Influenza A and B Virus Attachment to Respiratory Tract in Marine Mammals
Patterns of virus attachment to the respiratory tract of 4 marine mammal species were determined for avian and human infl uenza viruses. Attachment of avian infl uenza A viruses (H4N5) and (H7N7) and human infl uenza B viruses to trachea and bronchi of harbor seals is consistent with reported infl u...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.306.9009 http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/5/pdfs/11-1828.pdf |
| Summary: | Patterns of virus attachment to the respiratory tract of 4 marine mammal species were determined for avian and human infl uenza viruses. Attachment of avian infl uenza A viruses (H4N5) and (H7N7) and human infl uenza B viruses to trachea and bronchi of harbor seals is consistent with reported infl uenza outbreaks in this species. Understanding is limited about factors determining the ability of influenza viruses to cross the species barrier and persist in a new host population (1,2). In marine mammals, several subtypes of avian influenza A virus have caused epidemics in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) (3–6). Also, human influenza B virus has been detected in harbor seals (7). These observations indicate the ability of both viruses to cross the species barrier and persist in harbor seals. In other marine mammal species, outbreaks of avian influenza A virus or infection with human influenza B virus have not been reported. Attachment of influenza virus to tissues in the respiratory tract is a major determinant of host susceptibility to infection, efficiency of transmission, and pathogenicity and has been studied only to a limited degree (8,9). Attachment is determined largely by the specificity with which influenza virus attaches to sialosaccharide receptors on the host cell surface. In general, human influenza viruses prefer sialosaccharides in which sialic acid is linked to galactose by an α-2,3 linkage (SA-α-2,3-Gal), and avian influenza viruses prefer those with an α-2,6 linkage (SAα-2,6-Gal) (10). To understand differences in these properties between harbor seals and other marine mammals, we determined patterns of attachment for influenza virus strains known to have infected the respiratory tract of harbor seals, gray |
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