Influenza virus zoonoses

Fouchier, Ron Co

Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract Influenza virus zoonosis Ron A.M. Fouchier, Dept. Virology and National Influenza Center Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands Wild aquatic birds form the influenza A virus reservoir in nature, from which human influenza A pandemics and subsequent epidemics may arise. Influenza A viruses can be classified based on antigenic differences of the virion surface glycoproteins haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). In the birds of the world, influenza A viruses representing15 H and 9 N subtypes have been identified. In man, only three subtypes (H1N1, H2N2, H3N2) have caused pandemics and subsequent yearly epidemics in the past century. The recent outbreak of highly pathogenic influenza A virus of subtype H7N7 in Northern Europe in poultry and humans highlights the continued threat of a new influenza A virus pandemic and will be discussed in detail.

Since the zoonotic events with the 1997 "chicken-flu" influenza virus (H5N1) in Hongkong and H9N2 viruses in China in 1999, influenza A virus surveillance in wild animals has intensified and the interest in influenza virus zoonosis has increased. We have screened thousands of wild birds in the past years in Northern Europe, resulting in many virus isolations representing a wide range of antigenic subtypes. Some of these virus isolates that are of particular interest will be discussed. In addition, our laboratory has been involved in the diagnosis of a number of influenza virus zoonoses; transmission of H5N1 influenza A virus in Hongkong in 1997 from birds to man, transmission of H3N2 and H1N1 influenza A viruses from pigs to man in the Netherlands in the past decade, H7N7 from birds to man (2003) and transmission of influenza B virus from human to seals in the Netherlands in 1999. These zoonotic events as well as novel techniques and models to study influenza virus zoonoses will be dicussed.

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