Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: Journal of Virology, full text: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]
-------
A Single Amino Acid at the Hemagglutinin Cleavage Site Contributes to the Pathogenicity but Not the Transmission of Egyptian Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Influenza Virus in Chickens
Sun-Woo Yoon<SUP>a</SUP>, Ghazi Kayali<SUP>a</SUP>, Mohamed A. Ali<SUP>b</SUP>, Robert G. Webster<SUP>a</SUP>, Richard J. Webby<SUP>a</SUP> and Mariette F. Ducatez<SUP>a</SUP>,<SUP>c</SUP>
<SUP></SUP>
Author Affiliations: <SUP>a</SUP>Division of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA <SUP>b</SUP>Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt <SUP>c</SUP>INRA UMR1225 IHAP Interactions H?tes-Agents Pathog?nes, ENVT, Toulouse, France
ABSTRACT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 has been enzootic in Egypt since 2008. Virus-associated mortality (but not the number of cases) in humans and poultry seems to have decreased over time, but the reason for this remains unknown. We investigated the role of a single amino acid substitution in the hemagglutinin cleavage site on virus pathogenicity and transmission in chickens. The R325G substitution significantly reduced pathogenicity without altering the transmission efficiency of HPAI H5N1 virus.
FOOTNOTES
Received 26 December 2012. Accepted 1 February 2013.
Address correspondence to Richard J. Webby, richard.webby@stjude.org, or Mariette F. Ducatez, m.ducatez@envt.fr.
Published ahead of print 13 February 2013
Copyright ? 2013, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
-Sun-Woo Yoon<SUP>a</SUP>, Ghazi Kayali<SUP>a</SUP>, Mohamed A. Ali<SUP>b</SUP>, Robert G. Webster<SUP>a</SUP>, Richard J. Webby<SUP>a</SUP> and Mariette F. Ducatez<SUP>a</SUP>,<SUP>c</SUP>
<SUP></SUP>
Author Affiliations: <SUP>a</SUP>Division of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA <SUP>b</SUP>Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt <SUP>c</SUP>INRA UMR1225 IHAP Interactions H?tes-Agents Pathog?nes, ENVT, Toulouse, France
ABSTRACT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 has been enzootic in Egypt since 2008. Virus-associated mortality (but not the number of cases) in humans and poultry seems to have decreased over time, but the reason for this remains unknown. We investigated the role of a single amino acid substitution in the hemagglutinin cleavage site on virus pathogenicity and transmission in chickens. The R325G substitution significantly reduced pathogenicity without altering the transmission efficiency of HPAI H5N1 virus.
FOOTNOTES
Received 26 December 2012. Accepted 1 February 2013.
Address correspondence to Richard J. Webby, richard.webby@stjude.org, or Mariette F. Ducatez, m.ducatez@envt.fr.
Published ahead of print 13 February 2013
Copyright ? 2013, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
-------