Pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza virus in swine, Cameroon, 2010

Although swine origin A/H1N1/2009 influenza virus (hereafter "pH1N1″) has been detected in swine in 20 countries, there has been no published surveillance of the virus in African livestock. The objective of this study was to assess the circulation of influenza A viruses, including pH1N1 in swine in Cameroon, Central Africa. We collected 108 nasal swabs and 98 sera samples from domestic pigs randomly sampled at 11 herds in villages and farms in Cameroon. pH1N1 was isolated from two swine sampled in northern Cameroon in January 2010. Sera from 28% of these herds were positive for influenza A by competitive ELISA and 92.6% of these swine showed cross reactivity with pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza virus isolated from humans. These results provide the first evidence of this virus in the animal population in Africa. In light of the significant role of swine in the ecology of influenza viruses, our results call for greater monitoring and study in Central Africa.     

Serological and virological surveillance of swine H1N1 and H3N2 influenza virus infection in two farms located in Hubei province, central China

Swine influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2 have been reported in the swine population worldwide. From June 2008 to June 2009, we carried out serological and virological surveillance of swine influenza in the Hubei province in central China. The serological results indicated that antibodies to H1N1 swine influenza virus in the swine population were high with a 42.5% (204/480) positive rate, whereas antibodies to H3N2 swine influenza virus were low with a 7.9% (38/480) positive rate. Virological surveillance showed that only one sample from weanling pigs was positive by RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes revealed that the A/Sw/HB/S1/2009 isolate was closely related to avian-like H1N1 viruses and seemed to be derived from the European swine H1N1 viruses. In conclusion, H1N1 influenza viruses were more dominant in the pig population than H3N2 influenza viruses in central China, and infection with avian-like H1N1 viruses persistently emerged in the swine population in the area.     

一株人源H1N1亚型猪流感病毒的进化分析与生物学特性研究

为了解猪流感病毒(SIV)的变异情况,我们2009年11月从河北某养殖场采集呈流感症状的猪鼻拭子40份,接种10日龄SPF鸡胚,分离到一株猪流感病毒,通过RT-PCR和血凝抑制试验鉴定为H1N1亚型,命名为A/swine/Hebei/15/2009(H1N1),其全基因序列测定及同源性分析发现,8个基因片段均与2000年左右H1N1人流感病毒有较高的同源性。系统遗传演化显示,该病毒分离株是由2000年人源H1N1流感病毒A/Dunedin/2/2000(H1N1)进化而来。抗原性分析显示该株与甲型H1N1流感病毒和经典H1N1病毒株抗原性差异较大。对小鼠致病性试验表明该病毒株可以直接感染小鼠并导致小鼠轻微临床症状和组织病理学变化,但不致死小鼠,表现为低致病性。     

Serological Evidence of Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Infections in Greek Swine

The introduction of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza virus in pigs changed the epidemiology of influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine in Europe and the rest of the world. Previously, three IAV subtypes were found in the European pig population: an avian‐like H1N1 and two reassortant H1N2 and H3N2 viruses with human‐origin haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase proteins and internal genes of avian decent. These viruses pose antigenically distinct HAs, which allow the retrospective diagnosis of infection in serological investigations. However, cross‐reactions between the HA of pH1N1 and the HAs of the other circulating H1 IAVs complicate serological diagnosis. The prevalence of IAVs in Greek swine has been poorly investigated. In this study, we examined and compared haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titres against previously established IAVs and pH1N1 in 908 swine sera from 88 herds, collected before and after the 2009 pandemic. While we confirmed the historic presence of the three IAVs established in European swine, we also found that 4% of the pig sera examined after 2009 had HI antibodies only against the pH1N1 virus. Our results indicate that pH1N1 is circulating in Greek pigs and stress out the importance of a vigorous virological surveillance programme.     

Acute phase protein response during subclinical infection of pigs with H1N1 swine influenza virus

In the present study acute phase proteins (APPs) responses in pigs after subclinical infection with H1N1 swine influenza virus (SwH1N1) were evaluated. Fourteen 5 weeks old, seronegative piglets, both sexes were used. Ten of them were infected intranasally with SwH1N1. C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA) and pig major acute phase protein (Pig-MAP) concentrations in serum were measured using commercial ELISAs. No significant clinical signs were observed in any of the infected pigs, however, all infected animals developed specific antibodies against SwH1N1 and viral shedding was observed from 2 to 5dpi. Only concentrations of Hp and SAA were significantly induced after infection, with mean maximum levels from days 1 to 2 post infection (dpi). The concentrations of CRP and Pig-MAP remained generally unchanged, however in half of infected pigs the concentration of CRP tended to increase at 1dpi (but without statistical significance). The results of our study confirmed that monitoring of APPs may be useful for detection of subclinically infected pigs. The use of SAA or Hp and Pig-MAP may be a valuable in combination [i.e. Hp (increased concentration) and Pig-MAP (unchanged concentration)] to detect subclinically SIV infected pigs, or to identify pigs actually producing a large amount of virus. Additional studies need to be done in order to confirm these findings.     

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza A virus infection associated with respiratory signs in sloth bears (Melursus ursinus)

In 2009, a pandemic influenza A virus (pH1N1) spread globally in humans and infected a broad range of captive animals with close human contact. In February 2014, a pH1N1 virus was isolated from a sloth bear with respiratory signs at a US zoo, demonstrating that recurring epidemics present an ongoing threat to animals, including threatened species. This is the first report of pH1N1 infection in sloth bears. To understand the sloth bear virus within the global context of pH1N1, phylogenetic trees were inferred including full‐length sequences from available non‐human, non‐swine hosts, representing four families in the order Carnivora and one order of birds. A combination of phylogenetic and epidemiological evidence strongly suggests the sloth bear was infected with a human‐origin pH1N1 virus, supporting the implementation of biosecurity measures to protect human and animal health.     

Comparative study of pandemic (H1N1) 2009, swine H1N1, and avian H3N2 influenza viral infections in quails

Quail has been proposed to be an intermediate host of influenza A viruses. However, information on the susceptibility and pathogenicity of pandemic H1N1 2009 (pH1N1) and swine influenza viruses in quails is limited. In this study, the pathogenicity, virus shedding, and transmission characteristics of pH1N1, swine H1N1 (swH1N1), and avian H3N2 (dkH3N2) influenza viruses in quails was examined. Three groups of 15 quails were inoculated with each virus and evaluated for clinical signs, virus shedding and transmission, pathological changes, and serological responses. None of the 75 inoculated (n = 45), contact exposed (n = 15), or negative control (n = 15) quails developed any clinical signs. In contrast to the low virus shedding titers observed from the swH1N1-inoculated quails, birds inoculated with dkH3N2 and pH1N1 shed relatively high titers of virus predominantly from the respiratory tract until 5 and 7 DPI, respectively, that were rarely transmitted to the contact quails. Gross and histopathological lesions were observed in the respiratory and intestinal tracts of quail inoculated with either pH1N1 or dkH3N2, indicating that these viruses were more pathogenic than swH1N1. Sero-conversions were detected 7 DPI in two out of five pH1N1-inoculated quails, three out of five quails inoculated with swH1N1, and four out of five swH1N1-infected contact birds. Taken together, this study demonstrated that quails were more susceptible to infection with pH1N1 and dkH3N2 than swH1N1.     

The first detection of influenza in the Finnish pig population: a retrospective study

Background

Swine influenza is an infectious acute respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A virus. We investigated the time of entry of swine influenza into the Finnish pig population. We also describe the molecular detection of two types of influenza A (H1N1) viruses in porcine samples submitted in 2009 and 2010.This retrospective study was based on three categories of samples: blood samples collected for disease monitoring from pigs at major slaughterhouses from 2007 to 2009; blood samples from pigs in farms with a special health status taken in 2008 and 2009; and diagnostic blood samples from pigs in farms with clinical signs of respiratory disease in 2008 and 2009. The blood samples were tested for influenza A antibodies with an antibody ELISA. Positive samples were further analyzed for H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2 antibodies with a hemagglutination inhibition test. Diagnostic samples for virus detection were subjected to influenza A M-gene-specific real-time RT-PCR and to pandemic influenza A H1N1-specific real-time RT-PCR. Positive samples were further analyzed with RT-PCRs designed for this purpose, and the PCR products were sequenced and sequences analyzed phylogenetically.

Results

In the blood samples from pigs in special health class farms producing replacement animals and in diagnostic blood samples, the first serologically positive samples originated from the period July–August 2008. In samples collected for disease monitoring, < 0.1%, 0% and 16% were positive for antibodies against influenza A H1N1 in the HI test in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. Swine influenza A virus of avian-like H1N1 was first detected in diagnostic samples in February 2009. In 2009 and 2010, the avian-like H1N1 virus was detected on 12 and two farms, respectively. The pandemic H1N1 virus (A(H1N1)pdm09) was detected on one pig farm in 2009 and on two farms in 2010.

Conclusions

Based on our study, swine influenza of avian-like H1N1 virus was introduced into the Finnish pig population in 2008 and A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in 2009. The source of avian-like H1N1 infection could not be determined. Cases of pandemic H1N1 in pigs coincided with the period when the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was spread in humans in Finland.     

Pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in Chilean commercial turkeys with genetic and serologic comparisons to U.S. H1N1 avian influenza vaccine isolates

Beginning in April 2009, a novel H1N1 influenza virus caused acute respiratory disease in humans, first in Mexico and then around the world. The resulting pandemic influenza A H1N1 2009 (pH1N1) virus was isolated in swine in Canada in June 2009 and later in breeder turkeys in Chile, Canada, and the United States. The pH1N1 virus consists of gene segments of avian, human, and swine influenza origin and has the potential for infection in poultry following exposure to infected humans or swine. We examined the clinical events following the initial outbreak of pH1N1 in turkeys and determined the relatedness of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene segments from the pH1N1 to two H1N1 avian influenza (AI) isolates used in commercial turkey inactivated vaccines. Overall, infection of turkey breeder hens with pH1N1 resulted in -50% reduction of egg production over 3-4 weeks. Genetic analysis indicated one H1N1 AI vaccine isolate (Alturkey/North Carolina/17026/1988) contained approximately 92% nucleotide sequence similarity to the pH1N1 virus (A/Mexico/4109/2009); whereas, a more recent AI vaccine isolate (A/ swine/North Carolina/00573/2005) contained 75.9% similarity. Comparison of amino acids found at antigenic sites of the HA protein indicated conserved epitopes at the Sa site; however, major differences were found at the Ca2 site between pH1N1 and A/ turkey/North Carolina/127026/1988. Hemagglutinin-inhibition (HI) tests were conducted with sera produced in vaccinated turkeys in North Carolina to determine if protection would be conferred using U.S. AI vaccine isolates. HI results indicate positive reactivity (HI titer > or = 5 log2) against the vaccine viruses over the course of study. However, limited cross-reactivity to the 2009 pH1N1 virus was observed, with positive titers in a limited number of birds (6 out of 20) beginning only after a third vaccination. Taken together, these results demonstrate that turkeys treated with these vaccines would likely not be protected against pH1N1 and current vaccines used in breeder turkeys in the United States against circulating H1N1 viruses should be updated to ensure adequate protection against field exposure.     

Efficacy of a pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus vaccine in pigs against the pandemic influenza virus is superior to commercially available swine influenza vaccines

In April 2009 a new influenza A/H1N1 strain, currently named "pandemic (H1N1) influenza 2009" (H1N1v), started the first official pandemic in humans since 1968. Several incursions of this virus in pig herds have also been reported from all over the world. Vaccination of pigs may be an option to reduce exposure of human contacts with infected pigs, thereby preventing cross-species transfer, but also to protect pigs themselves, should this virus cause damage in the pig population. Three swine influenza vaccines, two of them commercially available and one experimental, were therefore tested and compared for their efficacy against an H1N1v challenge. One of the commercial vaccines is based on an American classical H1N1 influenza strain, the other is based on a European avian H1N1 influenza strain. The experimental vaccine is based on reassortant virus NYMC X179A (containing the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of A/California/7/2009 (H1N1v) and the internal genes of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1)). Excretion of infectious virus was reduced by 0.5-3 log(10) by the commercial vaccines, depending on vaccine and sample type. Both vaccines were able to reduce virus replication especially in the lower respiratory tract, with less pathological lesions in vaccinated and subsequently challenged pigs than in unvaccinated controls. In pigs vaccinated with the experimental vaccine, excretion levels of infectious virus in nasal and oropharyngeal swabs, were at or below 1 log(10)TCID(50) per swab and lasted for only 1 or 2 days. An inactivated vaccine containing the HA and NA of an H1N1v is able to protect pigs from an infection with H1N1v, whereas swine influenza vaccines that are currently available are of limited efficaciousness. Whether vaccination of pigs against H1N1v will become opportune remains to be seen and will depend on future evolution of this strain in the pig population. Close monitoring of the pig population, focussing on presence and evolution of influenza strains on a cross-border level would therefore be advisable.     

Reassortant H1N1 influenza virus vaccines protect pigs against pandemic H1N1 influenza virus and H1N2 swine influenza virus challenge

Influenza A (H1N1) virus has caused human influenza outbreaks in a worldwide pandemic since April 2009. Pigs have been found to be susceptible to this influenza virus under experimental and natural conditions, raising concern about their potential role in the pandemic spread of the virus. In this study, we generated a high-growth reassortant virus (SC/PR8) that contains the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes from a novel H1N1 isolate, A/Sichuan/1/2009 (SC/09), and six internal genes from A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8) virus, by genetic reassortment. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of this reassortant virus were evaluated at different doses in a challenge model using a homologous SC/09 or heterologous A/Swine/Guangdong/1/06(H1N2) virus (GD/06). Two doses of SC/PR8 virus vaccine elicited high-titer serum hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibodies specific for the 2009 H1N1 virus and conferred complete protection against challenge with either SC/09 or GD/06 virus, with reduced lung lesions and viral shedding in vaccine-inoculated animals compared with non-vaccinated control animals. These results indicated for the first time that a high-growth SC/PR8 reassortant H1N1 virus exhibits properties that are desirable to be a promising vaccine candidate for use in swine in the event of a pandemic H1N1 influenza.     

Genomic analysis of influenza A virus from captive wild boars in Brazil reveals a human-like H1N2 influenza virus

Influenza is a viral disease that affects human and several animal species. In Brazil, H1N1, H3N2 and 2009 pandemic H1N1 A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza A viruses (IAV) circulate in domestic swine herds. Wild boars are also susceptible to IAV infection but in Brazil until this moment there are no reports of IAV infection in wild boars or in captive wild boars populations. Herein the occurrence of IAV in captive wild boars with the presence of lung consolidation lesions during slaughter was investigated. Lung samples were screened by RT-PCR for IAV detection. IAV positive samples were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRRT-PCR), virus isolation, genomic sequencing, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Eleven out of 60 lungs (18.3%) were positive for IAV by RT-PCR and seven out of the eleven were also positive for A(H1N1)pdm09 by qRRT-PCR. Chronic diffuse bronchopneumonia was observed in all samples and IHC analysis was negative for influenza A antigen. Full genes segments of H1N2 IAV were sequenced using Illumina's genome analyzer platform (MiSeq). The genomic analysis revealed that the HA and NA genes clustered with IAVs of the human lineage and the six internal genes were derived from the H1N1pdm09 IAV. This is the first report of a reassortant human-like H1N2 influenza virus infection in captive wild boars in Brazil and indicates the need to monitor IAV evolution in Suidae populations.     

中国类禽型H1N1亚型猪流感病毒的发现和遗传分析

采用禽流感病毒通用引物,对2006年发现的1株H1N1亚型的类禽型猪流感病毒的全基因组进行了测序,并进行了遗传学分析。序列分析表明它的8个片段与欧洲的类禽型猪流感病毒A/swine/Ile et Vilaine/1455/99(H1N1)病毒和A/swine/Cotes d'Armor/1488/99(H1N1)病毒的相应基因具有高度的同源性,同源性可达97%~99%,表明类禽型猪流感病毒已在中国出现。其血凝素基因的190E→D和225G→E的突变使得其结合NeuAc-a2,6Gal受体的能力高于NeuAca2,3Gal受体。欧洲的类禽型猪流感病毒可以直接感染人,并且可导致人的肺炎和死亡。中国类禽型猪流感病毒的发现及其的NeuAca2,6Gal受体结合特性使其成为一个潜在可感染人的病毒。     

Detection and isolation of 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus in commercial piggery,Lagos Nigeria

WHO declared pandemic of A/H1N1influenza in 2009 following global spread of the newly emerged strain of the virus from swine. Presently there is a dearth of data on the ecology of pandemic influenza H1N1 required for planning of intervention measures in sub Saharan Africa. Herein we report isolation of 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in an intensive mega piggery farms operation in South West Nigeria.     

Novel H1N2 swine influenza reassortant strain in pigs derived from the pandemic H1N1/2009 virus

Swine influenza monitoring programs have been in place in Italy since the 1990 s and from 2009 testing for the pandemic H1N1/2009 virus (H1N1pdm) was also performed on all the swine samples positive for type A influenza. This paper reports the isolation and genomic characterization of a novel H1N2 swine influenza reassortant strain from pigs in Italy that was derived from the H1N1pdm virus. In May 2010, mild respiratory symptoms were observed in around 10% of the pigs raised on a fattening farm in Italy. Lung homogenate taken from one pig showing respiratory distress was tested for influenza type A and H1N1pdm by two real time RT-PCR assays. Virus isolation was achieved by inoculation of lung homogenate into specific pathogen free chicken embryonated eggs (SPF CEE) and applied onto Caco-2 cells and then the complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was performed from the CEE isolate. The lung homogenate proved to be positive for both influenza type A (gene M) and H1N1pdm real time RT-PCRs. Virus isolation (A/Sw/It/116114/2010) was obtained from both SPF CEE and Caco-2 cells. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all of the genes of A/Sw/It/116114/2010, with the exception of neuraminidase (NA), belonged to the H1N1pdm cluster. The NA was closely related to two H1N2 double reassortant swine influenza viruses (SIVs), previously isolated in Sweden and Italy. NA sequences for these three strains were clustering with H3N2 SIVs. The emergence of a novel reassortant H1N2 strain derived from H1N1pdm in swine in Italy raises further concerns about whether these viruses will become established in pigs. The new reassortant not only represents a pandemic (zoonotic) threat but also has unknown livestock implications for the European swine industry.     

Phylogenetic evolution of swine-origin human influenza virus: a pandemic H1N1 2009

The knowledge of the genome constellation in pandemic influenza A virus H1N1 2009 from different countries and different hosts is valuable for monitoring and understanding of the evolution and migration of these strains. The complete genome sequences of selected worldwide distributed influenza A viruses are publicly available and there have been few longitudinal genome studies of human, avian and swine influenza A viruses. All possible to download SIV sequences of influenza A viruses available at GISAID Platform (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) were analyzed firstly through the web servers of the Influenza Virus Resource in NCBI. Phylogenetic study of circulating human pandemic H1N1 virus indicated that the new variant possesses a distinctive evolutionary trait. There is no one way the pandemic H1N1 have acquired new genes from other distinguishable viruses circulating recently in local human, pig or domestic poultry populations from various geographic regions. The extensive genetic diversity among whole segments present in pandemic H1N1 genome suggests that multiple introduction of virus have taken place during the period 1999-2009. The initial interspecies transmission could have occurred in the long-range past and after it the reassortants steps lead to three lineages: classical SIV prevalent in the North America, avian-like SIV in Europe and avian-like related SIV in Asia. This analysis contributes to the evidence that pigs are not the only hosts playing the role of "mixing vessel", as it was suggested for many years.     

Novel swine influenza virus subtype H3N1 in Italy

To date, three subtypes of swine influenza viruses, H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 have been isolated in Italy. In 2006, a novel swine influenza virus subtype (H3N1) was isolated from coughing pigs. RT-PCR performed on lung tissues, experimental infection in pigs with the novel isolate, and cloning the virus by plaque assay confirmed this unique H and N combination. The novel isolate was also antigenically and genetically characterized. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis showed that the complete HA gene of the H3N1 strain has the highest nucleotide identity to three Italian H3N2 strains, one isolated in 2001 and two in 2004, whereas the full length NA sequence is closely related to three H1N1 subtype viruses isolated in Italy in 2004. The remaining genes are also closely related to respective genes found in H1N1 and H3N2 SIVs currently circulating in Italy. This suggests that the novel SIV could be a reassortant between the H3N2 and H1N1 SIVs circulating in Italy.     

猪流感病毒H1N1、H1N2和H3N2亚型多重RT-PCR诊断方法的建立

对我国分离到的猪流感病毒和GenBank数据库中已有的猪流感病毒H1N1、H1N2和H3N2亚型毒株的HA、NA基因核苷酸序列进行分析,分别选出各个病毒亚型HA和NA基因中高度保守且特异的核苷酸区域,设计扩增猪流感病毒H1和H3、N1和N2亚型的2套多重PCR特异性引物,建立了猪流感H1N1、H1N2和H3N2亚型病毒多重RT-PCR诊断方法。采用该方法对H1N1、H1N2、H3N2亚型猪流感病毒标准参考株进行RT-PCR检测,结果均呈阳性,对扩增得到的片段进行序列测定和BLAST比较,表明为目的基因片段。其它几种常见猪病病毒和其它亚型猪流感病毒的RT-PCR扩增结果都呈阴性。对107EID50/0.1mL病毒进行稀释,提取RNA进行敏感性试验,RT-PCR最少可检测到102EID50的病毒量核酸。对40份阳性临床样品的检测结果是H1N1、H1N2和H3N2亚型分别为16份、1份和20份,其它3份样品同时含有H1N1和H3N2亚型猪流感病毒,和鸡胚分离病毒结果100%一致。试验证明建立的猪流感病毒H1N1、H1N2和H3N2亚型多重RT-PCR诊断方法是一种特异敏感的诊断方法,可用于临床样品的早期快速诊断和分型。     

Descriptive clinical and epidemiological characteristics of influenza A H1N1 2009 virus infections in pigs in England

Infection of pigs with influenza A H1N1 2009 virus (A(H1N1)pdm09) was first detected in England in November 2009 following global spread of the virus in the human population. This paper describes clinical and epidemiological findings in the first English pig farms in which A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus was detected. These farms showed differences in disease presentation, spread and duration of infection. The factors likely to influence these features are described and relate to whether pigs were housed or outdoors, the age of the pigs, inter-current disease and the management system of the unit. Infection could be mild or clinically inapparent in breeding pigs with more typical respiratory disease being identified later in their progeny. Mortality was low where disease was uncomplicated by environmental stresses or concurrent infections. Where deaths occurred in pigs infected with A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza, they were mainly due to other infections, including streptococcal disease due to Streptococcus suis infection. This paper demonstrates the ease with which A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was transmitted horizontally and maintained in a pig population.