title: Genetic analysis of novel avian A(H7N9) influenza viruses isolated from patients in China, February to April 2013.
abstract: Novel influenza viruses of the H7N9 subtype have infected 33 and killed nine people in China as of 10 April 2013. Their haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase genes probably originated from Eurasian avian influenza viruses; the remaining genes are closely related to avian H9N2 influenza viruses. Several characteristic amino acid changes in HA and the PB2 RNA polymerase subunit probably facilitate binding to human-type receptors and efficient replication in mammals, respectively, highlighting the pandemic potential of the novel viruses.
authors.affiliation: Influenza Virus Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takashita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaoka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tashiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission*