title: Two novel reassortants of avian influenza A (H5N6) virus in China.
abstract: Eight avian influenza A (H5N6) viruses were isolated from live poultry markets (LPMs) in Sichuan and Jiangxi Provinces in China in 2014, including those close to the county where the human H5N6 infection occurred. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these H5N6 viruses were novel reassortants between H5N1 clade 2.3.4 and H6N6 viruses, and had evolved into two distinct lineages (Sichuan and Jiangxi). Moreover, the human H5N6 virus was closely related to the avian-source viruses of Sichuan lineage. Notably, H5N6 viruses contained a T160A substitution in the haemagglutinin protein and an 11 aa deletion in the neuraminidase stalk, which may aid in enhancing viral affinity for human-like receptors and virulence in mammals. As the H5N1 virus infects humans through direct contact, infection with the novel H5N6 virus raised significant concerns that the H5 subtype was a likely candidate for a pandemic. Therefore, extensive and long-term surveillance of avian influenza viruses in LPMs is essential.
authors.affiliation: Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.|CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology (CASPMI), Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuhai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Hubei University, Hubei 430062, PR China.|CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathogen Biology, Taishan Medical College, Shandong 271016, PR China.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.|CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology (CASPMI), Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Hubei University, Hubei 430062, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaolan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology (CASPMI), Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.|CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.|Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, Zhejiang University, Hanzhou 310003, PR China.|Office of Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing 102206, PR China.|Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.|Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei 430071, PR China.|Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: Quanjiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011200:Poultry; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C487630:NA protein, influenza A virus; D009439:Neuraminidase