Swine H1N1 Influenza Virus Variants with Enhanced Polymerase Activity and HA Stability Promote Airborne Transmission in Ferrets.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how animal influenza A viruses (IAVs) acquire airborne transmissibility in humans and ferrets is needed to prepare for and respond to pandemics. Here, we investigated in ferrets the replication and transmission of swine H1N1 isolates P4 and G15, whose majority population had decreased polymerase activity and poor hemagglutinin (HA) stability, respectively. For both isolates, a minor variant was selected and transmitted in ferrets. Polymerase-enhancing variant PA-S321 airborne-transmitted and propagated in one ferret. HA-stabilizing variant HA1-S210 was selected in all G15-inoculated ferrets and was transmitted by contact and airborne routes. With an efficient polymerase and a stable HA, the purified minor variant G15-HA1-S210 had earlier and higher peak titers in inoculated f

SUBMITTER: Hu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9006939 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature