Genetic Analysis and Phylogenetic Characterization of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza Viruses that Found in Nagasaki, Japan

Abstract

Isolation and determination of the nucleotide sequence of hemagglutinin (HA) of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses found in Nagasaki, Japan, were conducted. The alignment results of the predicted HA amino acid sequences of these strains compared to the known global isolates revealed 5 specific amino acid differences located within the antigenic sites. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that the majority of the Nagasaki isolates could be classified into 6 phylogenetic clusters. Almost all isolates collected in the early season were classified into cluster I, which apparently originated from A/Nagasaki/HA-6/2009 isolated from a patient who returned from the Philippines. This cluster ceased to spread after November 2009. Between the end of August 2009 and January 2010, 5 new phylogenetic clusters (II–VI) emerged with viruses from different origins, and cluster III continuously advanced until March 2010. These results suggest that the onset of the influenza epidemic in Nagasaki originated from patient(s) who returned from the Philippines, and subsequently, various imported strains from different origins sustained the virus spread. Among the Nagasaki isolates, A/Nagasaki/HA-58/2009 having an H275Y mutation in the neuraminidase gene, which confers resistance to oseltamivir, was isolated. This is the first report in which an oseltamivir-resistant pandemic H275Y mutant was identified in Nagasaki Prefecture.