title: New Reassortant H5N6 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses in Southern China, 2014.
abstract: New reassortant H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIVs) were isolated from apparently healthy domestic ducks in Southern China in 2014. Our results show that the viruses grew efficiently in eggs and replicated systemically in chickens. They were completely lethal in chicken (100% mortality), and the mean death time was 6 to 7 days post-inoculation. The viruses could transmit in chickens by naïve contact. BLAST analysis revealed that their HA gene was most closely related to A/wild duck/Shangdong/628/2011 (H5N1), and their NA genes were most closely related to A/swine/Guangdong/K6/2010 (H6N6). The other genes had the highest identity with A/wild duck/Fujian/1/2011(H5N1). The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that their HA genes clustered into clade 2.3.4.4 of the H5N1 viruses and all genes derived from H5 were Mix-like or H6-like viruses. Thus, the new H5N6 viruses were reassortmented of H5N1 and H6N6 virus. Therefore, the circulation of the new H5N6 AIVs may become a threat to poultry and human health.
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Peirong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yafen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; College of Life Science, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhishan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Siyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Nianchen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guowen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.affiliation: National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and ControlGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of AgricultureGuangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of GuangdongGuangzhou, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liao
keywords: H5N6; ducks; evolution; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; pathogenicity