European H16N3 gull influenza virus attaches to the human respiratory tract and eye

PLoS One. 2013 Apr 8;8(4):e60757. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060757. Print 2013.

Abstract

We explored the attachment of an H16N3 influenza virus to human, mallard, and gull tissues using virus histochemistry applied to tissue microarrays and employing human and mallard viruses as references. Of the viruses tested, the H16N3 gull virus most readily attached to the human respiratory tract and eye. These results underscore the need to assess the potential for gull influenza viruses to replicate in human tissues and further investigate the role of gulls in influenza virus ecology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Charadriiformes / virology*
  • Dogs
  • Europe
  • Eye / virology*
  • Humans
  • Influenza A virus / physiology*
  • Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
  • Respiratory System / virology*
  • Virus Attachment*

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the Swedish Research Council for Spatial Planning and Agriculture (FORMAS 216-2009-1220), the Swedish Research Council Vetenskapsrådet (VR 2010-36963-78952-78), the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the FONDECYT project (1070464). VJM is supported by the Division of Intramural Research, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.