title: The potential of avian H1N1 influenza A viruses to replicate and cause disease in mammalian models.
abstract: H1N1 viruses in which all gene segments are of avian origin are the most frequent cause of influenza pandemics in humans; therefore, we examined the disease-causing potential of 31 avian H1N1 isolates of American lineage in DBA/2J mice. Thirty of 31 isolates were very virulent, causing respiratory tract infection; 22 of 31 resulted in fecal shedding; and 10 of 31 were as pathogenic as the pandemic 2009 H1N1 viruses. Preliminary studies in BALB/cJ mice and ferrets showed that 1 of 4 isolates tested was more pathogenic than the pandemic 2009 H1N1 viruses in BALB/cJ mice, and 1 of 2 strains transmitted both by direct and respiratory-droplet contact in ferrets. Preliminary studies of other avian subtypes (H2, H3, H4, H6, H10, H12) in DBA/2J mice showed lower pathogenicity than the avian H1N1 viruses. These findings suggest that avian H1N1 influenza viruses are unique among influenza A viruses in their potential to infect mammals.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Virology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors: Zeynep A
authors: ZA
authors: Koçer
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Krauss
authors: David E
authors: DE
authors: Stallknecht
authors: Jerold E
authors: JE
authors: Rehg
authors: Robert G
authors: RG
authors: Webster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets / Q000821:virology; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication