Infection of a child in Hong Kong by an influenza A H3N2 virus closely related to viruses circulating in European pigs.
Influenza virus A/Hong Kong/1774/99, isolated from a young child with mild influenza, was shown to be similar in its antigenic and genetic characteristics to H3N2 viruses circulating in pigs in Europe during the 1990s and in particular to be closely related to viruses isolated from two children in the Netherlands in 1993. Similar viruses had previously not been identified outside Europe. Although there is little evidence as to how the child contracted the infection, it appears likely that pigs in southern China were the source of infection. Characteristics shared with the European swine viruses include resistance to the anti-influenza drugs amantadine and rimantadine. Thus not only does this incident once again highlight the potential of pigs as a source of novel human influenza viruses, but also indicates the potential for emergence of amantadine-resistant human viruses.
Gregory
V
V
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
Lim
W
W
Government Virus Unit, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR of China, People's Republic of China2.
Cameron
K
K
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
Bennett
M
M
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
Marozin
S
S
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
Klimov
A
A
Influenza Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA3.
Hall
H
H
Influenza Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA3.
Cox
N
N
Influenza Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA3.
Hay
A
A
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
Lin
Y P
YP
Division of Virology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK1.
D000547:Amantadine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005060:Europe; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015707:HN Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020125:Mutation, Missense / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012299:Rimantadine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015707:HN Protein; D012299:Rimantadine; D000547:Amantadine