Swine-origin influenza viruses show mutations that resist antiviral drugs, posing a pandemic risk and highlighting the urgent need for ongoing surveillance and updated treatment strategies. Study: Antiviral Susceptibility of Swine-Origin Influenza A Viruses Isolated from Humans, United States . Image Credit: NIAID In a recent study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases , researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America (US) analyzed genome sequences of swine-origin influenza A viruses.
They conducted phenotypic assays to establish subtype-specific susceptibility baselines for antiviral drugs. The findings contribute significantly to ongoing pandemic preparedness efforts, highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring of swine-origin influenza A viruses, which pose a continuous threat of reassortment and the potential for new pandemic strains. They found that nearly all viruses had the S31N M2 resistance marker, two showed baloxavir resistance-related substitution mutations, and only the I38M substitution significantly reduced baloxavir susceptibility by 27-fold.
These results underscore the importance of understanding antiviral resistance patterns in swine-origin viruses, as genetic mutations and reassortments could reduce the effectiveness of current antiviral treatments. Background Swine-origin influenza viruses (S-OIVs) are enzootic in pig populations worldwide, making pigs a key "mixing vessel" where human,.