title: H9N2 influenza viruses from birds used in falconry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  H9N2 avian influenza viruses continue to spread in poultry and wild birds throughout Eurasia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize H9N2 influenza viruses from pheasants, quail, and white-bellied bustards (WBBs) used to train falcons in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four H9N2 viruses were isolated from pheasants, quail, and WBB used for falconry in the UAE, and antigenic, molecular, phylogenetic analysis, and invivo characterization of H9N2 viruses were performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pheasant and WBB isolates were antigenically and molecularly clearly related and along with the quail isolates contained multiple "avian-human" substitutions. The release of smuggled H9N2-infected birds for falconry may contribute to the spread of these viruses to wild birds, domestic poultry, and humans.
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.forename: Karthik K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shanmuganatham
authors.forename: Petr S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Krylov
authors.forename: Sunitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology*; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology*; D014479:United Arab Emirates
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral
keywords: Falconry; H9N2 avian influenza viruses; Middle East; genetic mixing; white-bellied bustard
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