title: Spread of influenza virus A (H5N1) clade 2.3.2.1 to Bulgaria in common buzzards.
abstract: On March 15, 2010, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was isolated from the carcass of a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) in Bulgaria. Phylogenetic analyses of the virus showed a close genetic relationship with influenza virus A (H5N1) clade 2.3.2.1 viruses isolated from wild birds in the Tyva Republic and Mongolia during 2009-2010. Designated A/common buzzard/Bulgaria/38WB/2010, this strain was highly pathogenic in chickens but had low pathogenicity in mice and ferrets and no molecular markers of increased pathogenicity in mammals. The establishment of clade 2.3.2.1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype in wild birds in Europe would increase the likelihood of health threats to humans and poultry in the region.
authors.affiliation: Regional Diagnostic Laboratory on Avian Infl uenza and Newcastle Disease in Birds, Varna, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Atanaska
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marinova-Petkova
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Georgiev
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seiler
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Darnell
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Webby
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology; D002031:Bulgaria; D002645:Chickens / Q000821:virology; D046093:Falconiformes / Q000821:virology*; D005289:Ferrets / Q000821:virology; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA