Environmental connections of novel avian-origin H7N9 influenza virus infection and virus adaptation to the human

• DOI: 10.1007/s11427-013-4491-3
• Publication Date: 2013-05-08T16:30:30Z
• Authors: Jun Li; XinFen Yu; XiaoYing Pu; Li Xie; YongXiang Sun; HaiXia Xiao; FenJuan Wang; Hua Din; Ying Wu; Di Liu; GuoQiu Zhao; Jun Liu; JingCao Pan
• Keywords: H5N1 genetic structure

A novel H7N9 influenza virus has been discovered as the causative identity of emerging acute respiratory infection cases in Shanghai, China. This also identified neighboring area Hangzhou City Zhejiang Province. In this study, epidemiologic, clinical, and virological data from three patients who were confirmed to be infected by collected analyzed. Human specimens chicken feces a contacted free market tested for real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) sequencing. The clinical features similar featured with high fever severe symptoms; however, only one died. certain degree diversity was observed among viruses sequenced human samples compared other reported viruses. sequences avian-origin contained important amino acid substitutions related adaptation. One had gained substitution (Q226I) receptor binding region hemagglutinin. More importantly, 627E PB2 protein instead mammalian-adapted 627K that found proteins patients. Therefore, newly-emerging might under adaptation pressure will help it "jump" avian hosts. significance these needs further exploration, both laboratory experiments extensive field surveillance.