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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348712
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Disease Outbreaks Caused by Emerging Strains of Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: Reassortant clade 2.3.4.4 of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N6) virus, Taiwan, 2017

Author
item CHEN, LI-HSUAN - Council Of Agriculture
item LEE, DONG-HUN - Orise Fellow
item LIU, YU-PIN - Council Of Agriculture
item LI, WAN-CHEN - Council Of Agriculture
item Swayne, David
item CHANG, JEN-CHIEH - Council Of Agriculture
item CHEN, YEN-PING - Council Of Agriculture
item LEE, FAN - Council Of Agriculture
item TU, WEN-JANE - Council Of Agriculture
item LIN, YU-JU - Council Of Agriculture

Submitted to: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2018
Publication Date: 5/4/2018
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6472333
Citation: Chen, L., Lee, D., Liu, Y., Li, W., Swayne, D.E., Chang, J., Chen, Y., Lee, F., Tu, W., Lin, Y. 2018. Reassortant clade 2.3.4.4 of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N6) virus, Taiwan, 2017. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 24(6):1147-1149. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2406.172071.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2406.172071

Interpretive Summary: Since 1996, a Chinese-origin high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) have caused deadly outbreaks in wild birds and poultry in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. A specific H5N6 HPAIV was detected in a domestic duck found dead in Taiwan, in February 2017. Genetic analyses suggest that the virus belongs to specific subgroup of viruses previously identified in China, Korea, and Japan during 2016-2017. The presence of this virus in Taiwan is of concern for further mixing with other avian influenza viruses and starting the fifth wave of intercontinental spread.

Technical Abstract: A highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N6) virus of clade 2.3.4.4 was detected in a domestic duck found dead in Taiwan during February 2017. The endemic situation and continued evolution of various reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Taiwan warrant concern about further reassortment and a fifth wave of intercontinental spread.