Increasing genetic diversity of H5N6 avian influenza virus in china: a serious threat to persistence and dissemination in guangdong province.

Ever since Pan and colleagues reported in this journal the first case of human infection of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza virus (AIV) in Sichuan province, southwest China, 1 Pan M. Gao R. Lv Q. Huang S. Zhou Z. Yang L. et al. Human infection with a novel, highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N6) virus: virological and clinical findings. J Infect. 2016; 72 (PubMed PMID): 52-5926143617 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (137) Google Scholar the virus has been documented in several other provinces, including Guangdong, Yunnan, Hunan, Guangxi, Anhui, and Hubei (Fig. 1). Currently, of the 16 infected, 9 have died (Supplementary Table S1), which raises concerns for public health and security (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/258733/1/WER9233-460-475.pdf?ua=1). In addition, Laos, 2 Wong F.Y. Phommachanh P. Kalpravidh W. Chanthavisouk C. Gilbert J. Bingham J. et al. Reassortant highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N6) virus in Laos. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015; 21 (PubMed PMID) (Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC4344285): 511-51625695754 Crossref PubMed Scopus (85) Google Scholar Japan, 3 Okamatsu M. Ozawa M. Soda K. Takakuwa H. Haga A. Hiono T. et al. Characterization of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus A(H5N6), Japan, November 2016. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017; 23 (PubMed PMID) (Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC5367431): 691-69528322695 Crossref PubMed Scopus (43) Google Scholar and Korea 4 Kwon J.H. Lee D.H. Swayne D.E. Noh J.Y. Yuk S.S. Erdene-Ochir T.O. et al. Reassortant Clade 2.3.4.4 Avian Influenza A(H5N6) virus in a wild mandarin duck, South Korea, 2016. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017; 23 (PubMed PMID) (Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC5403023): 822-82628240976 Crossref PubMed Scopus (39) Google Scholar have also reported infection cases in poultry and wild birds, indicating that the virus highlights a potential threat for spreading to the other regions through wild bird movements and the poultry trade.