Sialic Acid Receptor Specificity in Mammary Gland of Dairy Cattle Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2024 Jun 11

PMID 38861554

Authors

Rahul K Nelli

Tyler A Harm

Chris Siepker

Jennifer M Groeltz-Thrush

Brianna Jones

Ning-Chieh Twu

Ariel S Nenninger

Drew R Magstadt

Eric R Burrough

Pablo E Pineyro

Marta Mainenti

Silvia Carnaccini

Paul J Plummer

Todd M Bell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In March 2024, the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus in dairy cattle in the United States for the first time. One factor that determines susceptibility to HPAI H5N1 infection is the presence of specific virus receptors on host cells; however, little is known about the distribution of the sialic acid (SA) receptors in dairy cattle, particularly in mammary glands. We compared the distribution of SA receptors in the respiratory tract and mammary gland of dairy cattle naturally infected with HPAI H5N1. The respiratory and mammary glands of HPAI H5N1-infected dairy cattle are rich in SA, particularly avian influenza virus-specific SA α2,3-gal. Mammary gland tissues co-stained with sialic acids and influenza A virus nucleoprotein showed predominant co-localization with the virus and SA α2,3-gal. HPAI H5N1 exhibited epitheliotropism within the mammary gland, and we observed rare immunolabeling within macrophages.

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