Abstract
ABSTRACT Sub-Saharan Africa was historically considered an animal influenza cold spot, with only sporadic highly pathogenic H5 outbreaks detected over the last 20 years. However, in 2017, low pathogenic avian influenza A(H9N2) viruses were detected in poultry in Sub-Saharan Africa. Molecular, phylogenetic, and antigenic characterization of isolates from Benin, Togo, and Uganda showed that they belonged to the G1 lineage. Isolates from Benin and Togo clustered with viruses previously described in Western Africa, whereas viruses from Uganda were genetically distant and clustered with viruses from the Middle East. Viruses from Benin exhibited decreased cross-reactivity with those from Togo and Uganda, suggesting antigenic drift associated with reduced replication in Calu-3 cells. The viruses exhibited mammalian adaptation markers similar to those of the human strain A/Senegal/0243/2019 (H9N2). Therefore, viral genetic and antigenic surveillance in Africa is of paramount importance to detect further evolution or emergence of new zoonotic strains.
Highlights
The low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 virus is the most widespread subtype in poultry around the world, posing a concern for animal and public health [1,2]
The time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of the LPAI H9N2 viruses in Western Africa and Uganda were determined for the HA gene segment with BEAST, v1.7.1, software [19] implemented on a Galaxy workbench
The spread of H9N2 viruses on the African continent has signalled a dramatic change in the ecology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the region
Summary
The low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 virus is the most widespread subtype in poultry around the world, posing a concern for animal and public health [1,2]. Within the framework of active surveillance for animal influenza viruses we collected 26,746 swabs and 2276 sera from domestic poultry in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Togo from 2008 through 2010 [10], and more were collected in the following years (unpublished data). None of those samples tested positive for AIVs, irrespective of subtype. A better understanding of the circulation and evolution of these viruses, is critical for animal and human health in Sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed H9N2 antigenic drift, coupled with its putative effects on human and animal health, and the acquisition of mammalian adaptation markers
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