Genetic Diversity of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses Isolated in Hokkaido, Japan, During Winter 2024-2025.

ABSTRACT: Genetic and antigenic analyses were performed on highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) isolated in Hokkaido, northern Japan, during the winter of 2024-2025. Ninety-eight HPAIVs were isolated from feces of waterfowl, tracheal swabs from dead wild birds, or lung homogenates from dead chickens. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene from 47 representative isolates revealed that all sequences belonged to the G2d subgroup of clade 2.3.4.4b H5HA, which has been the dominant lineage in Hokkaido since the winter of 2021-2022. These isolates were further divided into three major groups within the subgroup. The HPAIVs isolated in the Republic of Korea, China, and North America were genetically closely related to the Hokkaido isolates, whereas no HPAIVs genetically related

SUBMITTER: Isoda N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12472925 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature