Department of Avian Diseases Research and Diagnostics, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran.
Department of Microbiology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.
Vet Med Sci. 2022 Jul;8(4):1594-1602. doi: 10.1002/vms3.819. Epub 2022 Jun 2.
Avian influenza type A viruses (AIV) can infect a broad range of hosts including human and birds, making them an important viral pathogen with zoonotic potential. Ducks are a known reservoir for many avian viruses including the AIV.
To sequence the entire genome of duck-derived H3N2 and ran comprehensive phylogenetic analysis on them to study their origin.
In this study, 962 cloacal swabs were collected from domestic ducks at several live poultry markets (LPMs) of Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan provinces of Iran in the year 2017.
Preliminary assays such as haemagglutination inhibition assay (HI), Neuraminidase Inhibition assay(NI) and RT-qPCR suggested that 0.5% of the birds were infected by H3 low pathogenic influenza viruses (LPAI). Three isolates were selected for whole genome sequencing. The cleavage site of the HA genes showed a PEKQTR/GLF motif, an indicator of LPAI. Furthermore, BLAST and phylogenetic analyses of the HA gene showed high homology to the Eurasian lineage of H3N8 AIV (95.5%-97.1% to several European and East Asian isolates). However, the NA genes showed high homology (at most 96.5-96.9%) to those belonging to AIV N2 subtype. Furthermore, internal genes showed high homology (96%-98%) to a variety of duck-origin subtypes and glycoprotein combinations, which were different for each segment. This showed a complex reassortment between different subtypes.
This report is the first whole genome sequencing and complete characterisation of H3N2 AIV from Iran.
Such surveillance should continue to study the evolution and possible emergence of viruses with pandemic potential.
甲型禽流感病毒（AIV）可以感染多种宿主，包括人类和鸟类，使其成为一种具有人畜共患潜力的重要病毒病原体。鸭是许多禽流感病毒的已知宿主，包括 AIV。
对鸭源性 H3N2 进行全基因组测序，并对其进行全面的系统进化分析，以研究其起源。
本研究于 2017 年从伊朗吉兰、马赞德兰和戈勒斯坦省的几个活禽市场（LPM）采集了 962 份鸭直肠拭子。
血凝抑制试验（HI）、神经氨酸酶抑制试验（NI）和 RT-qPCR 等初步检测表明，0.5%的禽类感染了 H3 低致病性流感病毒（LPAI）。选择了三个分离株进行全基因组测序。HA 基因的裂解位点显示 PEKQTR/GLF 基序，这是 LPAI 的标志。此外，HA 基因的 BLAST 和系统进化分析显示与欧亚谱系 H3N8 AIV 高度同源（与欧洲和东亚的几个分离株同源性为 95.5%-97.1%）。然而，NA 基因与属于 AIV N2 亚型的基因高度同源（最多 96.5-96.9%）。此外，内部基因与不同亚型和糖蛋白组合的同源性很高，每个片段都不同。这表明不同亚型之间存在复杂的重组。
本报告是伊朗首次对 H3N2 AIV 进行全基因组测序和全面特征描述。
应继续进行此类监测，以研究具有大流行潜力的病毒的进化和可能出现。
