INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) (34): INDIAN VARIANTS

Date: Tue 25 May 2010
Source: The Times of India, Pune [edited]
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City-Pune/NIV-detects-3-new-variants-of-H1N1-virus-/articleshow/5970862.cms?>

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) here has detected 3 new
variants of the H1N1 virus. Fortunately, all 3 variants have shown
susceptibility to Tamiflu, the drug used in the treatment of swine
flu. However, with the virus actively acquiring new properties, NIV
scientists are apprehensive that it might develop resistance to the
medicines used in treating swine flu. "For now, there is no need to
worry. But we are closely monitoring the virus for any change in its
virulence," NIV assistant director Sarah Cherian told the Times of
India recently.

Cherian said 7 mutated variants of the virus have been found across
the world so far. "As expected of the seasonal influenza virus, the
H1N1 virus is also going through constant genetic variations which
might lead to significant changes in its antiviral resistance," she
said.

The variants of the H1N1 virus, representing both recovered and fatal
cases from major cities -- Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and
Bangalore -- were analysed at the NIV, and the complete genomes of
these variants were sequenced. The results of the genetic analysis
have been published in the March 2010 issue of the US journal, PLOS
One.

The NIV study, which compared the Indian viruses with 685 whole
genomes of global viral isolates, revealed that the 1st Indian
isolate of May 2009 belonged to a subtype (clade 5) and correlated to
the time during which the dissemination of the virus was noted in
Asia.

The later isolates of the period from June to September 2009 belonged
to H1N1 variants (clades 6 and 7). The clade 7 variant was seen to be
the dominant one, though no spatio-temporal patterns were noted
within this variant, said Cherian. Among the established pathogenic
markers, no significant change was observed in the Indian variants of
the H1N1 virus.

The 1st influenza pandemic of the 21st century was declared with the
emergence of a novel influenza A (H1N1) strain in Mexico and the US
in April 2009. In its last H1N1 situation update released on 14 May
2010, the World Health Organisation said that more than 214 countries
and overseas territories or communities have reported
laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including
over 18 036 deaths. [The most recent WHO Weekly Update (101), dated
24 May 2010 has been archived in ProMED-mail as "Influenza pandemic
(H1N1) (33): WHO update 20100522.1700." - Mod.CP]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[The detection of 3 genetic variants circulating in India is an
interesting observation. For the benefit of readers wishing more
precise detail, the abstract of the PLoS ONE paper is posted below.

"Title: Genetic Characterization of the Influenza A Pandemic (H1N1)
2009 Virus Isolates from India. Reference: PLoS ONE 5(3): e9693.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009693
<http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0009693>.
By: Varsha A. Potdar, Mandeep S. Chadha, Santosh M. Jadhav, Jayati
Mullick, Sarah S. Cherian, Akhilesh C. Mishra At: National Institute
of Virology, Pune, India.