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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349141
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Disease Outbreaks Caused by Emerging Strains of Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: Detection of reassortant H5N6 clade 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) found dead, Taiwan, 2017

Author
item LIU, YU-PIN - Council Of Agriculture
item LEE, DONG-HUN - Orise Fellow
item CHEN, LI-HSUAN - Council Of Agriculture
item LIN, YU-JU - Council Of Agriculture
item LI, WAN-CHAN - Council Of Agriculture
item HU, SHU-CHIA - Council Of Agriculture
item CHEN, YEN-PING - Council Of Agriculture
item LEE, FAN - Council Of Agriculture
item TU, WEN-JANE - Council Of Agriculture
item Swayne, David
item LEE, MING-SHIUH - Council Of Agriculture

Submitted to: Infection, Genetics and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/19/2018
Publication Date: 4/27/2018
Citation: Liu, Y., Lee, D., Chen, L., Lin, Y., Li, W., Hu, S., Chen, Y., Swayne, D.E., Lee, M. 2018. Detection of reassortant H5N6 clade 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) found dead, Taiwan, 2017. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 62:275-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2018.04.026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2018.04.026

Interpretive Summary: Since 2005, H5 Asian-origin high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) have caused global outbreaks in wild birds and poultry. Here, we report the detection of a H5N6 HPAIV from a wild black-faced spoonbill found dead in Taiwan, in December 2017. The detected virus is genetically very similar to viruses previously identified in Europe during 2016-2017. The presence of this virus in Taiwan is of concern for further evolution of virus by exchanging genes with other avian influenza viruses in Taiwan, thus creating hybrid avian influenza viruses that could spread between continents.

Technical Abstract: H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) emerged in 1996 in Guangdong China (A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996, Gs/GD) has caused outbreaks in over 80 countries throughout Eurasia, Africa, and North America. A H5N6 HPAIV clade 2.3.4.4, A/ black-faced spoonbill /Taiwan/DB645/2017 (SB/Tw/17), was detected in a black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) found dead in Taiwan, in December 2017. The SB/Tw/17 virus was HPAIV based of the amino acid sequence at the hemagglutinin cleavage site, PLRERRRKR/G. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses suggest the hemagglutinin gene belongs to H5 clade 2.3.4.4 Group B. All genes except neuraminidase shared high levels of nucleotide identity with H5N8 HPAIV identified from Europe during 2016-2017. Genetically similar H5N6 HPAIV also identified from Japan during November 2017. Enhanced surveillance is required in this region.