Location: Virus and Prion Research
Project Number: 5030-32000-231-026-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2019
End Date: Jul 31, 2023
Objective:
A consistent and continued assessment of influenza A viruses (IAV) from the USDA Influenza A Virus Swine (IAV-S) Surveillance System surveillance system is required for identifying those that require further experimental analysis. ARS will respond to the needs of the industry and other stakeholders through in vitro analysis as well as in vivo pathogenesis, transmission, and vaccine studies under BSL-2 or BSL-3Ag containment.
Approach:
ARS has established baseline sequence analyses, reference antiserum panels for antigenic analysis, as well as infection and vaccine study models from which to evaluate further evolution of influenza A viruses identified in the USDA influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S) surveillance system, in addition to avian or human IAV of potential risk to the swine population. ARS will conduct sequence analysis and select viruses with unique genetic characteristics for in vitro and in vivo study. Additionally, IAV may be identified through public health investigations of zoonotic transmission events or from the animal health sector for unusual phenotypes or evasion of vaccine immunity. The studies funded in this interagency agreement include in vivo and in vitro pathogenesis and transmission in swine and/or ferrets, antigenic characterization, or vaccine protection experiments.