title: Detection and Genetic Characteristics of H9N2 Avian Influenza Viruses from Live Poultry Markets in Hunan Province, China.
abstract: H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are highly prevalent and of low pathogenicity in domestic poultry. These viruses show a high genetic compatibility with other subtypes of AIVs and have been involved in the genesis of H5N1, H7N9 and H10N8 viruses causing severe infection in humans. The first case of human infection with H9N2 viruses in Hunan province of China have been confirmed in November 2013 and identified that H9N2 viruses from live poultry markets (LPMs) near the patient's house could be the source of infection. However, the prevalence, distribution and genetic characteristics of H9N2 viruses in LPMs all over the province are not clear. We collected and tested 3943 environmental samples from 380 LPMs covering all 122 counties/districts of Hunan province from February to April, 2014. A total of 618 (15.7%) samples were H9 subtype positive and 200 (52.6%) markets in 98 (80.3%) counties/districts were contaminated with H9 subtype AIVs. We sequenced the entire coding sequences of the genomes of eleven H9N2 isolates from environmental samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the gene sequences of the H9N2 AIVs exhibited high homology (94.3%-100%). All eleven viruses were in a same branch in the phylogenetic trees and belonged to a same genotype. No gene reassortment had been found. Molecular analysis demonstrated that all the viruses had typical molecular characteristics of contemporary avian H9N2 influenza viruses. Continued surveillance of AIVs in LPMs is warranted for identification of further viral evolution and novel reassortants with pandemic potential.
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yiwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaodan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shixiong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qianlai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xingyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hengjiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fangcai
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lidong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003132:Commerce; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011200:Poultry / Q000821:virology*