ARS | Publication request: VARIATION IN THE HEMAGGLUTININ GENES OF AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUSES COLLECTED FROM WILD WATER-FOWL AND SHOREBIRDS IN NORTH AMERICA

Submitted to: American Association of Avian Pathologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 17, 2005
Publication Date: July 20, 2005
Citation: Spackman, E., Swayne, D.E., Suarez, D.L. 2005. Variation in the hemagglutinin genes of avian influenza viruses collected from wild water-fowl and shorebirds in north america 1969-2002 [abstract]. American Association of Avian Pathologists. p.62.

Technical Abstract: Avian influenza viruses of the H4 (25 isolates) and H6 (44 isolates) hemagglutinin subtypes collected from wild-waterfowl and shore-birds in North American between 1969 and 2002 were sequenced. Sequence data was analyzed by phylogenetic analysis with all available H4 and H6 hemagglutinin sequence and revealed variation among H4 and H6 sequences. The level of variation may indicate that avian influenza is not as genetically stable in aquatic birds as initially thought. Although H6 assorted into three major groups, there was no clear assortment of either subtype by species, location or year of isolation, indicating that multiple lineages of these subtypes co-circulate in free-flying birds and are maintained. The presence of sequence subtypes previously reported as 'Eurasian' sequences in North American birds indicated that avian influenza sequence information may be disseminated in the northern hemisphere by free-flying aquatic birds.