Antigenic and Genetic Characterization of Swine Influenza Viruses Identified in the European Region of Russia, 2014-2020.

Pigs have long been recognized as "mixing vessels" in which new viruses are formed by reassortment involving various influenza virus lineages (avian, animal, human). However, surveillance of swine influenza viruses only gained real significance after the 2009 pandemic. A fundamentally important point is the fact that there is still no regular surveillance of swine flu in Russia, and the role of swine viruses is underestimated since, as a rule, they do not cause serious disease in animals.