Complete genome analysis of a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza A virus isolated from a tiger in China.

An influenza A virus (A/Tig/SH/01/2005 (H5N1) was isolated from lung tissue samples of a dead zoo tiger with respiratory disease in China in July 2005. Complete genome analysis indicated that the isolate was highly identical to an H5N1 virus isolated from a migratory duck at Poyang lake in China in that year. The genotype of the isolate was K,G,D,5J,F,1J,F,1E, and phylogenetically it was a clade 2.2 virus. Molecular characterization of all of the gene segments revealed characteristics of highly pathogenic influenza A viruses. These results may help to identify molecular determinants of virulence and highlight the necessity for continuous surveillance.