title: Microevolution of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses isolated from humans, Egypt, 2007-2011.
abstract: We analyzed highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses isolated from humans infected in Egypt during 2007-2011. All analyzed viruses evolved from the lineage of subtype H5N1 viruses introduced into Egypt in 2006; we found minimal evidence of reassortment and no exotic introductions. The hemagglutinin genes of the viruses from 2011 formed a monophyletic group within clade 2.2.1 that also included human viruses from 2009 and 2010 and contemporary viruses from poultry; this finding is consistent with zoonotic transmission. Although molecular markers suggestive of decreased susceptibility to antiviral drugs were detected sporadically in the neuraminidase and matrix 2 proteins, functional neuraminidase inhibition assays did not identify resistant viruses. No other mutations suggesting a change in the threat to public health were detected in the viral proteomes. However, a comparison of representative subtype H5N1 viruses from 2011 with older subtype H5N1 viruses from Egypt revealed substantial antigenic drift.
authors.affiliation: US Naval Medical Research Unit No.3, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Younan
authors.forename: Mee Kian
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Poh
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elassal
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rivailler
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Balish
authors.forename: Natosha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Varough
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Deyde
authors.forename: Rosette
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loughlin
authors.forename: Ije
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gubareva
authors.forename: Maha A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: ElBadry
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Truelove
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gaynor
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mohareb
authors.forename: Magdy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naguib
authors.forename: Ahmed S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdelghani
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Refaey
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Klimov
authors.forename: Ruben O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Donis
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kandeel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000821:virology*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D057075:Enzyme Assays; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005814:Genes, Viral; D040961:Genetic Drift; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D009439:Neuraminidase