Abstract
The H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus has caused substantial morbidity and mortality in humans, first documented in the global pandemic of 1918 and continuing to the present day. Despite this disease burden, the evolutionary history of the A/H1N1 virus is not well understood, particularly whether there is a virological basis for several notable epidemics of unusual severity in the 1940s and 1950s. Using a data set of 71 representative complete genome sequences sampled between 1918 and 2006, we show that segmental reassortment has played an important role in the genomic evolution of A/H1N1 since 1918. Specifically, we demonstrate that an A/H1N1 isolate from the 1947 epidemic acquired novel PB2 and HA genes through intra-subtype reassortment, which may explain the abrupt antigenic evolution of this virus. Similarly, the 1951 influenza epidemic may also have been associated with reassortant A/H1N1 viruses. Intra-subtype reassortment therefore appears to be a more important process in the evolution and epidemiology of H1N1 influenza A virus than previously realized.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | PLoS Pathogens |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 2008 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology
- Parasitology
- Virology
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Cite this
Multiple reassortment events in the evolutionary history of H1N1 influenza A virus since 1918. / Nelson, Martha I.; Viboud, Cécile; Simonsen, Lone; Bennett, Ryan T.; Griesemer, Sara B.; St. George, Kirsten; Taylor, Jill; Spiro, David J.; Sengamalay, Naomi A.; Ghedin, Elodie; Taubenberger, Jeffery K.; Holmes, Edward C.
In: PLoS Pathogens, Vol. 4, No. 2, 02.2008.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiple reassortment events in the evolutionary history of H1N1 influenza A virus since 1918
AU - Nelson, Martha I.
AU - Viboud, Cécile
AU - Simonsen, Lone
AU - Bennett, Ryan T.
AU - Griesemer, Sara B.
AU - St. George, Kirsten
AU - Taylor, Jill
AU - Spiro, David J.
AU - Sengamalay, Naomi A.
AU - Ghedin, Elodie
AU - Taubenberger, Jeffery K.
AU - Holmes, Edward C.
PY - 2008/2
Y1 - 2008/2
N2 - The H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus has caused substantial morbidity and mortality in humans, first documented in the global pandemic of 1918 and continuing to the present day. Despite this disease burden, the evolutionary history of the A/H1N1 virus is not well understood, particularly whether there is a virological basis for several notable epidemics of unusual severity in the 1940s and 1950s. Using a data set of 71 representative complete genome sequences sampled between 1918 and 2006, we show that segmental reassortment has played an important role in the genomic evolution of A/H1N1 since 1918. Specifically, we demonstrate that an A/H1N1 isolate from the 1947 epidemic acquired novel PB2 and HA genes through intra-subtype reassortment, which may explain the abrupt antigenic evolution of this virus. Similarly, the 1951 influenza epidemic may also have been associated with reassortant A/H1N1 viruses. Intra-subtype reassortment therefore appears to be a more important process in the evolution and epidemiology of H1N1 influenza A virus than previously realized.
AB - The H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus has caused substantial morbidity and mortality in humans, first documented in the global pandemic of 1918 and continuing to the present day. Despite this disease burden, the evolutionary history of the A/H1N1 virus is not well understood, particularly whether there is a virological basis for several notable epidemics of unusual severity in the 1940s and 1950s. Using a data set of 71 representative complete genome sequences sampled between 1918 and 2006, we show that segmental reassortment has played an important role in the genomic evolution of A/H1N1 since 1918. Specifically, we demonstrate that an A/H1N1 isolate from the 1947 epidemic acquired novel PB2 and HA genes through intra-subtype reassortment, which may explain the abrupt antigenic evolution of this virus. Similarly, the 1951 influenza epidemic may also have been associated with reassortant A/H1N1 viruses. Intra-subtype reassortment therefore appears to be a more important process in the evolution and epidemiology of H1N1 influenza A virus than previously realized.
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U2 - 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000012
DO - 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000012
M3 - Article
VL - 4
JO - PLoS Pathogens
JF - PLoS Pathogens
SN - 1553-7366
IS - 2
ER -