Emerging triple-reassortant influenza C virus with household-associated infection during an influenza A(H3N2) outbreak, China, 2022

Lan Cao; Ying Lu; Chaojun Xie; Yiyun Chen; Lijun Liang; Tengfei Zhou; Ziyi Zeng; Chen Wen; Biao Di; Baisheng Li; Kuibiao Li; Zhoubin Zhang

doi:10.1080/22221751.2023.2175593

Emerging triple-reassortant influenza C virus with household-associated infection during an influenza A(H3N2) outbreak, China, 2022

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023 Dec;12(1):2175593. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2175593.

Authors

Lan Cao¹, Ying Lu¹, Chaojun Xie², Yiyun Chen¹, Lijun Liang³, Tengfei Zhou¹, Ziyi Zeng², Chen Wen², Biao Di¹, Baisheng Li³, Kuibiao Li¹, Zhoubin Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
² Huadu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Recent research have shown that influenza C virus (ICV) has a possible higher clinical impact than previously thought. But knowledge about ICV is limited compared with influenza A and B viruses, due to poor systematic surveillance and inability to propagate. Herein, a case infected with triple reassortant ICV was identified during an influenza A(H3N2) outbreak, which was the first report of ICV infection in mainland China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this ICV was triple reassortant. Serological evidence revealed that the index case might be related to family-clustering infection. Therefore, it is essential to heighten surveillance for the prevalence and variation of ICV in China, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: China; Influenza C virus; family clustering; infection; triple reassortant.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
China / epidemiology
Disease Outbreaks
Gammainfluenzavirus*
Humans
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / genetics
Influenza, Human* / epidemiology
Pandemics
Phylogeny

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2019A1515011510), the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangzhou (No. 202102100001 and No. 202201010794) and the Key Project of Medicine Discipline of Guangzhou (No. 2021-2023-11).