Novel clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) outbreaks have occurred since early 2015 in Taiwan and impacted the island economically, like they have many countries. This research investigates the immunogenicity of two HPAIV-like particles to assess their promise as vaccine candidates. The haemagglutinin (HA) gene derived from clade 2.3.4.4 H5 HPAIV and matrix protein 1 (M1) gene were cloned into the pFastBac Dual baculovirus vector. The resulting recombinant viruses were expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda moth (Sf)21 cells and silkworm pupae to generate Sf21 virus-like particles (VLP) and silkworm pupa VLP. Two-week-old specific pathogen–free chickens were immunised and their humoral and cellular immune responses were analysed. The silkworm pupa VLP had higher haemagglutination competence. Both VLP types elicited haemagglutination inhibition antibodies, anti-HA antibodies, splenic interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) mRNA expression, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio elevation. However, chickens receiving silkworm pupa VLP exhibited a significantly higher anti-HA antibody titre in ELISA after vaccination. Although Sf21 VLP recipients expressed more IFN-γ and IL-4, the increase in IFN-γ did not significantly raise the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio and the increase in IL-4 did not promote anti-HA antibodies. Both VLP systems possess desirable immunogenicity in vivo. However, in respect of immunogenic efficacy and the production cost, pupa VLP may be the superior vaccine candidate against clade 2.3.4.4 H5 HPAIV infection.

The lack of proofreading activity of the viral polymerase and the segmented nature of the influenza A virus (IAV) genome are responsible for the genetic diversity of IAVs and for their ability to adapt to a new host. We tried to adapt avian IAV (avIAV) to the pig by serial passages in vivo and assessed the occurrence of point mutations and their influence on viral fitness in the pig’s body. A total of 25 in vivo avIAV passages of the A/duck/Bavaria/77 strain were performed by inoculation of 50 piglets, and after predetermined numbers of passages 20 uninoculated piglets were exposed to the virus through contact with inoculated animals. Clinical signs of swine influenza were assessed daily. Nasal swabs and lung tissue were used to detect IAV RNA by real-time RT-PCR and isolates from selected passages were sequenced. Apart from a rise in rectal temperature and a sporadic cough, no typical clinical signs were observed in infected pigs. The original strain required 20 passages to improve its replication ability noticeably. A total of 29 amino-acid substitutions were identified. Eighteen of them were detected in the first sequenced isolate, of which 16 were also in all other analysed strains. Additional mutations were detected with more passages. One substitution, threonine (T) 135 to serine (S) in neuraminidase (NA), was only detected in an IAV isolate from a contact-exposed piglet. Passaging 25 times allowed us to obtain a partially swine-adapted IAV. The improvement in isolate replication ability was most likely related to S654 to glycine (G) substitution in the basic protein (PB) 1 as well as to aspartic acid (D) 701 to asparagine (N) and arginine (R) 477 to G in PB2, glutamic acid (E) 204 to D and G239E in haemagglutinin and T135S in NA.

The H9N2 strains of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) circulate worldwide in poultry and cause sporadic infection in humans. To better understand the evolution of these viruses while circulating in poultry, an H9N2 chicken isolate was passaged 19 times in chickens via aerosol inoculation. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the viruses from the initial stock and those after the 8th and 19th passages (P0, P8, and P19) all had the same monobasic cleavage site in the hemagglutinin (HA), typical for viruses of low pathogenicity. However, at position 226 of the HA protein the ratio of glutamine (which favors avian-type receptor binding) to leucine (which favors mammalian-type receptor binding) decreased from 54:46 in P0, to 87:13 in P8, and then 0:100 in P19. In chickens exposed to aerosols of P0, P8, or P19, replication of the viruses was similar and mainly limited to the respiratory tract. None of the infected chickens showed any clinical signs. Over the 19 passages the viruses maintained relatively stable infectivity but gradually lost lethality to chicken embryos. According to the hemagglutination inactivation assay, P8 was slightly and P19 significantly (P < 0.05) less thermostable than P0. Collectively, after 19 passages in chickens the H9N2 AIVs retained low pathogenicity with a positive selection of L226 in the HA. These findings suggest that H9N2 viruses might acquire mammalian specificity after asymptomatic circulation in avian species.

Cells infected with bovine coronavirus (BCV) were solubilized with Triton X-100 to yield a cell lysate (CL) antigen having high hemagglutinating (HA) titers. The antigen gave high HA titers using rat erythrocytes, suggesting that it contained large amounts of hemagglutinin esterase (HE) antigen. The CL antigen, combined with an oil adjuvant, was tested for protective and antibody-inducing activities in cattle. Four groups (2 cattle/group) of cattle were inoculated with CL antigen having HA titers of 16 000, 4000, 1000, and 250. Another group served as untreated controls. Two intramuscular inoculations were given at an interval of 3 wk. The animals were challenged with virus 1 wk after the second inoculation. The groups immunized with the CL antigen having an HA titer of 4000 or 16 000 produced hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers of > 320 and serum neutralizing (SN) antibody titers of > 1280. These groups of animals showed no clinical abnormalities after challenge. In the groups immunized with CL antigen at an HA titer of 1000 or 250, HI antibody titers were 40 to 160 and SN titers were 80 to 640. The cattle with HI antibody titers of > or = 160 and the SN titers of > or = 640 showed no clinical signs, but the cattle with the HI antibody titer < 80 and the SN antibody titer < 160 developed watery diarrhea and fever after challenge. These results indicate that CL antigen with high HA titer induces antibody production in cattle that provides effective protection against winter dysentery.

