TY - JOUR AU - Beerens, Nancy AU - Heutink, Rene AU - Bergervoet, Saskia AU - Harders, Frank AU - Bossers, Alex AU - Koch, Guus T1 - Multiple Reassorted Viruses as Cause of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus Epidemic, the Netherlands, 2016 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2017 VL - 23 IS - 12 SP - 1974 SN - 1080-6059 AB - In 2016, an epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus subtype H5N8 in the Netherlands caused mass deaths among wild birds, and several commercial poultry farms and captive bird holdings were affected. We performed complete genome sequencing to study the relationship between the wild bird and poultry viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the viruses are related to H5 clade 2.3.4.4 viruses detected in Russia in May 2016 but contained novel polymerase basic 2 and nucleoprotein gene segments and 2 different variants of the polymerase acidic segment. Molecular dating suggests that the reassortment events most likely occurred in wild birds in Russia or Mongolia. Furthermore, 2 genetically distinct H5N5 reassortant viruses were detected in wild birds in the Netherlands. Our study provides evidence for fast and continuing reassortment of H5 clade 2.3.4.4 viruses, which might lead to rapid changes in virus characteristics, such as pathogenicity, infectivity, transmission, and zoonotic potential. KW - highly pathogenic avian influenza virus KW - avian influenza virus KW - HPAIV KW - H5N8 KW - complete genome sequencing KW - whole genome sequencing KW - phylogenetic analysis KW - molecular clock KW - reassortment KW - influenza KW - viruses KW - outbreak KW - epidemic KW - Netherlands KW - Holland KW - whole-genome sequencing KW - the Netherlands KW - respiratory infections DO - 10.3201/eid2312.171062 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/23/12/17-1062_article ER - End of Reference