderman¹ Anders Leung³ Colleen Cottam-Birt¹ Tamiko Hisanaga¹ John Pasick¹

Affiliations 6 institutions

Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E 3M4.
Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Animal Health Centre, Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada V3G 2M3.

PMID 26988892 2016 Sci Rep eng epublish

PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

In the current study, we describe the pathobiologic characteristics of a novel reassortant virus - A/chicken/BC/FAV-002/2015 (H5N1) belonging to clade 2.3.4.4 that was isolated from backyard chickens in British Columbia, Canada. Sequence analyses demonstrate PB1, PA, NA and NS gene segments were of North American lineage while PB2, HA, NP and M were derived from a Eurasian lineage H5N8 virus. This novel virus had a 19 amino acid deletion in the neuraminidase stalk. We evaluated the pathogenic potential of this isolate in various animal models. The virus was highly pathogenic to mice with a LD50 of 10 plaque forming units (PFU), but had limited tissue tropism. It caused only subclinical infection in pigs which did result in seroconversion. This virus was highly pathogenic to chickens, turkeys, juvenile Muscovy ducks (Cairnia moschata foma domestica) and adult Chinese geese (Anser cynoides domesticus) causing a systemic infection in all species. The virus was also efficiently transmitted and resulted in mortality in naïve contact ducks, geese and chickens. Our findings indicate that this novel H5N1 virus has a wide host range and enhanced surveillance of migratory waterfowl may be necessary in order to determine its potential to establish itself in the wild bird reservoir.

Amino Acid Sequence Animals Animals, Wild British Columbia Chickens Ducks Evolution, Molecular Geese Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype Mice Neuraminidase Orthomyxoviridae Infections Phylogeny Reassortant Viruses Sequence Deletion Swine Viral Load Viral Tropism

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

10 total

Host Range Experiment 4 records

Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 1.00

Key finding

A/chicken/BC/FAV-002/2015 (H5N1) caused lethal infection in mice with an LD50 of 10 PFU, indicating high susceptibility.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

The virus was highly pathogenic to mice with a LD50 of 10 plaque forming units (PFU), but had limited tissue tropism.

Method: pathogenicity test
Experimental system: in vivo animal experiment

Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 1.00

Key finding

A/chicken/BC/FAV-002/2015 (H5N1) infected pigs subclinically and induced seroconversion.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

It caused only subclinical infection in pigs which did result in seroconversion.

Method: experimental infection; serological assay
Experimental system: in vivo animal experiment

Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 1.00

Key finding

The novel H5N1 virus caused systemic and fatal infection in chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

This virus was highly pathogenic to chickens, turkeys, juvenile Muscovy ducks (Cairnia moschata foma domestica) and adult Chinese geese (Anser cynoides domesticus) causing a systemic infection in all species.

Method: pathogenicity test
Experimental system: in vivo animal experiment

Host Range Experiment Extraction confidence 1.00

Key finding

A/chicken/BC/FAV-002/2015 (H5N1) transmitted efficiently to contact ducks, geese, and chickens, causing mortality.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

The virus was also efficiently transmitted and resulted in mortality in naïve contact ducks, geese and chickens.

Method: transmission study
Experimental system: in vivo animal experiment

Cross Species Transmission 1 records

Cross Species Transmission Extraction confidence 0.95

Key finding

A novel H5N1 virus transmitted efficiently between different poultry species, including ducks, geese, and chickens, causing mortality.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

The virus was also efficiently transmitted and resulted in mortality in naïve contact ducks, geese and chickens.

Method: experimental infection; virus isolation; sequence analyses
Study design: animal experiment
Transmission direction: animal-to-animal
Geographic raw: British Columbia, Canada
Country inferred: Canada

Genomic Evolution 1 records

Genomic Evolution Extraction confidence 0.85

Key finding

The H5N1 virus isolated from backyard chickens in British Columbia was a novel reassortant containing gene segments from both North American and Eurasian lineages, with a deletion in the NA stalk region.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

Sequence analyses demonstrate PB1, PA, NA and NS gene segments were of North American lineage while PB2, HA, NP and M were derived from a Eurasian lineage H5N8 virus. This novel virus had a 19 amino acid deletion in the neuraminidase stalk.

Genes or proteins: PB1; PA; NA; NS; PB2; HA; NP; M; neuraminidase
Analysis methods: sequence analysis; phylogenetic analysis

Molecular Adaptation 1 records

Molecular Adaptation Extraction confidence 0.80

Key finding

The H5N1 virus isolated in British Columbia was a reassortant combining North American and Eurasian lineage gene segments and carried a 19 amino acid deletion in its neuraminidase stalk, indicating molecular adaptation that may influence host range and pathogenicity.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

Genes or proteins: PB1; PA; NA; NS; PB2; HA; NP; M; neuraminidase
Mutations: 19 amino acid deletion in the neuraminidase stalk
Mechanism types: reassortment; mutation; pathogenicity; host_range

Recombination Or Reassortment 1 records

Recombination Or Reassortment Extraction confidence 1.00

Key finding

A novel reassortant H5N1 virus contained gene segments from North American and Eurasian lineages, including segments derived from a Eurasian H5N8 virus, associating reassortment with expanded host range and pathogenicity.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

Sequence analyses demonstrate PB1, PA, NA and NS gene segments were of North American lineage while PB2, HA, NP and M were derived from a Eurasian lineage H5N8 virus.

Event type: reassortment
Genes or segments: PB1; PA; NA; NS; PB2; HA; NP; M

Reservoir Ecology 1 records

Reservoir Ecology Extraction confidence 0.90

Key finding

The novel reassortant H5N1 virus showed a wide host range and could potentially establish in the wild bird reservoir, prompting recommendations for enhanced migratory waterfowl surveillance.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

Our findings indicate that this novel H5N1 virus has a wide host range and enhanced surveillance of migratory waterfowl may be necessary in order to determine its potential to establish itself in the wild bird reservoir.

Method: surveillance
Geographic raw: British Columbia, Canada
Country inferred: Canada

Serological Evidence 1 records

Serological Evidence Extraction confidence 0.90

Key finding

Pigs infected with the novel reassortant H5N1 virus showed seroconversion indicating antibody response despite subclinical infection.

Virus

Host

Location

Supporting text

It caused only subclinical infection in pigs which did result in seroconversion.

Sample type: serum

Citation context

References

43 references

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Evidence overview

Evidence 10

Types 7

Virus 3

Host 6

Evidence types

Host Range Experiment 4 Cross Species Transmission 1 Genomic Evolution 1 Molecular Adaptation 1 Recombination Or Reassortment 1 Reservoir Ecology 1 Serological Evidence 1

Linked entities

Viruses

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Locations

Publication metadata

Journal: Scientific reports
Volume / Issue / Pages: 6 / - / 23380
ISSN: 2045-2322
Journal country: England
DOI: 10.1038/srep23380