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Data from: Pathogenesis and transmission of reassorted H1 influenza A viruses detected in North American swine

Published by Agricultural Research Service | Department of Agriculture | Metadata Last Checked: January 27, 2026 | Last Modified: 2025-11-22
Changes in influenza viruses that infect pigs have been observed for over two decades. The evolution of these viruses has led to several new strains. For instance, one such strain known as H1N2 emerged to infect pigs in the United States in 2015. This virus recently gained prevalence after acquiring a new N1 gene. Our study aimed to determine if the new N1 gene was responsible for increased transmission of the virus among pigs. To investigate this hypothesis, we analyzed four different strains of H1N1 or H1N2 influenza A virus. Each strain had different combinations of N1 and N2 genes. We infected pigs with these viruses and observed their clinical signs as well as transmission to other pigs. Regardless of the viral genes present, all variants of the virus were transmitted from one infected pig to another at the same levels. Therefore, the new N1 gene did not seem to have direct importance in increasing the transmission of the virus. These results suggest that the increase in detection may be associated with less protection from previous vaccines or infections due to the change in N1 or N2, or changes related to pig management or movement. Understanding how influenza A viruses spread provides important insights for the swine industry for disease prevention and vaccine developers for vaccine strain selection.

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