Abstract Title
Identification of early markers of chicken adaptation of H3Nx avian influenza viruses: from waterfowl to epidemics
Abstract
The ecology and threat posed by non-notifiable low pathogenic viruses, such as those belonging to the H3 subtype, have been insufficiently studied and/or largely underestimated, despite the evidence that similar viruses have the ability to cause significant epidemics (e.g. Belgium) and spillover infections in humans (e.g. China). In this study, we assessed the ability of H3Nx viruses isolated from wild waterfowls to infect chickens and forced the evolution of these viruses in the chicken model to identify markers of adaptation to chickens that might be used during genomic surveillance in poultry. In our study, under controlled laboratory conditions, groups of animals were infected by the oro-nasal route, and put in contact with sentinels for at least 3 rounds of infections. Viruses isolated from tracheal swab samples were used to infect chickens in the next round of studies, in order to allow for adaptation. Deep sequencing was carried out on both tracheal and cloacal swabs. Sequences of H3Nx avian influenza viruses from Europe and Asia were analyzed to identify genomic signatures unique of galliformes to better characterize the evolutionary pathway of these viruses upon spillover from their reservoir hosts to poultry. Multiple changes in both the internal gene cassette and surface glycoproteins were identified in our transmission study. This work offers valuable information to reference laboratory involved in risk assessment of viruses that are often neglected due to their low virulence and circulation in chickens, but that have the ability to adapt to this species.
Co-Author(s)
Francesco Bonfante (EURL AI/ND), Sami Ramzi (EURL AI/ND-UNIPD), Lucrezia Vianello (EURL AI/ND), Alice Fusaro (EURL AI/ND), Enrico Savegnano (EURL AI/ND), Edoardo Giussani (EURL AI/ND), Annalisa Salviato (EURL AI/ND), Elisa Palumbo (EURL AI/ND), Isabella Monne (EURL AI/ND), Calogero Terregino (EURL AI/ND)
Abstract Category
Transmission pathways, pathobiology, immune responses