Reassortment of Pandemic H1N1/2009 Influenza A Virus in Swine
- D. Vijaykrishna1,2,*†,
- L. L. M. Poon1,*,
- H. C. Zhu1,2,
- S. K. Ma1,
- O. T. W. Li1,
- C. L. Cheung1,
- G. J. D. Smith1,2,†,
- J. S. M. Peiris1,‡ and
- Y. Guan1,2,‡
- 1State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- 2International Institute of Infection and Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515031, China.
- ‡To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: malik{at}hkucc.hku.hk (J.S.M.P.); yguan{at}hkucc.hku.hk (Y.G.)
-
↵* These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract
The emergence of pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza demonstrated that pandemic viruses could be generated in swine. Subsequent reintroduction of H1N1/2009 to swine has occurred in multiple countries. Through systematic surveillance of influenza viruses in swine from a Hong Kong abattoir, we characterize a reassortant progeny of H1N1/2009 with swine viruses. Swine experimentally infected with this reassortant developed mild illness and transmitted infection to contact animals. Continued reassortment of H1N1/2009 with swine influenza viruses could produce variants with transmissibility and altered virulence for humans. Global systematic surveillance of influenza viruses in swine is warranted.
