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Chen P, Jin Z, Peng L, Zheng Z, Cheung YM, Guan J, Chen L, Huang Y, Fan X, Zhang Z, Shi D, Xie J, Chen R, Xiao B, Yip CH, Smith DK, Hong W, Liu Y, Li L, Wang J, Holmes EC, Lam TTY, Zhu H, Guan Y. Characterization of an Emergent Chicken H3N8 Influenza Virus in Southern China: a Potential Threat to Public Health. J Virol 2023; 97:e0043423. [PMID: 37289052 PMCID: PMC10308888 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00434-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although influenza A viruses of several subtypes have occasionally infected humans, to date only those of the H1, H2, and H3 subtypes have led to pandemics and become established in humans. The detection of two human infections by avian H3N8 viruses in April and May of 2022 raised pandemic concerns. Recent studies have shown the H3N8 viruses were introduced into humans from poultry, although their genesis, prevalence, and transmissibility in mammals have not been fully elucidated. Findings generated from our systematic influenza surveillance showed that this H3N8 influenza virus was first detected in chickens in July 2021 and then disseminated and became established in chickens over wider regions of China. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the H3 HA and N8 NA were derived from avian viruses prevalent in domestic ducks in the Guangxi-Guangdong region, while all internal genes were from enzootic poultry H9N2 viruses. The novel H3N8 viruses form independent lineages in the glycoprotein gene trees, but their internal genes are mixed with those of H9N2 viruses, indicating continuous gene exchange among these viruses. Experimental infection of ferrets with three chicken H3N8 viruses showed transmission through direct contact and inefficient transmission by airborne exposure. Examination of contemporary human sera detected only very limited antibody cross-reaction to these viruses. The continuing evolution of these viruses in poultry could pose an ongoing pandemic threat. IMPORTANCE A novel H3N8 virus with demonstrated zoonotic potential has emerged and disseminated in chickens in China. It was generated by reassortment between avian H3 and N8 virus(es) and long-term enzootic H9N2 viruses present in southern China. This H3N8 virus has maintained independent H3 and N8 gene lineages but continues to exchange internal genes with other H9N2 viruses to form novel variants. Our experimental studies showed that these H3N8 viruses were transmissible in ferrets, and serological data suggest that the human population lacks effective immunological protection against it. With its wide geographical distribution and continuing evolution in chickens, other spillovers to humans can be expected and might lead to more efficient transmission in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziying Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Liuxia Peng
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zuoyi Zheng
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiu-Man Cheung
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jing Guan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Liming Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiteng Huang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohui Fan
- Department of Microbiology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zengfeng Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Dongmei Shi
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Xie
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Rirong Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Boheng Xiao
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chun Hung Yip
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David K. Smith
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wenshan Hong
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongmei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Edward C. Holmes
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huachen Zhu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yi Guan
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (STU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Pathogen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong SAR, China
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