Genetic Characterization of the Pathogenic Influenza A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96 (H5N1) Virus: Similarity of Its Hemagglutinin Gene to Those of H5N1 Viruses from the 1997 Outbreaks in Hong Kong

Abstract

Analysis of the sequences of all eight RNA segments of the influenza A/G oose/Guangdong/1/96 (H5N1) virus, isolated from a sick goose during an outbreak in Guangdong province, China, in 1996, revealed that the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of the virus was genetically similar to those of the H5N1 viruses isolated in Hong Kong in 1997. However, the remaining genes showed greater similarity to other avian influenza viruses. Notably, the neuraminidase gene did no have the 19-amino-acid deletion in the stalk region seen in the H5N1 Hong Kong viruses and the NS gene belonged to allele B, while that of the H5N1 Hong Kong viruses belonged to allele A. These data suggest that the H5N1 viruses isolated from the Hong Kong outbreaks derived their HA genes from a virus similar to the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96 virus or shared a progenitor with this goose pathogen.

Epidemiological consequences of an incursion of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza into the British poultry flock

“…The Asian lineage highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI) virus was first isolated in geese in China in 1996 (Xu et al 1999). Subsequently, in 2003Subsequently, in -2004, the virus was identified in eight countries in Asia (www.oie.int) resulting in over 3000 outbreaks reported to the OIE between December 2003 and February 2005 (Morris & Jackson 2005).…”

Protection of cats against lethal influenza H5N1 challenge infection

“…In 1996, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 (A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96) was detected in southern China (Xu et al, 1999) and subsequently spread among poultry in Hong Kong. During the outbreak, direct transmission to humans occurred, clinically affecting 18 patients and resulting in six fatalities (Claas et al, 1998;Subbarao et al, 1998).…”

Molecular epidemiology of avian influenza viruses circulating among healthy poultry flocks in farms in northern Vietnam

“…HPAI subtype H5N1 viruses were first detected in 1996 in geese in Guangdong, China (Xu et al, 1999) and then spread to ducks in southern China without killing them . Chen et al (2004) Chicken/Vietnam/G14/08 (H3N8) strain was isolated from a healthy chicken and, it is estimated that aberrant HA trait of the strain was induced probably in a process of adaptation of the strain to chicken.…”