Viruses, Vol. 11, Pages 1110: Detection of a New Genetic Cluster of Influenza D Virus in Italian Cattle

Viruses, Vol. 11, Pages 1110: Detection of a New Genetic Cluster of Influenza D Virus in Italian Cattle Viruses doi: 10.3390/v11121110 Authors: Chiapponi Faccini Fusaro Moreno Prosperi Merenda Baioni Gabbi Rosignoli Alborali Cavicchio Monne Torreggiani Luppi Foni Influenza D virus (IDV) has been increasingly reported all over the world. Cattle are considered the major viral reservoir. Based on the hemagglutinin-esterase (HEF) gene, three main genetic and antigenic clusters have been identified: D/OK distributed worldwide, D/660 detected only in the USA and D/Japan in Japan. Up to 2017, all the Italian IDV isolates belonged to the D/OK genetic cluster. From January 2018 to May 2019, we performed virological surveillance for IDV from respiratory outbreaks in 725 bovine farms in Northern Italy by RT-PCR. Seventy-four farms were positive for IDV. A full or partial genome sequence was obtained from 29 samples. Unexpectedly, a phylogenetic analysis of the HEF gene showed the presence of 12 strains belonging to the D/660 cluster, previously unreported in Europe. The earliest D/660 strain was collected in March 2018 from cattle imported from France. Moreover, we detected one viral strain with a reassortant genetic pattern (PB2, PB1, P42, HEF and NP segments in the D/660 cluster, whilst P3 and NS segments in the D/OK cluster). These results confirm the circulation of IDV in the Italian cattle population and highlight the need to monit...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Communication Source Type: research