1. Genomic characterization of velogenic avian orthoavulavirus 1 isolates from poultry workers: Implications to emergence and its zoonotic potential towards public health
Muhammad Zubair SHABBIR ; Masood RABBANI ; Ruth Helmus NISSLY ; Levina LIM ; Shubhada K. CHOTHE ; Murugan SUBBIAH ; Bhushan M JAYARAO ; Suresh V. KUCHIPUDI ; Abdul AHAD ; Aswathy SEBASTIAN ; Istvan ALBERT ; Aziz UL-RAHMAN
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2021;14(2):64-72
Objective: To carry out the genetic characterization and evolutionary analysis of three avian orthoavulavirus 1 (AOAV-1) isolates from poultry workers with respiratory symptoms. Methods: Using Illumina MiSeq, whole-genome sequencing was carried out to assess the evolutionary dynamics of three AOAV-1 isolates. A phylogenetic and comparative analysis of all coding genes was done using bioinformatics tools. Results: Phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance estimation suggested a close relationship among human- and avian-originated velogenic strains of genotype XIII, sub-genotype XIII.2.1. Several substitutions in the significant structural and biological motifs were exclusively identified in the human-originated strains. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of a velogenic AOAV-1 isolate from natural infection of the human upper respiratory tract. Our findings highlight the evolution and zoonotic potential of velogenic AOAV-1 in a disease endemic setting.