Entire Genome Sequence Analysis of Avian Influenza Virus Isolate A/Mallard/ZhaLong/88/04(H4N6)

In 2004, an H4N6 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) was isolated from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) in Zhalong Nature Reserve of Heilongjiang Province in China. The virus was named A/Mallard/Zhalong/88/04(H4N6) (MZL88/04). In this study, eight gene segments of MZL88/04 were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence homology and phylogenetic relationships were determined between MZL88/04 and other H4N6 subtype isolates. Isolate MZL88/04 was classified into the Eurasian lineage, and was closely related to isolates from Nanchang, indicating close evolutionary relationships between the genes studied. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an H4N6 subtype AIV strain isolated from wild birds in the mainland of China.