A Heterogeneous Swine Show Circuit Drives Zoonotic Transmission of Influenza A Viruses in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Influenza pandemics are associated with severe morbidity, mortality, and social and economic disruption. Every summer in the United States, youths attending agricultural fairs are exposed to genetically diverse influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulating in exhibition swine, resulting in over 450 lab-confirmed zoonotic infections since 2010. Exhibition swine represent a small, defined population (∼1.5% of the U.S. herd), presenting a realistic opportunity to mitigate a pandemic threat by reducing IAV transmission in the animals themselves. Through intensive surveillance and genetic sequencing of IAVs in exhibition swine in six U.S. states in 2018 (n = 212), we characterized how a heterogeneous circuit of swine shows, comprising fairs with different sizes and geographic coverage, facilita

SUBMITTER: Nelson MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7925172 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature