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Epidemiology and Genetic Characterization of H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Responsible for Clinical Disease in Algeria in 2011.
Abstract: An outbreak of equine influenza (EI) was reported in Algeria between May and July, 2011. The outbreak started in Tiaret, in west province of Algeria, and spread to the other parts of the country affecting almost 900 horses in many provinces. The population studied was composed of 325 horses from different groups of age. Clinical sign expression was age dependent. Indeed, a morbidity rate of 14.9% was observed in horses under 15 months old and a rate of 4.95% in horses over 8 years old. Interestingly, the morbidity rate raised sharply to reach 100% in horses aged between 18 months and 7 years. The virus (H3N8) was detected in nasopharyngeal swabs (n = 11) from non-vaccinated horses using a qRT-PCR targeting a portion of the gene encoding the matrix protein (M). The virus isolates were identified as H3N8 by sequencing the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes and were named from A/equine/Tiaret/1/2011 to A/equine/Tiaret/10/2011. Alignment of HA1 amino acid sequence confirmed that viruses belong to Clade 2 of the Florida sublineage in the American lineage. Moreover, they are closely related to A/equine/Yokohama/aq13/2010, A/equine/Eyragues/1/2010, A/equine/Bokel/2011 and A/equine/Lichtenfeld/2012. Our data indicate that this strain was also circulating in the European horse population in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
© 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2014-01-29 PubMed ID: 24472362DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12209Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article talks about an outbreak of the H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus in Algeria in 2011. The virus affected different age groups of horses differently and was found to be similar to strains circulating in the European horse population during the same period.
Understanding the H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Outbreak
This study investigates an equine influenza outbreak that occurred in Algeria in 2011. The outbreak originally started in the Tiaret province, eventually spreading to other parts of the country. Almost 900 horses across many provinces were affected. The research included a detailed study of 325 affected horses from various age groups, aiming to understand the expression of the virus.
- The expression of clinical signs was found to be age-dependent. Horses under 15 months old experienced a morbidity rate of 14.9%, whereas older horses (over 8 years old) had a lower rate of 4.95%.
- Interestingly, the morbidity rate saw a substantial increase in horses aged between 18 months and 7 years, rising to 100%.
Detection and Characterization of the Virus
To understand the nature and origin of the virus, researchers conducted detailed study on nasopharyngeal swabs taken from non-vaccinated horses.
- The H3N8 virus was detected using a qRT-PCR, a method capable of detecting a small portion of the gene encoding the matrix protein (M) in the virus.
- The virus isolates were identified specifically as H3N8 by sequencing the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of the virus.
- The virus was named from A/equine/Tiaret/1/2011 to A/equine/Tiaret/10/2011 to distinguish it from others.
Virus Comparison & Conclusions
Comparison of the Algerian strains with other strains helped researchers understand its ancestry and spread.
- Alignment of the HA1 amino acid sequence confirmed that the viruses are part of the Florida Clade 2 sublineage in the American lineage, suggesting their origin.
- The Algerian strains were found to be closely related to those in circulation in Yokohama, Eyragues, Bokel, and Lichtenfeld during 2010 to 2012, indicating a potential common source or infection pathway.
- The close relation to the European horse population confirms that this strain was also prevalent in Europe in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Cite This Article
APA
Laabassi F, Lecouturier F, Amelot G, Gaudaire D, Mamache B, Laugier C, Legrand L, Zientara S, Hans A.
(2014).
Epidemiology and Genetic Characterization of H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Responsible for Clinical Disease in Algeria in 2011.
Transbound Emerg Dis, 62(6), 623-631.
https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.12209 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Agronomics Sciences and Veterinary Sciences, University of Mohamed Chérif Messaadia, Souk Ahras, Algeria.
- ESPA Laboratory, Department of Veterinary, Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Agronomics Sciences, University of El-Hadj Lakhdar, Batna, Algeria.
- Equine Pathology Laboratory, Virology Unit, Anses - Dozulé, Goustranville, France.
- Equine Pathology Laboratory, Virology Unit, Anses - Dozulé, Goustranville, France.
- Equine Pathology Laboratory, Virology Unit, Anses - Dozulé, Goustranville, France.
- ESPA Laboratory, Department of Veterinary, Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Agronomics Sciences, University of El-Hadj Lakhdar, Batna, Algeria.
- Equine Pathology Laboratory, Virology Unit, Anses - Dozulé, Goustranville, France.
- Laboratoire Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
- Laboratory for Animal Health, UMR1161 Anses/INRA/ENVA-UPEC, Maisons-Alfort, France.
- Equine Pathology Laboratory, Virology Unit, Anses - Dozulé, Goustranville, France.
MeSH Terms
- Algeria / epidemiology
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
- Hemagglutinins / genetics
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / genetics
- Influenza A virus / genetics
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Neuraminidase / genetics
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / genetics
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / veterinary
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
- Phylogeny
- Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics
Citations
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- Alaql FA, Alhafufi AN, Kasem S, Alhammad YMO, Albaqshi H, Alyousaf A, Alsubaie FM, Alghamdi AN, Abdel-Moneim AS, Alharbi SA. Full-Length Genome of the Equine Influenza A Virus Subtype H3N8 from 2019 Outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 10;12(19).
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