Evolution of avian influenza viruses

Although influenza viruses can infect a wide variety of birds and mammals, the natural host of the virus is wild waterfowl, shorebirds, and gulls. When other species of animals, including chickens, turkeys, swine, horses, and humans, are infected with influenza viruses, they are considered aberrant hosts. The distinction between the normal and aberrant host is important when describing virus evolution in the different host groups. The evolutionary rate of influenza virus in the natural host reservoirs is believed to be slow, while in mammals the rate is much higher. The higher rate of evolution in mammals is thought to be a result of selective pressure on the virus to adapt to an aberrant host species. Chickens and turkey influenza virus isolates have previously and incorrectly been lumped together with wild waterfowl, gull, and shorebird influenza viruses when determining rates of evolutionary change. To determine mutational and evolutionary rates of a virus in any host species, two primary assumptions must be met: first, all isolates included in the analysis must have descended from a single introduction of the virus, and second, the outbreak must continue long enough to determine a trend. For poultry, three recent outbreaks of avian influenza meet these criteria, and the sequences of the hemagglutinin and nonstructural genes were compared. Sequences from all three outbreaks were compared to an avian influenza virus consensus sequence, which at the amino acid level is highly conserved for all the internal viral proteins. The consensus sequence also provides a common point of origin to compare all influenza viruses. The evolutionary rates determined for all three outbreaks were similar to what is observed in mammals, providing strong evidence of adaptation of influenza to the new host species, chickens and turkeys.     

Pathogenicity of avian leukosis viruses

Three methods were used in attempts to obtain non-oncogenic avian leukosis virus for possible use as an immunoprophylactic agent for the control of lymphoid leukosis in chickens. These were: 1) isolate a nononcogenic virus from commercial breeder flocks experiencing very little or no lymphoid leukosis; 2) obtain a non-oncogenic recombinant from mixed infection of a strain with low oncogenicity, Rous-associated virus-60 (RAV-60), with RAV-1 or RAV-2 in cell culture; and 3) attempt to attenuate subgroup A avian leukosis virus by serial passage in avian cell culture. Of 43 isolates obtained from field sources, all were pathogenic except one, and its pathogenicity was questionable because of the low amount of virus tested. All 42 clones from mixed infection of highly oncogenic and poorly oncogenic virus and all clones passaged serially in cell culture were oncogenic.     

Public health risk from avian influenza viruses

Since 1997, avian influenza (AI) virus infections in poultry have taken on new significance, with increasing numbers of cases involving bird-to-human transmission and the resulting production of clinically severe and fatal human infections. Such human infections have been sporadic and are caused by H7N7 and H5N1 high-pathogenicity (HP) and H9N2 low-pathogenicity (LP) AI viruses in Europe and Asia. These infections have raised the level of concern by human health agencies for the potential reassortment of influenza virus genes and generation of the next human pandemic influenza A virus. The presence of endemic infections by H5N1 HPAI viruses in poultry in several Asian countries indicates that these viruses will continue to contaminate the environment and be an exposure risk with human transmission and infection. Furthermore, the reports of mammalian infections with H5N1 AI viruses and, in particular, mammal-to-mammal transmission in humans and tigers are unprecedented. However, the subsequent risk for generating a pandemic human strain is unknown. More international funding from both human and animal health agencies for diagnosis or detection and control of AI in Asia is needed. Additional funding for research is needed to understand why and how these AI viruses infect humans and what pandemic risks they pose.     

Persistence of avian influenza viruses in water

Persistence of five avian influenza viruses (AIVs) derived from four waterfowl species in Louisiana and representing five hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtypes was determined in distilled water at 17 C and 28 C. Infectivity was determined over 60 days by microtiter endpoint titration. One AIV was tested over 91 days at 4 C. Linear regression models for these viruses predicted that an initial concentration of 1 x 10(6) TCID50/ml water could remain infective for up to 207 days at 17 C and up to 102 days at 28 C. Significant differences in slopes for AIV persistence models were detected between treatment temperatures and among viruses. Results suggest that these viruses are adapted to transmission on waterfowl wintering habitats. Results also suggest a potential risk associated with waterfowl and domestic poultry sharing a common water source.     

Pathogenicity of two recombinant avian leukosis viruses

We have recently described the isolation and molecular characteristics of two recombinant avian leukosis subgroup J viruses (ALV J) with an avian leukosis virus subgroup A envelope (r5701A and r6803A). In the present study, we examined the role of the subgroup A envelope in the pathogenesis of these recombinant viruses. Chickens of line 151(5) x 7(1) were inoculated at 1 day of age with r5701A, r6803A, Rous-associated virus type 1 (RAV-1), or strain ADOL-Hcl of ALV-J. At 2, 4, 10, 18, and 32 wk postinoculation (PI), chickens were tested for avian leukosis virus (ALV)-induced viremia, shedding, and neutralizing antibodies. All except one chicken inoculated with the recombinant viruses (98%) developed neutralizing antibodies by 10 wk PI compared with only 16% and 46% of the ADOL-Hcl and RAV-1-inoculated birds, respectively. ALV-induced tumors and mortality in the two groups inoculated with recombinant viruses were different. The incidence of tumors in groups inoculated with r5701A or RAV-1 was 100% compared with only 9% in the groups inoculated with r6803A or ADOL-Hcl. The data suggest that differences in pathogenicity between the two recombinant viruses might be due to differences in the sequence of the 3' untranslated region (presence or absence of the E element), and, therefore, not only the envelope but also other elements of the viral genome play an important role in the pathogenesis of ALV.     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies to avian leukosis viruses

Hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibody (MCA) to avian leukosis virus (ALV) structural proteins p27 and p19 have been established. In an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), MCA 6AL20 (IgG1 isotype) reacted with RPL-40 (ALV subgroup A), avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) (a mixture of subgroups A and B), Rous-associated virus (RAV)-2 (subgroup B), and Carr-Zilber strain of Rous sarcoma virus (CZ-RSV) (subgroup D) but not with Prague strain of RSV (PrC-RSV) (subgroup C) or the endogenous virus RAV-0 (subgroup E). MCA 6AL22 reacted as above and also reacted marginally with PrC-RSV. Both MCAs immunoprecipitated p19 from 35S-methionine-labeled chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) infected with RPL-40 or RAV-1, but not from CEFs infected with RAV-0, thus identifying the viral structural protein p19 as a polypeptide with subgroup-specific epitopes. Both MCAs can be used to differentiate RPL-40 from RAV-0 infection either in an indirect antibody ELISA or by immunoprecipitation. A third MCA, 6AL42 (IgG2a isotype), reacted with the above viruses of subgroups A, B, C, and D at an antibody titer up to 1000-fold higher than with subgroup E RAV-0 virus in indirect ELISAs. MCA 6AL42 immunoprecipitated p27 from cells infected with RPL-40, RAV-1, or RAV-0. These MCAs are potentially useful in developing immunological tests for differentiation of ALV strains.     

The susceptibility of culture cells to avian influenza viruses

The susceptibilities of culture cells to twelve avian influenza virus strains were determined with ten established cell lines including MDCK and ESK cells and three primary culture cells. The established cell lines derived from embryonic swine kidney (ESK) and chicken kidney (CK) primary culture cells were more sensitive to the avian influenza viruses than the other eleven cells. The ESK cell had a particularly higher infective titer than the MDCK cell with and without trypsin supplement in culture medium, and dispersion of the infective titers was narrower than that of the MDCK cell. The ESK cell is a suitable candidate for routine work on avian influenza viruses in laboratories.     

Relationships of influenza a viruses with avian subtype 1 hemagglutinin including the fowl plague viruses

Seven influenza A viruses with avian subtype 1 hemagglutinin (Hav1) were compared on the basis of neutralization in embryonated chicken eggs, hemagglutination-inhibition, neuraminidase-inhibition, and plaque size determination in a MVPK-1 cell line. One virus, influenza A/turkey/Oregon/71 was avirulent, whereas the other six isolates were virulent for avian species. The seven viruses were placed into four groups based on the above criteria: Group 1. Influenza A/FPV/Dutch/27, A/FPV/Brescia/02, and A/FPV/Steele/59; Group 2. A/FPV/Rostock/34, and A/FPV/Alexandria/45; Group 3. A/turkey/England/63; and Group 4. A/turkey/Oregon/71. The similarities and dissimilarities provide information as to the antigenic spectrum of the viruses that will be of importance in future vaccination studies.     

Efficacy of disinfectants and hand sanitizers against avian respiratory viruses

Disinfectants play a major role in the control of animal diseases by decontaminating the farm environment. We evaluated the virucidal efficacy of nine commonly used disinfectants on a nonporous surface contaminated experimentally with avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), avian influenza virus, or Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Phenolic compounds and glutaraldehyde were found to be the most effective against all three viruses. Quaternary ammonium compounds were effective against aMPV but not against the other two viruses. In addition, efficacy of commercially available hand sanitizers was evaluated on human fingers contaminated with aMPV and NDV. All three hand sanitizers tested were found to be effective against both viruses within 1 min of application on fingers.     

Comparative pathogenicity of avian encephalomyelitis viruses in chicken embryos.

Multiplications of wild, various embryo-adapting and completely embryo-adapted avian encephalomyelitis (AE) viruses in chicken embryos were compared by the fluorescent-antibody technique (FAT). With a wild AE virus, viral antigens were randomly seen in the central nervous system (CNS), appearing least often in the cerebellum. Other organs seldom became test positive, except for heart and kidney. Even with 4 chicken brain-passaged viruses in the process of embryo adaptation, there was little augmentation of antigens except in the alimentary tract. However, the 2 midpassage viruses showed a peculiar localization of antigens in the white matter of the lumbosacral cord, together with the appearance of test-positive spinal ganglion cells. With 2 strains of embryo-adapted AE virus, the antigens appeared first in the spinal ganglion cells and secondly in the lumbosacral cord and then spread to the cerebrum. Subsequently, clinical signs of AE were evident. This peculiar invasion order was a prominent feature.     

鸡传染性支气管炎病毒快速诊断方法的建立

鸡传染性支气管炎(IB)是由冠状病毒科冠状病毒属的传染性支气管炎病毒(IBV)引起的一种急性、高度接触性的呼吸道疾病,不同日龄、性别、品种鸡均可易感.IB为世界动物卫生组织及我国规定的家禽B类传染病,也是至今严重危害我国养禽业的疫病之一.IBV可破坏呼吸道黏膜的完整性,促进其他条件性疾病如支原体混合感染以及大肠杆菌等继发感染而提高鸡群的死亡率.     

A rapid procedure for the purification of avian encephalomyelitis viruses

A rapid procedure for the purification of egg-grown or field preparations of avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV) of neural origin is described. Extracts of infected tissues were clarified and then partly purified with trichlorotrifluorethane (Freon TF), and the virus present was concentrated with polyethylene glycol. The concentrates were then re-extracted with Freon, and a portion was labeled with 125iodine. During subsequent purification steps, virus could be readily detected by monitoring for radioactivity, thus eliminating the need to determine the infectivity in individual fractions or to examine for the presence of virions by electron microscopy. Final purification was achieved by cesium-chloride equilibrium or sucrose-velocity-gradient centrifugation. Virus purified in this manner was shown to be free of tissue debris, to be specific for AEV by immune electron microscopy, and to possess structural proteins characteristic of picornaviruses.     

The sensitivity of some avian viruses to formaldehyde fumigation.

Various avian viruses (infectious bursal agent, reovirus, adenovirus, infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, poxvirus, avian encephalomyelitis and infectious laryngotracheitis virus) as suspensions in buffer or in a litter slurry were exposed to aerosolized formalin in an attempt to determine the efficacy of this fumigation method for decontamination of laboratory isolation cubicles. Formalin (37% formaldehyde) was delivered by a commercial insecticide fogger at a flow rate of 40 ml per minute and a volume of 36 ml per cubic meter of space. Fumigated cubicles were left sealed for 18 hr (cycle 1) before viruses were sampled, or were then exposed to a second fumigation and left sealed for an additional six hour period (cycle 2) before viruses were titrated (commencing at a 1:10 dilution) for residual infectivity. Although the infectivity of all viruses was reduced by over 99% by one fumigation cycle, the second cycle was necessary for reduction of Newcastle disease and reoviruses to non-detectable (no infectivity demonstrated in a 1:10 dilution of fumigated virus) levels.     

Genomic variation among avian rotavirus-like viruses detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

The genomes of five turkey and two chicken rotavirus-like virus (RVLV) strains were compared with the genome of a reference turkey RVLV strain by co-electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. The genomes of these avian RVLV strains could be distinguished from the reference strain genome by differences in the mobilities of from three to 10 segments.