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. 2017 Apr;23(4):633-636.
doi: 10.3201/eid2304.161949. Epub 2017 Apr 15.

Outbreaks among Wild Birds and Domestic Poultry Caused by Reassorted Influenza A(H5N8) Clade 2.3.4.4 Viruses, Germany, 2016

Anne Pohlmann, Elke Starick, Timm Harder, Christian Grund, Dirk Höper, Anja Globig, Christoph Staubach, Klaas Dietze, Günter Strebelow, Reiner G Ulrich, Jan Schinköthe, Jens P Teifke, Franz J Conraths, Thomas C Mettenleiter, Martin Beer

Outbreaks among Wild Birds and Domestic Poultry Caused by Reassorted Influenza A(H5N8) Clade 2.3.4.4 Viruses, Germany, 2016

Anne Pohlmann et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

In November 2016, an influenza A(H5N8) outbreak caused deaths of wild birds and domestic poultry in Germany. Clade 2.3.4.4 virus was closely related to viruses detected at the Russia-Mongolia border in 2016 but had new polymerase acidic and nucleoprotein segments. These new strains may be more efficiently transmitted to and shed by birds.

Keywords: Germany; H5N8; HPAIV; avian influenza virus; clade 2.3.4.4; highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses; influenza; poultry; reassortant; viruses; wild birds; zoonoses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) cases in wild birds and outbreaks in poultry holdings (10 backyard holdings, 4 zoos or pet farms, and a few commercial operations) in Germany, November 2016. Circles indicate original locations of outbreaks and isolates.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proposed reassortment events leading to the novel central Europe HPAIV A(H5N8) clade 2.3.4.4 virus. The Russia–Mongolia reassortant clade 2.3.4.4 H5N8 virus acquired 2 new segments (polymerase acidic protein and nucleoprotein), leading to the novel central Europe clade 2.3.4.4 H5N8 in 2016. Similar segment origins are marked by similar colors. Dashed lines indicate putative precursors. HPAIV, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; LPAIV, low pathogenicity avian influenza virus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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