H11N1 strain isolated in one Eurasian Spoonbill: Report (flu types)

THE TIMES OF INDIA ^ | January 4, 2011 | Neha Madaan

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PUNE: The National Institute of Virology (NIV) and city-based NGO Ela Foundation have said in a recently published research paper that their experts have isolated an avian influenza virus H11N1 from a wild aquatic bird revealing a unique Eurasian-American genetic reassortment. The virus detected, however, has low pathogenicity.

The virus was isolated from fecal samples of a wild wetland bird called Eurasian Spoonbill during the ongoing Avian Influenza (AI) Surveillance, which began in 2007-08.

During this AI surveillance, several fresh water and coastal wetlands in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa were visited for sampling during the winter migratory season of 2007-08. The team collected and worked on more than 20,000 fecal samples from various species of wild and migratory birds for detection of influenza viruses.

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"There is no relation of H11N1 with H5N1, but both are influenza viruses. But the detection of H11N1 will further help in avian influenza surveillance, since continuous monitoring is the key to keep track of new viruses," Pawar said.

Influenza viruses are divided into subtypes based on the serogrouping of 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and nine neuraminidase (NA) genes. At least 103 of the possible 144 type A influenza virus HA-NA combinations have been found in wild birds in nature, said Pawar.

On whether the new virus can become pathogenic over a period, he said, "These are all experiments of nature and one cannot estimate whether it will or will not become pathogenic. Wild aquatic birds, such as geese, shorebirds and wild ducks are the natural reservoirs of influenza A viruses. So, the impact on the spread of avian influenza in future cannot be ascertained."

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Via LucyT

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