INVESTIGATIONS INTO FACTORS THAT DRIVE THE EMERGENCE OF NOVEL INFLUENZA REASSORTANTS IN PIGS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

The overarching goal of this proposal is to understand how novel influenza viruses emerge, persist and transmit in domestic farm animals (pigs) and how population dynamics and epidemiological factors affect influenza virus emergence, evolution and its control. Since viral gene reassortment is the main mechanism responsible for the emergence of novel influenza viruses responsible for infections in pigs and people, we will focus on identifying and characterizing reassortant viruses in pigs of known age, immune status and production stage. We will identify which pig populations are more likely to drive reassortment events, and whether type and level of immunity contributes to reassortment, and whether certain reassortants are more likely to persist in a population and transmist further. Ultimately, our goal is to enhance influenza control and prevent the emergence of novel viruses in pigs.More specifically, the objectives are:1. Identify and characterize influenza virus reassortants at the individual pig level on the farm.2. Evaluate the association of pig subpopulation and immunity with the emergence of influenza virus reassortants.