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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Research Project #444004

Research Project: Characterization of Influenza at the Human and Swine Interface

Location: Virus and Prion Research

Project Number: 5030-32000-231-100-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 1, 2023
End Date: May 31, 2025

Objective:
To study influenza A virus at the human and swine interface.

Approach:
Virus samples collected from existing surveillance networks will be characterized in vitro (sequencing and genetic analysis and antigenic assays) as an extension of these existing surveillance networks. Sequencing will evaluate the efficacy of new platforms such as the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION sequencer and computational platforms that allow full genome genetic characterization of viruses in under 12 hours directly from RNA extracted from swine influenza virus samples. Data will be integrated into the cooperator web portal. Swine IAV isolates will be assessed for antigenic relatedness to human vaccines to assess their pandemic potential. Some newly characterized viruses may be tested in the swine model to study their pathology and transmissibility in pigs.