Qinghai H5N1 in Germany Similar to Last Season
Recombinomics Commentary
June 26, 2007
On Monday of yesterday the signs multiplied themselves that the virus is in Nuremberg the same as with the outbreak in the winter 2005/2006 or at least this very similarly.
The above translation suggests that the H5N1 confirmed in Nuremberg is similar to H5N1 detected in Germany in the 2005/2006. If true, this would support an endemic reservoir in Germany.
Last season the H5N1 in Germany fell into three sub-clades. Clade 2.2.2.1 was largely confined to northern Germany and was the largest outbreak in Western Europe. Clade 2.2.2.2 was more widespread, and was also in Italy, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Clade 2.2.2.3 however, was largely contained in Germany, with some related sequences in Switzerland.
Additional media reports indicate the Nuremberg sequences do not match the 2007 sequences from Hungary or the Czech Republic. If true, the sequences in Nurenberg would likely be 2.2.2.3. All isolates in this sub-clade had NA G743A, which was concurrently detected in Moscow suburbs, multiple sub-clades in Egypt, and initial isolates from Ghana. The finding of NA G743A in the Nuremberg isolates would support the acquisition of G743A by recombination between distinct H5N1 species circulating in wild birds in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, challenging the basic tenets of influenza dogma, which is base on random mutations and reassortment..
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