Phenotypic Effects of Substitutions within the Receptor Binding Site of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Observed during Human Infection.

ABSTRACT: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are enzootic in wild birds and poultry and continue to cause human infections with high mortality. To date, more than 850 confirmed human cases of H5N1 virus infection have been reported, of which ∼60% were fatal. Global concern persists that these or similar avian influenza viruses will evolve into viruses that can transmit efficiently between humans, causing a severe influenza pandemic. It was shown previously that a change in receptor specificity is a hallmark for adaptation to humans and evolution toward a transmittable virus. Substantial genetic diversity was detected within the receptor binding site of hemagglutinin of HPAI A/H5N1 viruses, evolved during human infection, as detected by next-generation sequencing. Here, we investigated

SUBMITTER: Eggink D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7307160 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature