Full sequence analysis of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes and proteins of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus detected in Iran, 2015.

Over the last two decades, the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus has gained a lot of attention due to its zoonotic and mutative nature. Iran is among the countries significantly affected by the virus as it hosts migratory birds during seasonal migration. In this study, the molecular characterizations of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes and proteins of H5N1 strain A/chicken/Iran/8/2015 detected in backyard poultry, Mazandaran province, were investigated. Phylogenetic analysis classified this virus as a member of subclade 2.3.2.1c, with the cleavage site motif of "PQRERRRK-R/GLF". HA carried a few mutations altering affinity to mammalian cells; however, the virus was categorized as avian. NA protein had the 20-amino acid deletion at aa position 49-69 similar to those isolated since 2000. Mutations of H253Y and H274Y contributing to antiviral resistance were present in NA. From this analysis, it can be concluded that the wild migratory birds flying from Western Asia to Eastern Africa are probably the main carriers of seasonal H5N1 in the country.