Detection of a Novel Reassortant H9N9 Avian Influenza Virus in Free-Range Ducks in Bangladesh.

Rabeh El-Shesheny,Lisa Kercher,Robert G Webster,John Franks,Patrick Seiler,Pamela Mckenzie,Richard J Webby,David Walker,Sharmin Akhtar,Nabanita Mukherjee,Subrata Barman,Mohammed M Feeroz,Md Kamrul Hasan,Jasmine C M Turner

doi:10.3390/v13122357

Rabeh El-Shesheny, Lisa Kercher + Show 12 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/v13122357

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Abstract

Wild aquatic birds are the primary natural reservoir for influenza A viruses (IAVs). In this study, an A(H9N9) influenza A virus (A/duck/Bangladesh/44493/2020) was identified via routine surveillance in free-range domestic ducks in Bangladesh. Phylogenetic analysis of hemagglutinin showed that the H9N9 virus belonged to the Y439-like lineage. The HA gene had the highest nucleotide identity to A/Bean Goose (Anser fabalis)/South Korea/KNU 2019-16/2019 (H9N2). The other seven gene segments clustered within the Eurasian lineage.

Highlights

Wild aquatic birds are the primary natural reservoir for influenza A viruses (IAVs)
Active surveillance of poultry has been conducted in Bangladesh and several influenza virus subtypes, including highly pathogenic H5Nx and H9N2 and other low pathogenic avian influenza viruses, have been isolated [5,6,9,10,15,21]
On 22 February 2020, Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) virus was isolated from the swab sample of a Khaki Campbell duck and confirmed via sequencing to be an H9N9 virus

Summary

Sampling and Surveillance for AIVs

Active surveillance of poultry has been conducted in Bangladesh through collaborative efforts of the Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance at St. Jude (Memphis, TN, USA) and Jahangirnagar University (Dhaka, Bangladesh) since 2008 in LBMs and since 2015 in Tanguar Haor, a wetland area in northeastern Bangladesh where local domestic ducks are reared and where birds winter during the migratory season. Swab and fecal samples were collected from various species of wild birds and from free-range ducks from the Tanguar Haor area. Samples were collected as previously described [5,14,15]. Samples were stored at ~4 ◦ C in the field, moved to liquid nitrogen within one week of collection, and shipped to the biosafety level 3 facilities of St. Jude Children’s Research.

Virus Isolation from Samples

Subtype Detection and Sequencing

Phylogenetic Analysis

Results and Discussion