Original Article

Isolation and characterization of H3N8 equine influenza A virus associated with the 2011 epizootic in Mongolia

  1. Myagmarsukh Yondon1,
  2. Gary L. Heil2,*,
  3. John P. Burks2,
  4. Batsukh Zayat1,
  5. Thomas B. Waltzek2,3,
  6. Bekh-Ochir Jamiyan1,
  7. Pamela P. McKenzie4,
  8. Whitney S. Krueger2,
  9. John A. Friary2,
  10. Gregory C. Gray2

Article first published online: 4 JAN 2013

DOI: 10.1111/irv.12069

Additional Information

How to Cite

Yondon et al. (2013) Isolation and characterization of H3N8 equine influenza a virus associated with the 2011 epizootic in Mongolia. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12069.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Veterinary & Animal Breeding, Government of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

  2. 2

    College of Public Health & Health Professions, and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

  3. 3

    College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

  4. 4

    World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA

* Correspondence: Gary L. Heil, Department of Environmental and Global Health, Emerging Pathogens Institute, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd P.O. Box 100009, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
E-mail: glheil@phhp.ufl.edu

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 4 JAN 2013
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 15 NOV 2012

Funded by

  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • National Institutes of Health. Grant Number: R01 AI068803-ARRA
  • US Department of Defense Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response Program

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Keywords:

  • Equine;
  • infectious disease outbreaks;
  • influenza virus;
  • Mongolia;
  • sentinel surveillance

Background

Equine influenza virus (EIV) epizootics affect 2·1 million Mongolian horses approximately every 10 years and critically impact economy and nomadic livelihood of Mongolia.

Objectives

An active surveillance program was established in 2011 to monitor influenza viruses circulating among Mongolian horses.

Methods

Nasal swabs were collected from horses in free-ranging horse herds in Töv, Khentii, and Dundgovi aimags (provinces) from January to September 2011. Real-time reversetranscriptase–polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) was used to determine the presence of influenza A virus. Influenza A-positive specimens were cultured to amplify virus; viral RNA was extracted, and gene segments were amplified and sequenced by Sanger sequencing.

Results

A total of 745 horses were swabbed; most horses were without clinical signs of illness. In July 2011, reports of influenza-like illnesses emerged among horses in Mongolia's capital, and subsequently, surveillance efforts were adjusted to swab horses associated with the epizootic. Thirty-four specimens of rRT-PCR influenza-positive virus were collected in May, June, August, and September. Three specimens yielded detectable virus. Gene sequence studies suggested that all three isolates were identical H3N8 viruses. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the strain was very similar to other H3N8 EIVs circulating in central Asia between 2007 and 2008.

Conclusions

As large Mongolian equine herds often seem to suffer from EIV epizootics, it seems prudent to continue such routine equine influenza surveillance. Doing so will provide an early warning system, should novel viruses emerge, help in assessing if EIV is crossing over to infect humans and provide data to assess the likely effectiveness of current EIV vaccines.

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