Concomitant NA and NS deletion on avian Influenza H3N1 virus associated with hen mortality in France in 2019

François-Xavier Briand (1) , Audrey Schmitz (1) , Axelle Scoizec (1) , Chantal Allée (1) , Rachel Busson (1) , Carole Guillemoto (1) , Hélène Quenault (1) , Pierrick Lucas (1) , Isabelle Pierre (1) , Katell Louboutin (1) , Cécile Guillou-Cloarec (1) , Claire Martenot (1) , Martine Cherbonnel-Pansart (1) , Rodolphe Thomas (1) , Pascale Massin (1) , Florent Souchaud (1) , Yannick Blanchard (1) , Mieke Steensels (2) , Benedicte Lambrecht (2) , Nicolas Eterradossi (1) , Sophie Le Bouquin (1) , Eric Niqueux (1) , Béatrice Grasland (1)

1 Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort [ANSES]
2 Sciensano [Bruxelles]

An H3N1 avian influenza virus was detected in a laying hens farm in May 2019 which had experienced 25% mortality in Northern France. The complete sequencing of this virus showed that all segment sequences belonged to the Eurasian lineage and were phylogenetically very close to many of the Belgian H3N1 viruses detected in 2019. The French virus presented two genetic particularities with NA and NS deletions that could be related to virus adaptation from wild to domestic birds and could increase virulence, respectively. Molecular data of H3N1 viruses suggest that these two deletions occurred at two different times.

Mots clés: Influenza A virus H3N1 subtype; Influenza in birds; Virulence; Animals; Chickens; Female

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

François-Xavier Briand, Audrey Schmitz, Axelle Scoizec, Chantal Allée, Rachel Busson, et al.. Concomitant NA and NS deletion on avian Influenza H3N1 virus associated with hen mortality in France in 2019. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 2022, 104, pp.105356. ⟨10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105356⟩. ⟨anses-03965743⟩