Reemergence of H3N8 Equine Influenza A virus in Chile, 2018

Transbound Emerg Dis. 2018 Dec;65(6):1408-1415. doi: 10.1111/tbed.12984. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Abstract

A new outbreak of equine Influenza A virus (IAV) was reported in Chile in January 2018, 6 years after its last report in 2012. Equine IAV was detected by rtRT-PCR, followed by virus isolation and full genome sequencing. Genetic characterization of equine IAV classified the virus within clade 1 of the Florida sublineage. Although this is the same sublineage that caused an outbreak in Chile in 2012, the virus has a high similarity to other cocirculating viruses that were recently identified in Europe and Asia. The Chilean 2018 equine influenza (EI) outbreak was caused by an H3N8 strain circulating globally that spread through horse movements.

Keywords: IAV; South America; equine influenza virus; outbreak; phylogeny.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chile / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / veterinary*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary*
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / genetics
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / isolation & purification*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
  • Phylogeny
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • M2 protein, Influenza A virus
  • Viral Matrix Proteins