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Recent influenza A pandemics all have occurred due to the emergence of reassortant viral strains containing a mixture of animal and human influenza genetic elements. Given that swine are susceptible to infection with avian, swine, and human influenza A viruses, they are considered one of the major sources of reassortant strains. Chinese researchers now report that a novel swine influenza virus (SIV) A H1N1 has become prevalent in pigs and has pandemic potential.
Surveillance of pigs in 10 Chinese provinces performed between 2011 and 2018 identified 179 swine influenza variants. In 2013, a reassortant swine influenza A H1N1 virus (named G4) emerged that derived from a European avian influenza lineage and shared genes with the 2009 pandemic No…