Meighan Wetland of Markazi Province,Entrance Center of Avian Influenza Highly pathogenic virus H5 ,Iran ,2016

During the past two decades, the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus has received considerable attention due to its zoonotic and mutative features. Purpose of the leading study is molecular and phylogenetic characteristics of hemagglutinin (HA) gene of H5N8 strain identified in Meighan wetland of Arak city, Markazi province were investigated. For this purpose, samples were inoculated with embryonic eggs of 14-10 days and after extraction of allantoic fluid and RNA extraction and PCR and sequencing of genes, phylogenetic trees were drawn by Mega7 program and molecular properties including Cleavage site, Glycosylation site, Antigenic site, Receptor Binding site and HA gene-related mutations were investigated. Based on the analysis of the amino acid sequence of the HA genes, the cleavage site of the gene includes the PLREKRRKR / GLF polybasic amino acid motif, which is a characteristic of highly pathogenic influenza viruses. The HA gene of two viruses had T156A, S123P, S133A mutations associated with the increased mammalian sialic acid binding. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene of the virus studied in this study indicated the classification of this virus in the 2.3.4.4 b Clade. It seems that the introduction of these H5N8 HPAI strains in Iran probably occurred through the West Asia-East African flyway by wild migratory aquatic birds.