Evolutionary dynamics and comparative pathogenicity of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 subtype avian influenza viruses, China, 2021-2022

Siru Lin; Junhong Chen; Ke Li; Yang Liu; Siyuan Fu; Shumin Xie; Aimin Zha; Aiguo Xin; Xinyu Han; Yuting Shi; Lingyu Xu; Ming Liao; Weixin Jia

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2024.04.004

June 2024

Citation: Siru Lin, Junhong Chen, Ke Li, Yang Liu, Siyuan Fu, Shumin Xie, Aimin Zha, Aiguo Xin, Xinyu Han, Yuting Shi, Lingyu Xu, Ming Liao, Weixin Jia. Evolutionary dynamics and comparative pathogenicity of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 subtype avian influenza viruses, China, 2021-2022 .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 39(3) : 358-368. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2024.04.004

Evolutionary dynamics and comparative pathogenicity of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 subtype avian influenza viruses, China, 2021-2022

Siru Lin ^a ,
Junhong Chen ^a ,
Ke Li ^c ,
Yang Liu ^a ,
Siyuan Fu ^a ,
Shumin Xie ^a ,
Aimin Zha ^a ,
Aiguo Xin ^a ,
Xinyu Han ^a ,
Yuting Shi ^a ,
Lingyu Xu ^a ,
Ming Liao ^{a,b
,,} ,
Weixin Jia ^{a,b
,,}

a. National Avian Influenza Para-Reference Laboratory, Guangdong Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China;
b. Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China;
c. Institute of Poultry Management and Diseases, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, 650000, China

Corresponding author: Ming Liao, mliao@scau.edu.cn
Weixin Jia, jiaweixin@scau.edu.cn
Received Date: 26 September 2023
Accepted Date: 18 April 2024
Available online: 26 April 2024

Abstract

The recent concurrent emergence of H5N1, H5N6, and H5N8 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) has led to significant avian mortality globally. Since 2020, frequent human-animal interactions have been documented. To gain insight into the novel H5 subtype AIVs (i.e., H5N1, H5N6 and H5N8), we collected 6102 samples from various regions of China between January 2021 and September 2022, and identified 41 H5Nx strains. Comparative analyses on the evolution and biological properties of these isolates were conducted. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 41 H5Nx strains belonged to clade 2.3.4.4b, with 13 related to H5N1, 19 to H5N6, and 9 to H5N8. Analysis based on global 2.3.4.4b viruses showed that all the viruses described in this study were likely originated from H5N8, exhibiting a heterogeneous evolutionary history between H5N1 and H5N6 during 2015-2022 worldwide. H5N1 showed a higher rate of evolution in 2021-2022 and more sites under positive selection pressure in 2015-2022. The antigenic profiles of the novel H5N1 and H5N6 exhibited notable variations. Further hemagglutination inhibition assay suggested that some A(H5N1) viruses may be antigenically distinct from the circulating H5N6 and H5N8 strains. Mammalian challenge assays demonstrated that the H5N8 virus (21GD001_H5N8) displayed the highest pathogenicity in mice, followed by the H5N1 virus (B1557_H5N1) and then the H5N6 virus (220086_H5N6), suggesting a heterogeneous virulence profile of H5 AIVs in the mammalian hosts. Based on the above results, we speculate that A(H5N1) viruses have a higher risk of emergence in the future. Collectively, these findings unveil a new landscape of different evolutionary history and biological characteristics of novel H5 AIVs in clade 2.3.4.4b, contributing to a better understanding of designing more effective strategies for the prevention and control of novel H5 AIVs.
- Avian influenza virus (AIV)
- , H5 subtypes AIVs
- , Evolutionary
- , Pathogenicity

Electronic Supplementary Material

10.1016j.virs.2024.04.004-ESM.docx
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