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Genotypic diversity of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses

Zi-Ming Zhao^1,2,

Xiu-Feng Wan^1,2,

¹ Systems Biology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
² School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
³ State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
⁴ Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA

Correspondence
Xiu-Feng Wan
wanhenry{at}yahoo.com
or
xwan{at}cdc.gov

Besides enormous economic losses to the poultry industry, recent H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) originating in eastern Asia have posed serious threats to public health. Up to April 17, 2008, 381 human cases had been confirmed with a mortality of more than 60 %. Here, we attempt to identify potential progenitor genes for H5N1 HPAIVs since their first recognition in 1996; most were detected in the Eurasian landmass before 1996. Combinations among these progenitor genes generated at least 21 reassortants (named H5N1 progenitor reassortant, H5N1-PR1–21). H5N1-PR1 includes A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1). Only reassortants H5N1-PR2 and H5N1-PR7 were associated with confirmed human cases: H5N1-PR2 in the Hong Kong H5N1 outbreak in 1997 and H5N1-PR7 in laboratory confirmed human cases since 2003. H5N1-PR7 also contains a majority of the H5N1 viruses causing avian influenza outbreaks in birds, including the first wave of genotype Z, Qinghai-like and Fujian-like virus lineages. Among the 21 reassortants identified, 13 are first reported here. This study illustrates evolutionary patterns of H5N1 HPAIVs, which may be useful toward pandemic preparedness as well as avian influenza prevention and control.

Present address: Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession numbers for the sequences reported in this paper are EU627685 and EU636682–EU636696.

Supplementary material is available with the online version of this paper.