Characterization of highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 mink influenza viruses
Tadashi Maemura, Lizheng Guan, Chunyang Gu, Amie J. Eisfeld, Asim Biswas, Peter Halfmann, Gabriele Neumann, Yoshihiro Kawaoka
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian H5 influenza viruses (HPAI) have caused more than 957 human infections, but do not transmit via respiratory droplets among mammals, although genetically modified HPAI H5 viruses can acquire this ability.1,2 HPAI H5N1 viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b emerged in Europe in late 2020 and have caused major outbreaks in multiple continents. Mass mortality events of 2.3.4.4b clade viruses in mink3 and sea mammals4 suggest high infectivity and pathogenicity among mammals. A recent study evaluated the pathogenicity and transmissibility of several clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses isolated in Canada.
Topics & Concepts
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1VirologyCladeBiologyOutbreakVirusMinkHighly pathogenicTransmission (telecommunications)Influenza A virusHost (biology)Phylogenetic treeGeneGeneticsEcologyEngineeringElectrical engineeringInfluenza Virus Research StudiesProtein Structure and DynamicsRespiratory viral infections research