Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Outbreaks of avian influenza H6N2 viruses in chickens arose by a reassortment of H6N8 and H9N2 ostrich viruses

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Virus Genes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The first recorded outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in South African chickens (low pathogenicity H6N2) occurred at Camperdown, KwaZulu/Natal Province (KZN) in June 2002. To determine the source of the outbreak, we defined the phylogenetic relationships between various H6N2 isolates, and the previously unpublished gene sequences of an H6N8 virus isolated in 1998 from ostriches in the Leeu Gamka region (A/Ostrich/South Africa/KK98/98). We demonstrated that two distinct genetic H6N2 lineages (sub-lineages I and II) circulated in the Camperdown area, which later spread to other regions. Sub-lineages I and II shared a recent common H6N2 ancestor, which arose from a reassortment event between two South African ostrich isolates A/Ostrich/South Africa/9508103/95 and (H9N2) A/Ostrich/South Africa/KK98/98 (H6N8). Furthermore, the H6N2 sub-lineage I viruses had several molecular genetic markers including a 22-amino acid stalk deletion in the neuraminidase (NA) protein gene, a predicted increased N-glycosylation, and a D144 mutation of the HA protein gene, all of which are associated with the adaptation of AI viruses to chickens. The H6N2 NS1 and PB1 genes shared recent common ancestors with those of contemporary Asian HPAI H5N1 viruses. Our results suggest that ostriches are potential mixing vessels for avian influenza viruses (AIV) outbreak strains and support other reports that H6 viruses are capable of forming stable lineages in chickens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. D.J. Alexander, B. Dodet, M. Vicari (eds.), John Libbey Eurotext, (Montrouge, France, 2001), pp. 25–34

    Google Scholar 

  2. D. Halvorson, D. Karunakaran, D. Senne, C. Kelleher, C. Bailey, A. Abraham, V. Hinshaw, J. Newman, Avian Dis. 27, 77–85 (1983)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Liu, Y. Guan, M. Peiris, S. He, R.J. Webby, D. Prerz, R.G. Webster, Avian Dis. 47, 849–856 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. D.L. Suarez, Vet. Microbiol. 74(1–2), 15–27 (2000)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. P.S. Chin, E. Hoffmann, R. Webby, R.G. Webster, Y. Guan, M. Peiris, K.F. Shortridge, J. Virol. Jan, 507–516, 2002

  6. M.S. Lee, P.C. Chang, J.H. Shien, M.C. Cheng, H.K. Shieh, J. Virol. Methods 97(1–2), 13–22 (2001)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. E. Hoffmann, J. Stech, Y. Guan, R.G. Webster, D.R. Perez, Arch. Virol. 146, 2275–2289 (2001)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. T.A. Hall, Nucl. Acids Symp. 41, 95–98 (1999)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Kumar, K. Tamura, M. Nei, Brief. Bioinform. 5, 150–163 (2004)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. J. Pasick, H. Weingartl, A. Clavijo, J. Riva, H. Kehler, K. Handel, E. Watkins, K. Hills, Avian Dis. 47(3), 1208–1213 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Pfitzer, D.J. Verwoerd, G.H. Gerdes, A.E. Labuschagne, A. Erasmus, R.J. Manvell, C. Grund, Avian Dis. 44, 655–660 (2000)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. R.J. Manvell, C. English, P.H. Jorgensen, I.H. Brown, Avian Dis. 47(3), 1150–1153 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Clavijo, J. Riva, J. Pasick, Avian Dis. 47(3), 1203–1207 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. G. Luo, J. Chung, P. Palese, Virus Res. 29, 141–153 (1993)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Matrosovich, N. Zhou, Y. Kawaoka, R.G. Webster, J. Virol. 73, 1146–1155 (1999)

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. R. Wagner, T. Wolff, A. Herwig, S. Pleschka, H.D. Klenk, J. Virol. 74, 6316–6323 (2000)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. R.J. Webby, P.R. Woolcock, S.L. Krauss, D.B. Walker, P.S. Chin, K.F. Shortridge, R.G. Webster, Avian Dis. 47(3), 905–910 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. P.R. Woolcock, D.L. Suarez, D. Kuney, Avian Dis. 47(3), 872–881 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Ruth Manvell for re-supplying a stock of the H6N8 virus, Margaret Parker, Raina Maharaj, Boto Ganzevoort, C Mutlow, S Abrahams and Elsa Cornelius for excellent technical assistance and Marco Romito for critical review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X5, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa

    Celia Abolnik & Truuske Gerdes

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Celia Abolnik

  3. Poultry Reference Laboratory, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Shahn Bisschop

  4. Klein Karoo Group, Ostrich Laboratory, PO Box 241, Oudtshoorn, 6620, South Africa

    Adriaan Olivier

  5. Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, 458 Town Bush Road, Montrose, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa

    Roger Horner

  6. Vetdiagnostix Laboratory, PO Box 13624, Cascades, Pietermaritzburg, 3202, South Africa

    Roger Horner

Authors
  1. Celia Abolnik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shahn Bisschop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Truuske Gerdes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Adriaan Olivier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Roger Horner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celia Abolnik.

Additional information

The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank nucleotide sequence database and have been assigned the accession numbers DQ408506-DQ408529.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abolnik, C., Bisschop, S., Gerdes, T. et al. Outbreaks of avian influenza H6N2 viruses in chickens arose by a reassortment of H6N8 and H9N2 ostrich viruses. Virus Genes 34, 37–45 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11262-006-0007-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11262-006-0007-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation