Genetic analysis and biological characterization of H10N3 influenza A viruses isolated in China from 2014 to 2021. Issue 2 (13th January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yuancheng; Shi, Jianzhong; Cui, Pengfei; Zhang, Yaping; Chen, Yuan; Hou, Yujie; Liu, Liling; Jiang, Yongping; Guan, Yuntao; Chen, Hualan; Kong, Huihui; Deng, Guohua
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical virology. Volume 95:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2023-01-13
• Subjects: characterization -- genesis -- H10N3 -- reassortant -- transmission; Virology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28476
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-6615

Abstract

Abstract: The H10 subtypes of avian influenza viruses pose a continual threat to the poultry industry and human health. The sporadic spillover of H10 subtypes viruses from poultry to humans is represented by the H10N8 human cases in 2013 and the recent H10N3 human infection in 2021. However, the genesis and characteristics of the recent reassortment H10N3 viruses have not been systemically investigated. In this study, we characterized 20 H10N3 viruses isolated in live poultry markets during routine nationwide surveillance in China from 2014 to 2021. The viruses in the recent reassortant genotype acquired their hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes from the duck H10 viruses and H7N3 viruses, respectively, whereas the internal genes were derived from chicken H9N2 viruses as early as 2019. Receptor‐binding analysis indicated that two of the tested H10N3 viruses had a higher affinity for human‐type receptors than for avian‐type receptors, highlighting the potential risk of avian‐to‐human transmission. Animal studies showed that only viruses belonging to the recent reassortant genotype were pathogenic in mice; two tested viruses transmitted via direct contact and one virus transmitted by respiratory droplets in guinea pigs, though with limited efficiency. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced surveillance of H10N3 viruses. Importance: Avian influenza virus, which frequently jumps to humans and causes severe illness and death, poses a continuing threat to public health. Understanding the genesis and characteristics of avian influenza viruses will help prevent future human influenza pandemics. In this study, we provide evidence that the human‐infecing H10N3 viruses are reassortants with internal genes from chicken H9N2 viruses and surface genes from duck viruses, suggesting a critical role for ducks in the generation of viruses with human‐infecting potential. Our findings demonstrate that some H10N3 viruses exhibit higher affinity for human‐type receptors than for avian‐type receptors, and some can transmit via direct contact and/or respiratory droplets in the guinea pig model, suggesting the potential risk posed by H10N3 viruses.