Isolation and Characterization of Equine Influenza Viruses (H3N8) from China, 2010~2011

Two equine influenza virus (EIV) strains were isolated during two restricted outbreaks from Heilongjiang Province, China in 2010 and 2011. Phylogenetic analysis of HA1 (hemagglutinin 1) gene revealed that the isolates belonged to Florida 2 sublineage of American lineage. Further analysis of the putative antigenic sites located in HA1 subunit protein revealed each isolate had a unique amino acid change. Analysis of antigenic sites between Chinese EIV and vaccine strains indicated equine influenza (EI) vaccines containing Richmond/1/07-like antigen seemed to have an optimum effect in China. Meanwhile, the Ohio/03 vaccine strain contained in updated ProteqFlu had the most closely genetically relationship with recent EIV isolates in China. China has not its own commercially available EI vaccine and most horses are still unvaccinated. Therefore, to monitor antigenic variation of circulating EIVs and give considerable suggestions on selection of vaccine candidate plays an important role in preventing and controlling EIV in China