Overview of the Epizootiological Situation on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Russia in 2019

Abstract

This review describes the current situation on highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in 2019 and predicts the possible further spread of avian influenza in Russia. In 2019 outbreaks were reported among wild birds and poultry, as well as human infections with influenza viruses of the subtypes H5Nx, H7N9 and H9N2 in several countries. In 2019, only two outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 in Russia occurred. Both outbreaks were recorded in January at poultry farm in the Rostov Region. In addition, in May 2019 avian influenza virus of H14N7 subtype was isolated from a wild bird during the avian influenza virus surveillance in Tomsk Region. In June 2019, a strain of H13N2 subtype was isolated in the territory of Kamchatka Region, then, in August 2019, an influenza virus of H13N6 subtype was isolated in the Saratov Region. It was revealed that some strains of avian influenza virus isolated in Russia have a high degree of identity with strains circulating in South-East Asia. This was shown by the phylogenetic analysis of A/ H5Nx influenza viruses previously isolated in the Saratov Region and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam during the avian influenza virus surveillance. Thus, it was demonstrated again that the territory of Russia plays a key geographical role in the global spread of avian influenza virus.

Virological and Genetic Characterization of the Unusual Avian Influenza H14Nx Viruses in the Northern Asia

“…Additionally, we found and included in the study another novel H14 virus isolation case from sandpiper ( Calidris sp.) in the neighboring Tomsk region previously described by Marchenko et al [ 7 ]. Its sequence is currently available in the GISAID database (GISAID # 390458).…”

“…Our three viruses (A/29, A/210, A/211) were acquired from common teal and garganeys during the fall season. Of the currently described H14 viruses isolated in Siberia, there is only one isolation in which the H14 virus was obtained from sandpiper [ 7 ]. At the same time, most of the ring recoveries in the described region of common teals and garganeys have been associated with migrations in the westward direction and the Black Sea/Mediterranean and Central Asian flyways [ 32 ].…”

“…Historically, three isolates of the H14 subtype were first described in the Soviet Union in 1982, collected from mallards and herring gull (A/Mallard/Gurjev/244/82 (H14N6), A/mallard/Gurjev/263/1982, and A/herring gull/Astrakhan/267/1982) [ 6 ]. Since then, only three strains of the H14 subtype have been detected in Eurasia: H14N6, isolated from garganey ( Anas querquedula ) in Ukraine in 2006, H14N3, isolated from goose in Pakistan in 2014, and H14N7, isolated from sandpiper in Tomsk by Marchenko et al in 2019 [ 7 ]. There has only been one report of the AIV H14 subtype being detected in Eurasia since 2015, whereas in North America, 36 isolates were obtained between 2010 and 2018 [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

“…Since then, only three strains of the H14 subtype have been detected in Eurasia: H14N6, isolated from garganey ( Anas querquedula ) in Ukraine in 2006, H14N3, isolated from goose in Pakistan in 2014, and H14N7, isolated from sandpiper in Tomsk by Marchenko et al in 2019 [ 7 ]. There has only been one report of the AIV H14 subtype being detected in Eurasia since 2015, whereas in North America, 36 isolates were obtained between 2010 and 2018 [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HA-NA) constellations of known isolates are limited to six NA subtypes: H14N3, H14N4, H14N5, H14N6, H14N7, and H14N8.…”

Overview of the Epizootiological Situation on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Russia in 2020

“…в отличие от относительно спокойного периода в 2019 г. [36], когда в январе были зарегистрированы только две вспышки инфекционной болезни, вызванной вирусом гриппа A/H5N8 среди сельскохозяйственной птицы в ростовской области, в 2020 г. зафиксировано резкое расширение географии распространения вируса и связанное с ним значительное количество вспышек на птицефабриках, а также среди диких птиц, по масштабу сравнимое со вспышками вызванного высокопатогенным вирусом гриппа, которые зарегистрированы в период 2017-2018 гг. [37,38].…”