PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS AND PATHOGENECITY ASSESSMENT OF LOCALLY ISOLATED STRAIN OF HPAI VIRUS IN EGYPT IN 2016
PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS AND PATHOGENECITY ASSESSMENT OF LOCALLY ISOLATED STRAIN OF HPAI VIRUS IN EGYPT IN 2016
Dalia M. Omar1, Nermeen A. Marden1, Lamiaa M. Gaafar1, Elham A. El-ebiary1, Khalid El-Dougdoug2, Badawi Othman2, Abd Elsattar Arafa3, Hussein A. Hussein4
ABSTRACT
Background: Avian influenza viruses (AIV) circulating in Egypt since 2006 causing serious economic
losses in poultry sector and human hazard although vaccination programs applied and other control
measures.
Objectives: The present study was designed for detection, isolation, identification and characterization
of Avian influenza viruses (AIV) circulating among poultry in 2016 to determine its suitability to be
used in vaccine quality control in Egypt.
Methods: The newly isolated virus was identified and subtyped antigenically by serological test as
Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) using standard AI antisera for H5 antigen and genetically by RTPCR
using specific primer for H5 gene and it was confirmed to be H5N1 and grouped according to the
year of isolation as 2016 isolate strain.
Results: According to the phylogenetic analysis it falls into the classical group of Egyptian AI viruses
subclade 2.2.1.2 which is dominant in Egypt since 2012 till now. Therefore, the virus was identified as
HPAI according to the Intravenous Pathogenicity Index (IVPI) score (2.1). On the other hand, the
strain identity to some AI vaccine strains was determined for further characterization.
Conclusion: our experiments in this recent isolation of avian influenza (AI) viruses denoted clearly
that the evolution of H5N1 HPAI viruses in Egypt continues to occur in poultry farms. The subclade
2.2.1.2 of classical HPAI viruses has been the dominant cluster till now. So, continuous monitoring of
the circulating viruses is important for better selection of viruses in vaccine studies and to understand
the evolution of Avian influenza viruses overtime.
To share on other social networks, click on any share button. What are these?
July 2018
Vol. 4, Pages 1-71
