Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China

During an epidemiological investigation of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in China, we isolated four H3 AIVs from chickens. To investigate the genetic relationships of these Chinese isolates with the globally circulating H3 viruses, we performed a detailed phylogenic analysis of the hemagglutination...

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Main Authors: Minghui Li, Xiaojing Gao, Yunjing Zhang, Dongying Du, Wanbing Wang, Sumei Hong, Jialei Duan, Hui Tian, Lulu Wang, Zhuoyi Li, Wenqiang Pang, Kegong Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:One Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425001892
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author Minghui Li
Xiaojing Gao
Yunjing Zhang
Dongying Du
Wanbing Wang
Sumei Hong
Jialei Duan
Hui Tian
Lulu Wang
Zhuoyi Li
Wenqiang Pang
Kegong Tian
author_facet Minghui Li
Xiaojing Gao
Yunjing Zhang
Dongying Du
Wanbing Wang
Sumei Hong
Jialei Duan
Hui Tian
Lulu Wang
Zhuoyi Li
Wenqiang Pang
Kegong Tian
author_sort Minghui Li
collection DOAJ
description During an epidemiological investigation of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in China, we isolated four H3 AIVs from chickens. To investigate the genetic relationships of these Chinese isolates with the globally circulating H3 viruses, we performed a detailed phylogenic analysis of the hemagglutination (HA) genes of 2613 representative H3 viruses available in the public source, and found that the HA genes of H3 viruses in China evolved from the Eurasian lineage and became established in domestic Anseriformes (primarily ducks). Bayesian phylodynamic analysis revealed that the Southern China (Guangdong and Guangxi provinces) served as a hub for the H3 virus diffusion to other parts of China, and the virus dissemination was potentially primarily driven by domestic ducks. Of note, the rate of H3N8/H3N3 virus detection had been increasing since 2021, and the main host of these H3 viruses appeared to have shifted from ducks to chickens, posing a potential pandemic threat within poultry populations. Here we showed that changes in amino acid substitutions located at antigenic sites around the receptor binding pocket of the HA protein, together with internal gene recombination of G57 H9N2 viruses, causing altered antigenicity and improved adaptability in chickens. The four H3 isolates in this study acquired multiple mutations for mammalian adaption, and presented increased pathogenicity in mice. These findings emphasize that the continued evolution of these H3 viruses in poultry poses ongoing economic and pandemic threat, and highlight the need for continued surveillance of H3 viruses from poultry.
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spelling doaj-art-0e75da17f86a4adf95f3b1a66c63ba182025-08-20T03:02:36ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142025-12-012110115310.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101153Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in ChinaMinghui Li0Xiaojing Gao1Yunjing Zhang2Dongying Du3Wanbing Wang4Sumei Hong5Jialei Duan6Hui Tian7Lulu Wang8Zhuoyi Li9Wenqiang Pang10Kegong Tian11National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.; Corresponding authors at: National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China; Pulike Biological Engineering Inc., Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.; Corresponding authors at: National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, PR China.During an epidemiological investigation of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in China, we isolated four H3 AIVs from chickens. To investigate the genetic relationships of these Chinese isolates with the globally circulating H3 viruses, we performed a detailed phylogenic analysis of the hemagglutination (HA) genes of 2613 representative H3 viruses available in the public source, and found that the HA genes of H3 viruses in China evolved from the Eurasian lineage and became established in domestic Anseriformes (primarily ducks). Bayesian phylodynamic analysis revealed that the Southern China (Guangdong and Guangxi provinces) served as a hub for the H3 virus diffusion to other parts of China, and the virus dissemination was potentially primarily driven by domestic ducks. Of note, the rate of H3N8/H3N3 virus detection had been increasing since 2021, and the main host of these H3 viruses appeared to have shifted from ducks to chickens, posing a potential pandemic threat within poultry populations. Here we showed that changes in amino acid substitutions located at antigenic sites around the receptor binding pocket of the HA protein, together with internal gene recombination of G57 H9N2 viruses, causing altered antigenicity and improved adaptability in chickens. The four H3 isolates in this study acquired multiple mutations for mammalian adaption, and presented increased pathogenicity in mice. These findings emphasize that the continued evolution of these H3 viruses in poultry poses ongoing economic and pandemic threat, and highlight the need for continued surveillance of H3 viruses from poultry.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425001892H3 avian influenza virusesPhylogeneticEvolutionary dynamicAntigenicityPathogenicity
spellingShingle Minghui Li
Xiaojing Gao
Yunjing Zhang
Dongying Du
Wanbing Wang
Sumei Hong
Jialei Duan
Hui Tian
Lulu Wang
Zhuoyi Li
Wenqiang Pang
Kegong Tian
Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
One Health
H3 avian influenza viruses
Phylogenetic
Evolutionary dynamic
Antigenicity
Pathogenicity
title Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
title_full Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
title_fullStr Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
title_short Epidemiology, evolution, and biological characteristics of H3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in China
title_sort epidemiology evolution and biological characteristics of h3 avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in china
topic H3 avian influenza viruses
Phylogenetic
Evolutionary dynamic
Antigenicity
Pathogenicity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771425001892
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