Genetic analysis of novel avian A(H7N9) influenza viruses isolated from patients in China, February to April 2013

T Kageyama; S Fujisaki; E Takashita; H Xu; S Yamada; Y Uchida; G Neumann; T Saito; Y Kawaoka; M Tashiro

doi:10.2807/ese.18.15.20453-en

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Genetic analysis of novel avian A(H7N9) influenza viruses isolated from patients in China, February to April 2013
T Kageyama^1,2 , S Fujisaki^1,2 , E Takashita¹ , H Xu¹ , S Yamada³ , Y Uchida⁴ , G Neumann⁵ , T Saito^4,6 , Y Kawaoka^3,5,7,8 , M Tashiro ¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Influenza Virus Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan ² These authors contributed equally to this work ³ Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan ⁴ Influenza and Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, Japan ⁵ Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States ⁶ The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan ⁷ ERATO Infection-Induced Host Responses Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan ⁸ Department of Special Pathogens, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence:
M Tashiro
mtashiro nih.go.jp
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Citation style for this article: Kageyama T, Fujisaki S, Takashita E, Xu H, Yamada S, Uchida Y, Neumann G, Saito T, Kawaoka Y, Tashiro M. Genetic analysis of novel avian A(H7N9) influenza viruses isolated from patients in China, February to April 2013. Euro Surveill. 2013;18(15):pii=20453. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.18.15.20453-en Received: 08 Apr 2013

Abstract

Novel influenza viruses of the H7N9 subtype have infected 33 and killed nine people in China as of 10 April 2013. Their haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase genes probably originated from Eurasian avian influenza viruses; the remaining genes are closely related to avian H9N2 influenza viruses. Several characteristic amino acid changes in HA and the PB2 RNA polymerase subunit probably facilitate binding to human-type receptors and efficient replication in mammals, respectively, highlighting the pandemic potential of the novel viruses.