Discussion: USGS researchers - HPAI H5 viruses from Asia reached North America

[Emily]

http://www.virologyj.com/content/12/1/151/#B14

Wild bird surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 in North America

Paul L. Flint[SUP]*[/SUP], John M. Pearce, J. Christian Franson and Dirk V. Derksen

• * Corresponding author: Paul L Flint [See link]

Virology Journal 2015, 12:151 doi:10.1186/s12985-015-0377-2

...
It is unknown how HPAI H5 viruses from Asia reached North America [4]–[7]. Asian origin HPAI H5 viruses were first detected in North America in November of 2014 in poultry farms along the Fraser River in southwestern Canada but it is unknown how these viruses were introduced [8]. Extensive sampling for the Asian HPAI H5N1 from 2006-2010 failed to reveal evidence of intact foreign avian influenza (AI) viruses in North American wild birds [9]. However, numerous AI viruses isolated from wild birds in North America were shown to contain individual genes that originated in Asia leading to the conclusion that wild birds do transfer viruses among continents, although these viruses appear to be reassorted into the local AI community [10]–[12]. Thus, the detection in November of 2014 of a non-reassorted AI virus in North America [13] is unusual, although not unprecedented [14]. ...

The reference for a precedent is about H7N9:

Ramey AM, Reeves AB, Sonsthagen SA, TeSlaa JL, Nashold S, Donnelly T, et al. Dispersal of H9N2 influenza A viruses between East Asia and North America by wild birds. Virology. 2015;482:79–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2015.03.028.

But that is an LPAI virus:

http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/progra.../Virology.html

The H5 viruses are HPAI, as stated in the USGS paper. So this is still unprecedented in that respect, I think.

https://www.grain.org/article/entrie...ird-flu-crisis

 

[sharon sanders]

Submitted tonight via email by a USGS scientist:



J Virol. 2015 Jun;89(12):6521-4. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00728-15. Epub 2015 Apr 8.


Intercontinental Spread of Asian-Origin H5N8 to North America through Beringia by Migratory Birds.

Lee DH1, Torchetti MK2, Winker K3, Ip HS4, Song CS5, Swayne DE6.
Author information



Abstract

Phylogenetic network analysis and understanding of waterfowl migration patterns suggest that the Eurasian H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 avian influenza virus emerged in late 2013 in China, spread in early 2014 to South Korea and Japan, and reached Siberia and Beringia by summer 2014 via migratory birds. Three genetically distinct subgroups emerged and subsequently spread along different flyways during fall 2014 into Europe, North America, and East Asia, respectively. All three subgroups reappeared in Japan, a wintering site for waterfowl from Eurasia and parts of North America.


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25855748