title: Tropism of avian influenza A (H5N1) in the upper and lower respiratory tract.
abstract: Poor human-to-human transmission of influenza A H5N1 virus has been attributed to the paucity of putative sialic acid alpha2-3 virus receptors in the epithelium of the human upper respiratory tract, and thus to the presumed inability of the virus to replicate efficiently at this site. We now demonstrate that ex vivo cultures of human nasopharyngeal, adenoid and tonsillar tissues can be infected with H5N1 viruses in spite of an apparent lack of these receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. nicholls@pathology.hku.hk
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: M C W
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: D L W
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: L L M
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: J S M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peiris
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000821:virology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000378:metabolism; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000378:metabolism; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000378:metabolism*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000821:virology*; D053585:Virus Attachment; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C100156:leukoagglutinins, plants; C092488:sialic acid receptor