title: Characterization of a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus derived from bar-headed geese in China.
abstract: Influenza A viruses are usually non-pathogenic in wild aquatic birds, their natural reservoir. However, from May to July 2005, at Qinghai Lake in China, an unprecedented outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus caused the death of thousands of wild migratory waterbirds. Herein, H5N1 influenza virus from bar-headed geese collected during the outbreak was characterized. Genomic analysis showed that A/Bar-headed Goose/Qinghai/0510/05 (Bh H5N1 virus) is a reassortant virus. Amino acid residue (lysine) at position 627 in the PB2 gene of the Bh H5N1 virus was the same as that of the human H5N1 virus (A/HK/483/97) and different from that of H5N1 avian influenza viruses deposited in GenBank. Antigenic analysis showed that significant antigenic variation has occurred in the Bh H5N1 virus. The Bh H5N1 virus induced systemic infections and caused 100 % mortality in chickens and mice, and 80 % mortality in ducks and geese. Bh H5N1 virus titres were higher in multiple organs of chickens, ducks and geese than in mice, and caused more severe histological lesions in chickens, ducks and mice than in geese. These results support the need to pay close attention and create control programmes to prevent the transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus from wild migratory waterbirds into domestic chickens, ducks, geese and mammalian hosts.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ji-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, People's Republic of China.|Laboratory of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Xun
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guang-Zhi
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Poultry Raising and Disease Control of Ministry of Agriculture, Southern China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Han-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D002645:Chickens; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D004372:Ducks; D005777:Geese / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins