Serologic surveillance of swine H1 and H3 and avian H5 and H9 influenza A virus infections in swine population in Korea

Influenza A is a respiratory disease common in the swine industry. Three subtypes, H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2 influenza A viruses, are currently co-circulating in swine populations in Korea. An outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus occurred in domestic bird farms in Korea during the winter season of 2003. Pigs can serve as hosts for avian influenza viruses, enabling passage of the virus to other mammals and recombination of mammalian and avian influenza viruses, which are more readily transmissible to humans. This study reports the current seroprevalence of swine H1 and H3 influenza in swine populations in Korea by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. We also investigated whether avian H5 and H9 influenza transmission occurred in pigs from Korea using both the HI and neutralization (NT) tests. 51.2% (380/742) of serum samples tested were positive against the swine H1 virus and 43.7% (324/742) were positive against the swine H3 virus by HI assay. The incidence of seropositivity against both the swine H1 virus and the swine H3 virus was 25.3% (188/742). On the other hand, none of the samples tested showed seropositivity against either the avian H5 virus or the avian H9 virus by the HI and NT tests. Therefore, we report the high current seroprevalence and co-infectivity of swine H1 and H3 influenza viruses in swine populations and the lack of seroepidemiological evidence of avian H5 and H9 influenza transmission to Korean pigs.     

Evidence of pandemic H1N1 influenza exposure in dogs and cats,Thailand: A serological survey

Influenza A virus causes respiratory disease in both humans and animals. In this study, a survey of influenza A antibodies in domestic dogs and cats was conducted in 47 animal shelters in 19 provinces of Thailand from September 2011 to September 2014. One thousand and eleven serum samples were collected from 932 dogs and 79 cats. Serum samples were tested for influenza A antibodies using a multi‐species competitive NP‐ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. The NP‐ELISA results showed that 0.97% (9/932) of dogs were positive, but all cat samples were negative. The HI test against pandemic H1N1, human H3N2 and canine H3N2 showed that 0.64% (6/932) and 1.20% (1/79) of dogs and cats were positive, respectively. It is noted that all six serum samples (5 dogs and 1 cat) had antibodies against pandemic H1N1. In summary, a serological survey revealed the evidence of pandemic H1N1 influenza exposure in both dogs and cats in the shelters in Thailand.     

An immunoperoxidase monolayer assay for the detection of antibodies against swine influenza virus.

An immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) has been developed to detect antibodies against swine influenza A virus (SIV) in pig sera. The test was evaluated by using sequential sera from pigs experimentally infected with H1N1 subtype of SIV. Two hundred field serum samples that had been examined by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test were also tested. Antibodies specific to SIV were detected as early as 3 days postinoculation (dpi) in the IPMA test as compared with 7 dpi by the HI test. Unlike HI, no serum treatment was required in the IPMA test. Regardless of the virus used in the test, IPMA detected antibodies to both H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes of SIV whereas HI detects antibodies against either H1N1 or H3N2, depending upon the virus used in the test. Results of this study indicate that IPMA is a useful test for screening of pig sera for SIV antibodies.     

H3N8亚型马流感病毒间接ELISA抗体检测方法建立及应用

为建立马流感血清学ELISA诊断方法,本研究以马流感病毒中国分离株A/马/新疆/07(H3N8)通过SPF鸡胚培养和增殖,收取含病毒尿囊液经蔗糖密度梯度离心纯化后作为ELISA包被抗原,首次在我国建立了检测H3N8亚型马流感抗体的间接ELISA诊断方法。试验的最佳反应条件为:最佳抗原稀释度7μg/mL,封闭液5%脱脂乳,血清稀释度1∶100,二抗稀释度1∶10000,稀释液PBS(pH7.4),血清反应时间1.5h,二抗反应时间1h。通过本方法对555份临床样品进行检测并与血凝抑制(HI)试验检测结果比较,证明本方法特异、敏感,具有良好的稳定性和可重复性,适于马流感的流行病学调查和监测工作。     

A sero-survey of subtype H3 influenza A virus infection in dogs and cats in Japan

A sero-epidemiological survey of human and equine H3 influenza A virus infections in dogs and cats using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) tests was conducted. Serum samples were collected from 582 dogs and 237 cats in Japan during the periods 2002-2008 and 1997-2008, respectively. Although no HI antibodies against equine H3 virus were detected, 9 (3.8%) from cats and 12 (2.1%) from dogs were HI-positive against human H3 virus. Only one serum each from dogs and cats was NI-positive against N2 virus. These findings suggest that although equine H3 influenza virus infections have not been prevalent in companion animals, human H3N2 influenza A virus infections have occurred in dogs and cats in recent years in Japan.     

Comparative serological evaluation of avian influenza vaccine in turkeys

Four- and six-week-old turkeys were vaccinated subcutaneously using avian influenza virus (AIV) A/Duck/613/MN/79 (H4N2) killed oil-emulsion vaccine. Sequential serological tests using agar gel precipitin (AGP), hemagglutination inhibition (HI), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring antibodies to AIV were performed up to 4 weeks postvaccination, when birds were challenged intranasally using A/Turkey/MN/80 (H4N2) live AIV. The ELISA was 25 to 1600 times more sensitive than the HI test and was able to detect antibody production earlier than the HI test. All turkeys with an ELISA titer of greater than or equal to 800 were protected against homologous challenge, as measured by virus recovery 3 days postchallenge. Four turkeys out of 20 serologically negative by AGP and HI tests but ELISA-positive were protected.     

Antibody responses after vaccination against equine influenza in the Republic of Korea in 2013

In this study, antibody responses after equine influenza vaccination were investigated among 1,098 horses in Korea using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. The equine influenza viruses, A/equine/South Africa/4/03 (H3N8) and A/equine/Wildeshausen/1/08 (H3N8), were used as antigens in the HI assay. The mean seropositive rates were 91.7% (geometric mean antibody levels (GMT), 56.8) and 93.6% (GMT, 105.2) for A/equine/South Africa/4/03 and A/equine/Wildeshausen/1/08, respectively. Yearlings and two-year-olds in training exhibited lower positive rates (68.1% (GMT, 14) and 61.7% (GMT, 11.9), respectively, with different antigens) than average. Horses two years old or younger may require more attention in vaccination against equine influenza according to the vaccination regime, because they could be a target of the equine influenza virus.     

Influenza surveillance in birds in Italian wetlands (1992-1998): is there a host restricted circulation of influenza viruses in sympatric ducks and coots?

We report the results of a 6-year serological and virological monitoring performed in ducks and coots in Italy, in order to assess the degree of influenza A virus circulation in these birds during wintering. A total of 1039 sera collected from 1992 to 1998 was screened by a double antibody sandwich blocking ELISA (NP-ELISA): seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A viruses was significantly higher in ducks compared to coots (52.2% vs. 7.1%, respectively). The hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay, performed on NP-ELISA positive sera, showed that 16.9% of these duck sera and 33.3% of these coot sera had antibodies to at least one influenza virus HA subtype: ducks showed HI antibodies against most of the HA subtypes, except for the H3, H4, H7, and H12; coots were seropositive to the H3 and H10 subtypes, only. From 1993 to 1998, 22 virus strains were obtained from 802 cloacal swabs, with an overall virus isolation frequency of 2.7%. Viruses belonging to the H1N1 subtype were by far the most commonly circulating strains (18/22) and were isolated mainly from ducks (17/18). The remaining viruses were representative of the H10N8, H5N2 and H3N8 subtypes. Our data indicate some differences between influenza A virus circulation in sympatric ducks and coots and a significant antigenic diversity between some reference strains and viruses recently isolated in Italy.     

上海地区猪群中H1N1甲型流感抗体检测

对2009年H1N1甲型流感流行前后的上海地区养殖场户410份猪血清样品,分别采用血凝抑制试验（hemagglutination inhibition,HI）和酶联免疫吸附试验（enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA）进行检测H1N1甲型流感病毒和猪流感病毒（Swine in？uenza virus,SIV）。检测结果表明,除2007年外,2008~2010年猪血清中均存在不同水平的HI抗体,阳性率呈显著上升趋势,且抗体水平与猪群饲养周期及饲养密度正相关,而与猪流感病毒的流行无相关性。     

Serological evidence of avian influenza virus and canine influenza virus infections among stray cats in live poultry markets,China

From January 2010 to January 2012, we collected sera samples from 700 stray cats living in close proximity to poultry farms or poultry markets in 4 provinces in China. A number of cats had evidence of avian and canine influenza virus infection: avian H9N2 [24 by HI ≥1:20 and 16 by microneutralization (MN) assay ≥1:80]; avian H5N1 (9 by HI ≥1:20 and 3 by MN assay ≥1:80) and canine H3N2 (32 by HI ≥1:20 and 18 by MN ≥1:80). Bivariate analyses revealed that cats sampled near live poultry markets and cats with influenza-like-illness were at increased risk of having elevated antibody titers by HI against avian H9N2, avian H5N1, or canine H3N2 viruses. Hence, cats may play a very important role in the ecology of novel influenza viruses and periodic epidemiological surveillance for novel influenza infections among stray cats could serve as an early warning system for human threats.     

规模化驴场中马流感病毒H3N8亚型感染情况调查

[目的]调查山东省聊城市规模化驴场中马流感病毒的感染情况,并分析其可能的来源。[方法]从聊城的规模化驴场采集病料和血清,通过HI试验检测驴血清中的马流感病毒H3N8亚型抗体的阳性率。使用RT-PCR技术扩增肺脏和鼻腔棉拭子样品中的马流感病毒M基因,对获得的马流感病毒M基因与不同流感病毒的M基因进行序列比对,推测其来源。[结果]HI试验表明,120个血清样品中马流感病毒H3N8亚型血清抗体阳性率为33.3%(40/120);其中,母驴的马流感病毒H3N8亚型血清抗体阳性率为42.5%(17/40)、公驴为32.5%(13/40)、驴驹为25.0%(10/40)。通过RT-PCR检测发现,32.3%(21/65)的样品可测出目的条带。通过序列比对得出,该试验获得的流感病毒M基因与马属动物的H3N8亚型流感病毒高度同源(CY032222、CY032318、CY028821等),同源性最高可达99.8%。[结论]马流感病毒在聊城周边的数个规模化养驴场发生流行。该研究从驴体内分离的流感病毒M基因属于马流感病毒H3N8亚型M基因。     

朗德鹅禽流感病毒的分离与鉴定

用禽流感病毒ELISA试剂盒对某朗德鹅养殖场的病鹅气管粘液进行了检测，发现5份粘液样本均呈禽流感阳性；随后取相应气管组织材料接种于9～11日龄鸡胚分离病毒．发现尿囊液能使鸡红细胞发生凝集，用禽流感病毒H5、H7、H9标准阳性血清和新城疫病毒、传染性支气管炎病毒、传染性喉气管炎病毒、传染性法氏囊炎病毒抗血清作HI试验，结果禽流感病毒H5亚型抗血清的血凝抑制滴度达到2^7，而禽流感病毒H7、H9亚型及其他病毒抗血清无血凝抑制滴度，说明从朗德鹅分离到的病毒为H5亚型禽流感病毒。     

Comparison of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with hemagglutination inhibition assay for serodiagnosis of swine influenza virus (H1N1) infection.

A commercial indirect swine influenza virus (SIV) H1N1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay by testing 72 samples from experimentally infected pigs and 780 field samples of undefined SIV status. The HI assay was performed using SIV isolates A/Swine/IA/73 for H1N1 and A/Swine/IA/8548-1/98 for H3N2. The ELISA used an SIV isolated in 1988. The results showed that HI and ELISA detected an antibody in 11 and 6, respectively, of 72 serum samples collected from pigs experimentally infected with a 1992 SIV isolate (A/Swine/IA/40776/92). The presence of antibodies in these experimental samples was confirmed by HI tests in which all 72 samples were positive against the homologous virus, a more recent H1N1 SIV isolate (A/Swine/NVSL/01) supplied by National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, Iowa, and a 1999 H1N1 isolate currently used in a commercial vaccine. On testing 780 field samples, an overall agreement of 85.5% was generated between the HI and ELISA. This study demonstrated that the ELISA is a useful serodiagnostic screening test at herd level for detecting swine antibodies against SIV. However, a new SIV isolate representing current SIV strains circulating in the field is needed to replace the older isolates used in the HI and ELISA to increase the test accuracy for serodiagnosis of SIV.     

Evaluation of serological tests for H5N1 avian influenza on field samples from domestic poultry populations in Vietnam: consequences for surveillance

In Vietnam, serological post H5N1 vaccination surveillance using the HI test is applied to assess the efficiency of the vaccination in addition to virological monitoring. In this paper we report on the evaluations of the performances of the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and of a H5-ELISA, using chicken and duck field samples. The evaluations were conducted by comparison with a pseudotyped-based virus neutralization test (H5pp VNT) performed in a reference laboratory and considered as a "gold standard" and also by using methods developed for imperfect reference test. Their global accuracy and best cut-offs were also estimated. Results from the HI test for several haemagglutinin subtypes and from a commercial type A influenza competition ELISA were also compared. The results showed that performance of the HI test was very good in comparison with the H5pp VNT. Data also clearly supported the cut-off of ≥ 4 log(2) used for the HI test for chickens but, a 3 log(2) positivity cut-off would be more appropriate for ducks. When compared with the VNT, the H5-ELISA showed poor specificity when using the positivity cut-off specified by the manufacturer but could be used as a screening test if confirmed by the HI test or the H5ppVNT which presents some interests for large scale testing (no need for biosafety level 3 conditions and high performance). A general and highly sensitive pre-screening can also be achieved using the detection of NP-specific antibodies with a competition ELISA. This appears of little interest in a context of high subtypes diversity where only a subtype is targeted for surveillance and control.     

中国畜牧兽医2013年第40卷第2期犬流感(H3N2亚型)血清学调查

为了解广东地区犬流感(CI)流行情况,以期为犬流感的预防提供参考依据,本研究采用ELSIA方法及血凝抑制试验(HI),对广东省内6地市的1440份犬血清样品进行抗体检测。结果显示,1440份犬血清中犬流感抗体平均阳性率为7.92%(ELISA)和6.25%(HI)。其中广州、深圳和惠州地区的犬流感抗体阳性率较高。1～3岁犬的犬流感抗体阳性率高于其他年龄段犬,雄性犬犬流感抗体阳性率高于雌性。结果表明,H3N2亚型犬流感病毒在广东局部地区流行。鉴于当前在部分地区CIV阳性率较高,结合CIV在犬群中迅速传播的流行特点,要避免CIV暴发流行及对人类的健康造成威胁,对于CIV的防制应结合当地实际情况,制定切实有效的防制措施。     

Comparison of a commercial H1N1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and hemagglutination inhibition test in detecting serum antibody against swine influenza viruses.

Recently a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for detecting antibody against H1N1 swine influenza virus (SIV) has been made available to diagnosticians and veterinary practitioners. Because the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test has been considered the standard test for SIV serology, diagnostic performance of the new ELISA was evaluated using positive (n = 60) and negative (n = 188) serum samples from young pigs with known status of SIV infection and compared with that of the HI test. Both ELISA and HI test identified all negative animals correctly. None of the serum samples (n = 64) from pigs inoculated with H3N2 SIV was positive by ELISA for SIV antibody. The H1N1 SIV antibody detectable by ELISA appears to develop more slowly in comparison with antibody detectable by HI test. Although antibody was detected by HI test in all inoculated animals (n = 20) by day 7 postinoculation (PI), antibody was detected by ELISA in 0%, 75%, and 100% of the inoculated animals on days 7, 14, and 28 PI, respectively. Discrepancy in test results between the 2 serologic tests appeared to be because of differences in antibody isotypes detected by each test. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay mainly detected IgG antibody, whereas the HI test detects IgM antibody very efficiently as well as IgG antibody. Collectively, the commercial ELISA is highly specific for antibody to H1N1 SIV but may not identify positive animals at the early stage of infection as effectively as the HI test, particularly when SIV is introduced to a na?ve swine population.     

Identification and characterization of H2N3 avian influenza virus from backyard poultry and comparison with novel H2N3 swine influenza virus

In early 2007, H2N3 influenza virus was isolated from a duck and a chicken in two separate poultry flocks in Ohio. Since the same subtype influenza virus with hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) genes of avian lineage was also identified in a swine herd in Missouri in 2006, the objective of this study was to characterize and compare the genetic, antigenic, and biologic properties of the avian and swine isolates. Avian isolates were low pathogenic by in vivo chicken pathogenicity testing. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that all genes of the avian isolates were comprised of avian lineages, whereas the swine isolates contained contemporary swine internal gene segments, demonstrating that the avian H2N3 viruses were not directly derived from the swine virus. Sequence comparisons for the H and N genes demonstrated that the avian isolates were similar but not identical to the swine isolates. Accordingly, the avian and swine isolates were also antigenically related as determined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and virus neutralization assays, suggesting that both avian and swine isolates originated from the same group of H2N3 avian influenza viruses. Although serological surveys using the HI assay on poultry flocks and swine herds in Ohio did not reveal further spread of H2 virus from the index flocks, surveillance is important to ensure the virus is not reintroduced to domestic swine or poultry. Contemporary H2N3 avian influenza viruses appear to be easily adaptable to unnatural hosts such as poultry and swine, raising concern regarding the potential for interspecies transmission of avian viruses to humans.     

H3N8亚型马流感病毒单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

以灭活马流感病毒(EIV)A/Equine/Jilin/1/1989(H3N8)为免疫原,免疫Balb/c小鼠,经常规细胞融合后,用血凝抑制试验(H1)和间接ELISA方法筛选获得3株(3C2、5G10和5A10)能稳定分泌H3N8亚型马流感病毒单克隆抗体(mAb)的杂交瘤细胞株.其中3C2和5G10为IgG2α,5A...     

Genetic and pathobiologic characterization of H3N2 canine influenza viruses isolated in the Jiangsu Province of China in 2009-2010

The newly emerging canine influenza virus (CIV) causes considerable concerns for both veterinary and public health. During 2009-2010, six strains of H3N2 influenza virus were isolated from dogs in Jiangsu Province, China. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of eight gene segments revealed that the six viruses were most similar to a recent canine-derived subtype H3N2 influenza virus isolated in cats from South Korea, which originated from avian strain. By comparing the deduced amino acid sequences of the hemagglutinin 1 (HA1) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of the six Jiangsu isolates against the most similar avian strains, we found that all isolates had several common mutations at the receptor-binding sites, potential glycosylation sites and cleavage site in HA1, and antigenic sites in both the HA1 and NA segments. Significantly, a unique two amino acid insertion in the NA stalk was found. Experimental infection of BALB/c mice revealed that viral RNA could be detected in the major rodent organs, such as brain, heart, spleen, kidney, liver and intestine, as well as the lung. All the sampled organs from infected mice showed significant lesions and viral antigen staining. This study highlights the potential of domesticated animals to become a reservoir for influenza virus and the need for surveillance programs to detect cross-species transmission.