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Transboundary and emerging diseases2021; 69(4); e52-e63; doi: 10.1111/tbed.14262

Genome-informed characterisation of antigenic drift in the haemagglutinin gene of equine influenza strains circulating in the United States from 2012 to 2017.

Abstract: Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a major infectious pathogen causing significant respiratory signs in equids worldwide. Voluntary surveillances in the United States recently reported EIV detection in horses with respiratory signs even with adequate vaccine protocols and biosecurity programs and posed a concern about suboptimal effectiveness of EIV vaccine in the United States. This study aims to determine the genetic characteristics of 58 field EIV H3N8 strains in the United States from 2012 to 2017 using the phylogenetic analysis based on the haemagglutinin (HA) gene. Amino acid substitution and acquisition of N-glycosylation of the HA gene were also evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis identified that almost all US field strains belonged to the Florida clade 1 (FC1) except one Florida clade 2 strain from a horse imported in 2014. US EIV strains in 2017 shared 11 fixed amino acid substitutions in the HA gene, compared to the vaccine strain (A/equine/Ohio/2003), and two additional amino acid substitutions were detected in 2019. The introduction of foreign EIV strains into the United States was not detected, but antigenic drift without acquisition of N-glycosylation in the HA gene was observed in US field strains until 2017. Considering the global dominance of FC1 strains, subsequent antigenic drift of US EIV strains should be monitored for better effectiveness of the EIV vaccine in the United States and global equine industries.
© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-17 PubMed ID: 34331828DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14262Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper conducts a genetic study of equine influenza virus (EIV) strains in the US from 2012 to 2017 to understand the variations that may be causing the virus to persist in vaccinated horses.

Objective of the Study

  • The aim of this study is to determine the genetic features of 58 types of EIV H3N8 strains that were predominant in the United States between 2012 and 2017. The study focuses specifically on the haemagglutinin (HA) gene, which influences the virus’s ability to infect host cells.
  • Recent voluntary surveillances have shown the presence of EIV in horses showing respiratory symptoms despite adequate vaccination and biosecurity protocols. This raises concerns over the effectiveness of the current EIV vaccine in the US.

Methodology and Findings

  • The researchers used phylogenetic analysis, a method of reconstructing the evolutionary relationships between different strains of a virus based on their genetic characteristics. They found that almost all of the 58 EIV strains belonged to the Florida Clade 1 (FC1) family of the virus.
  • When comparing the US EIV strains from 2017 with the vaccine strain (A/equine/Ohio/2003), 11 fixed amino acid substitutions were observed in the HA gene. An additional two amino acid substitutions were detected in 2019.
  • No evidence of foreign EIV strains being introduced into the US was found. However, antigenic drift, a process by which the virus evolves and changes over time, was observed. Importantly, such drift was happening without the acquisition of N-glycosylation, a process that adds a sugar molecule to a protein – critical for its structure and function – in the HA gene.

Implications of the Findings

  • Given the global dominance of FC1 strains and the observed antigenic drift in the US EIV strains, the study emphasizes the need for careful ongoing monitoring.
  • This surveillance will enable the adaptation of EIV vaccination strategies, enhancing their effectiveness not only in the US but also in equine industries globally.
  • The lack of N-glycosylation in the HA gene despite antigenic drift poses interesting questions for further research regarding how the EIV virus is evolving within the US horse population.

Cite This Article

APA
Lee K, Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Lee DH, Martínez-López B. (2021). Genome-informed characterisation of antigenic drift in the haemagglutinin gene of equine influenza strains circulating in the United States from 2012 to 2017. Transbound Emerg Dis, 69(4), e52-e63. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14262

Publication

Transboundary and emerging diseases
ISSN: 1865-1682
NlmUniqueID: 101319538
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 69
Issue: 4
Pages: e52-e63

Researcher Affiliations

Lee, Kyuyoung
  • Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.
Pusterla, Nicola
  • Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.
Barnum, Samantha M
  • Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.
Lee, Dong-Hun
  • Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
Martínez-López, Beatriz
  • Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antigenic Drift and Shift
  • Hemagglutinins / genetics
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / genetics
  • Influenza, Human
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / diagnosis
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / veterinary
  • Phylogeny

Grant Funding

  • Center for Equine Health (CEH) grant award at UC Davis
  • Graduate group in epidemiology Fellowship at UC Davis
  • Graduate Student Support Program (GSSP) in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis
  • #1838207 / US National Science Foundation (NSF)

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Wasik BR, Rothschild E, Voorhees IEH, Reedy SE, Murcia PR, Pusterla N, Chambers TM, Goodman LB, Holmes EC, Kile JC, Parrish CR. Understanding the divergent evolution and epidemiology of H3N8 influenza viruses in dogs and horses. Virus Evol 2023;9(2):vead052.
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