Identification of Molecular Markers Associated with Alteration of Receptor-Binding Specificity in a Novel Genotype of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses Detected in Cambodia in 2013

Sareth Rith (1) , C. Todd Davis (2) , Veasna Duong (1) , Borann Sar (3, 2) , Srey Viseth Horm (1) , Savuth Chin (4) , Sovann Ly (5) , Denis Laurent (6) , Beat Richner (6) , Ikwo Oboho (2) , Yunho Jang (2) , William Davis (2) , Sharmi Thor (2) , Amanda Balish (2) , A. Danielle Iuliano (2) , San Sorn (7) , Davun Holl (7) , Touch Sok (5) , Heng Seng (5) , Arnaud Tarantola (1) , Reiko Tsuyuoka (8) , Amy Parry (8) , Nora Chea (8) , Lotfi Allal (9) , Paul Kitsutani (2, 3) , Dora Warren (2, 3) , Michael Prouty (6) , Paul Horwood (1) , Marc-Alain Widdowson (2) , Stephen Lindstrom (2) , Julie Villanueva (2) , Ruben Donis (2) , Nancy Cox (2) , Philippe Buchy (1)

1 Unité de Virologie / Virology Unit [Phnom Penh]
2 CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Atlanta]
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Phnom Penh]
4 National Institute of Public Health [Cambodge]
5 Ministry of Health [Phnom Penh]
6 Kantha Bopha Hospitals Foundation
7 National Veterinary Research Institute [Phnom Penh]
8 WHO - World Health Organization [Phnom Penh]
9 Food and Agriculture Organization

Human infections with influenza A(H5N1) virus in Cambodia increased sharply during 2013. Molecular characterization of viruses detected in clinical specimens from human cases revealed the presence of mutations associated with the alteration of receptor-binding specificity (K189R, Q222L) and respiratory droplet transmission in ferrets (N220K with Q222L). Discovery of quasispecies at position 222 (Q/L), in addition to the absence of the mutations in poultry/environmental samples, suggested that the mutations occurred during human infection and did not transmit further.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Human health and pathology; Infectious diseases

Sareth Rith, C. Todd Davis, Veasna Duong, Borann Sar, Srey Viseth Horm, et al.. Identification of Molecular Markers Associated with Alteration of Receptor-Binding Specificity in a Novel Genotype of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses Detected in Cambodia in 2013. Journal of Virology, 2014, 88 (23), pp.13897 - 13909. ⟨10.1128/JVI.01887-14⟩. ⟨pasteur-01739380⟩