title: Avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses can directly infect and replicate in human gut tissues.
abstract: The human respiratory tract is a major site of avian influenza A(H5N1) infection. However, many humans infected with H5N1 present with gastrointestinal tract symptoms, suggesting that this may also be a target for the virus. In this study, we demonstrated that the human gut expresses abundant avian H5N1 receptors, is readily infected ex vivo by the H5N1 virus, and produces infectious viral particles in organ culture. An autopsy colonic sample from an H5N1-infected patient showed evidence of viral antigen expression in the gut epithelium. Our results provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that H5N1 can directly target human gut tissues.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China. yshu@cnic.org.cn
authors.forename: Yuelong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Chris Ka-fai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rongbao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Jiangfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Dayan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Leying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Dexin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Weizhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McMichael
authors.forename: Xiao-Ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000821:virology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000821:virology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C092488:sialic acid receptor