title: Novel H7N2 and H5N6 Avian Influenza A Viruses in Sentinel Chickens: A Sentinel Chicken Surveillance Study.
abstract: In 2014, a sentinel chicken surveillance for avian influenza viruses was conducted in aquatic bird habitat near Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China. Two H7N2, one H5N6, and two H9N2 viruses were isolated. Sequence analysis revealed that the H7N2 virus is a novel reassortant of H7N9 and H9N2 viruses and H5N6 virus is a reassortant of H5N1 clade 2.3.4 and H6N6 viruses. Substitutions V186 and L226 (H3 numbering) in the hemagglutinin (HA) gene protein was found in two H7N2 viruses but not in the H5N6 virus. Two A138 and A160 mutations were identified in the HA gene protein of all three viruses but a P128 mutation was only observed in the H5N6 virus. A deletion of 3 and 11 amino acids in the neuraminidase stalk region was found in two H7N2 and H5N6 viruses, respectively. Moreover, a mutation of N31 in M2 protein was observed in both two H7N2 viruses. High similarity of these isolated viruses to viruses previously identified among poultry and humans, suggests that peridomestic aquatic birds may play a role in sustaining novel virus transmission. Therefore, continued surveillance is needed to monitor these avian influenza viruses in wild bird and domestic poultry that may pose a threat to poultry and human health.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Shan-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Meng-Na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Global Health Institute, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Mai-Juan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wu-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cao
keywords: H5N6 virus; H7N2 virus; H9N2 virus; avian influenza A virus; sentinel chicken; transmission