Phylogenetic Study of First Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Broiler Chicken Farm in South Khorasan Province, 2020-2021

Ziafati Kafi, Zahra; Sarmadi, Soroush; Fallah Mehrabadi, Mohammad Hossein; Abdoshah, Mohammad; Mahmoudzadeh Akhijahani, Mohsen; Jamiri, Fahimeh; Bakhshi, Alireza; Hosseini, Hossein; Eghbali, Omid; Sarvian, Nazanin; Ghalyanchi Langeroudi, Arash

doi:10.22034/nfvm.2025.491356.1268

Phylogenetic Study of First Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Broiler Chicken Farm in South Khorasan Province, 2020-2021

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Ziafati Kafi ¹

Soroush Sarmadi ¹

Mohammad Hossein Fallah Mehrabadi ²

Mohammad Abdoshah ²

Mohsen Mahmoudzadeh Akhijahani ²

Fahimeh Jamiri ¹

Alireza Bakhshi ¹

Hossein Hosseini ³

Omid eghbali ¹

Nazanin Sarvian ¹

Arash Ghalyanchi Langeroudi ⁴

¹ Department of microbiology and immunology, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

² Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education & Extension Organization, Karaj, Alborz, Iran

³ Department of clinical science, Faculty of veterinary medicine, Karaj Islamic Azad university, Alborz, Iran

⁴ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/nfvm.2025.491356.1268

Abstract

In addition to economic losses to poultry industry, outbreaks of H5 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus are considered as a major threat for public health. H5N8 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was detected for the first time in China in 2010. In present study in 2021, 50 tracheal samples were collected from 30075 susceptible chicken in a broiler chicken farm located in Birjand city, south Khorasan province and the infection with H5N8 subtype in them was evaluated using RT-PCR method and partial sequencing of hemagglutinin encoding gene. Molecular assay confirmed presence of the genome of this subtype in collected samples. According to the phylogenetic analysis, H5N8 virus isolated in present study have the most nucleotide similarity (99.2%) with (A/Duck/Egypt/SMG4/2019/(H5N8)), isolated in Egypt in 2019 and 91.0% similarity with (A/crow/Aghakhan/2017(H5N8)) isolated in Iran in 2017. Results of current study confirm presence of this virus in Iran and highlighting the critical need to constant monitoring to manage economic and health risk.

Keywords

H5N8 Influenza

clade 2.3.4.4

poultry industry

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Subjects