title: Genetic analysis of H3 subtype influenza viruses isolated from domestic ducks in northern China during 2004-2005.
abstract: The broad distribution and prevalence of H3 subtype influenza viruses in avian and mammalian hosts constitutes a global threat to both human and veterinary health. In this present study, six H3N8 influenza viruses isolated from domestic ducks during 2004-2005 in northern China were genetically and phylogenetically characterized. Sequence analysis showed that HA, NA, and M genes of all the six H3N8 isolates had a close relationship with those of Equine/Jilin/1/89 (H3N8) virus, which once caused outbreak in equine populations in northern China. The PB2 and PA genes of the viruses possessed the highest similarities with highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses currently circulating in this region. These findings emphasize the importance of avian influenza virus surveillance in this region for understanding the genesis and emergency of novel reassortants with pandemic potential.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Qin-Fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Yu-Lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Earl G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Fu-Lin
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jin-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004372:Ducks; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D053123:Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; C488936:M1 protein, Influenza A virus; C061290:PA protein, influenza viruses; C057027:PB2 protein, Influenzavirus A; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C458881:hemagglutinin fusogenic peptide, influenza virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; C487630:NA protein, influenza A virus; D009439:Neuraminidase