Susceptibility of Swine to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses

APPROACH: The current global concerns about HPAI H5N1 began in 1997 with a human death in Hong Kong. That index case marked the emergence of a virus strain that has earned a reputation for lethality in many species as it has spread throughout most of the world. At this moment, it seems only a matter of time before this virus will be found in North America following the movement of infected waterfowl. There are many questions about the epidemiology and biology of this virus. From the swine industry perspective, there are many unknowns about the susceptibility of swine to HPAI infection, the consequences to such an infection, and whether pigs are a potential reservoir of infection for man. Addressing the HPAI concerns of the North American swine industry will require a series of studies that should begin with determining the susceptibility of swine to this virus. Testing the susceptibility of swine to HPAI H5N1 isolates will require laboratory and animal isolation facilities with high biosecurity and a workforce capable of working with zoonotic select agents. The proposed collaborative research will be conducted by scientists from the National Animal Disease Center, USDA-ARS Laboratory in Ames, Iowa and by scientists from the University of Manitoba and the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease-Canadian Food Inspection Agency Laboratory in Winnipeg, Canada. The research will use highly-skilled personnel from NADC and the University of Manitoba/CFIA laboratories to conduct the in vivo and in vitro studies in Winnipeg, Canada.