Hemagglutinins HA) of H1N1 swine influenza viruses isolated in the United States have remained antigenically and genetically conserved for many years. In contrast to such conservation, the RA of A/Swine/Nebraska/1/92 (Sw/Neb) could readily be distinguished from those of contemporary porcine viruses. Twenty-eight amino acid mutations differentiated the HA of Sw/Neb and A/Swine/Indiana/1726/88, the most recent H1N1 swine influenza virus for which HA sequence data were available. Among these differences were mutations at potential asparagine-linked glycosylation sites and charge changes at many residues. The Sw/Neb virus also could be differentiated from other swine influenza viruses in hemagglutination-inhibition assays with monoclonal antibodies to recent H1 swine HA. Nonetheless, overall sequence analysis of the HA and the nucleoprotein genes of Sw/Neb indicated that this virus was more closely related genetically to classic H1N1 swine influenza viruses than to H1N1 avian or human viruses. Infection of swine with Sw/Neb under experimental conditions induced clinical signs and lesions typical of swine influenza. However, affected swine in the field had high, persistent fevers, but relatively mild signs of respiratory tract disease. This study indicated that an antigenically and genetically novel variant of swine influenza virus was detected in the United States.

A comparison of immune variables following lung sensitization with live Pasteurella haemolytica serotype 1 (Ph1)-impregnated agar beads was done in 2 separate trials. The Ph1 immune variables studied were blood bactericidal activity, serum bacteriolysis, total classical complement, and indirect hemagglutination antibody. Each trial had 16 male weanling goats: 6 controls and 10 principals. In trial 1, each goat was surgically catheterized through the trachea, then the material was deposited in a bronchus. The controls received only agar beads and the principals received agar beads impregnated with live Ph1. These goats were studied for 32 days, euthanatized, and necropsied. In trial 2, the controls were each transthoracically injected with agar beads into the left lung and the principals were similarly injected with agar beads impregnated with live Ph1. These goats were studied for 35 days, then challenge exposed transthoracically by injection of Ph1 in saline solution (1.2 X 10(7) CFU/ml) into the right lung. Four days later, they were euthanatized and necropsied. The volume of lung consolidated tissue was an excellent measure of Ph1 immunity. Principal goats generated solid protective immunity to subsequent challenge exposure because minimal or no lung consolidation was observed, whereas large volumes of lung consolidation were seen in the controls. The principal goats in trial 1 gave a weak serum indirect hemagglutination Ph1 antibody response, which was attributed to the bronchial method of depositing the Ph1. The corresponding response of the control group remained negative. The Ph1 agar beads (1 X 10(6) CFU in 0.5 ml) protected the bacteria from immediate phagocytosis and lysis as indicated by the induced pneumonic deaths of 2 principals 5 days later. Also, live Ph1 were isolated on day 32 during necropsy of respiratory tracts of 3 principals. At necropsy, no Ph1 isolates were found in the controls. Bacteriolytic activity was not induced against Ph1 in either control or principal groups in this trial. the study, but antibody titers of the principals increased to a geometric mean of 1:250 seven days after lung injection (1 X 10(5) CFU in 0.5 ml). Serum bacteriolytic titers on day 0 indicated that both principals and controls could be subgrouped to high or low subgroups on the basis of their bacteriolytic activity. The bacteriolytic activities of the controls remained unchanged during the experiment, and neither control subgroup was protected from Ph1 challenge exposure. Bacteriolytic activities of the high and low principal subgroups responded differently to Ph1 agar bead lung injection, but both principal subgroups were protected from lung challenge exposure. The low principal subgroup generated high titers of indirect hemagglutination Ph1 antibody, whereas, the high principal subgroup generated lower antibody titers. Total complement, serum bacteriolytic, and blood bactericidal profiles were similar in the principal group with high bacteriolytic activity. The immune factors that protected 2 principal subgroups did not appear to be associated with Ph1 serum bacteriolysis.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are endemic in pork producing countries around the world. The emergence of the pandemic 2009 human H1N1 influenza A virus (pH1N1) raised questions about the occurrence of this virus in Brazilian swine population. During a 2009-2010 swine influenza virus research project at Embrapa Swine and Poultry (CNPSA), an outbreak of a highly transmissible H1N1 influenza A virus disease was detected in a pig herd in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The virus caused a mild disease in growing pigs and sows without mortality. Three clinically affected piglets were euthanized. Gross lesions included mild to moderate consolidation of cranioventral areas of the lung. Microscopically, the lesions were characterized by necrotizing obliterative bronchiolitis and bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody against type A influenza virus nucleoprotein revealed positive staining in the nuclei of the bronchiolar epithelial cells. Lung tissue from three piglets and nasal swabs from five sows and four piglets were positive for influenza A by RT-PCR. Influenza virus was isolated from one lung, later confirmed by the hemagglutination test (HA titer 1:128) and RT-PCR. Sequence analyses of Hemmaglutinin (HA) and Matrix (M) genes revealed that the virus was consistent with the pandemic (A/H1N1) 2009 influenza virus strain that circulated in humans. This is the first report of an outbreak of pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus in pigs in Brazil.