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Environmental levels of the antiviral oseltamivir induce development of resistance mutation H274Y in influenza A/H1N1 virus in mallards

Järhult, Josef D. ; Muradrasoli, Shaman ; Wahlgren, John ; Söderström, Hanna ; Orozovic, Goran ; Gunnarsson, Gunnar LU ; Bröjer, Caroline ; Latorre-Margalef, Neus LU ; Fick, Jerker and Grabic, Roman , et al. (2011) In PLoS ONE 6(9).
Abstract

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) is the most widely used drug against influenza infections and is extensively stockpiled worldwide as part of pandemic preparedness plans. However, resistance is a growing problem and in 2008-2009, seasonal human influenza A/H1N1 virus strains in most parts of the world carried the mutation H274Y in the neuraminidase gene which causes resistance to the drug. The active metabolite of oseltamivir, oseltamivir carboxylate (OC), is poorly degraded in sewage treatment plants and surface water and has been detected in aquatic environments where the natural influenza reservoir, dabbling ducks, can be exposed to the substance. To assess if resistance can develop under these circumstances, we infected mallards with... (More)

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) is the most widely used drug against influenza infections and is extensively stockpiled worldwide as part of pandemic preparedness plans. However, resistance is a growing problem and in 2008-2009, seasonal human influenza A/H1N1 virus strains in most parts of the world carried the mutation H274Y in the neuraminidase gene which causes resistance to the drug. The active metabolite of oseltamivir, oseltamivir carboxylate (OC), is poorly degraded in sewage treatment plants and surface water and has been detected in aquatic environments where the natural influenza reservoir, dabbling ducks, can be exposed to the substance. To assess if resistance can develop under these circumstances, we infected mallards with influenza A/H1N1 virus and exposed the birds to 80 ng/L, 1 μg/L and 80 μg/L of OC through their sole water source. By sequencing the neuraminidase gene from fecal samples, we found that H274Y occurred at 1 μg/L of OC and rapidly dominated the viral population at 80 μg/L. IC50 for OC was increased from 2-4 nM in wild-type viruses to 400-700 nM in H274Y mutants as measured by a neuraminidase inhibition assay. This is consistent with the decrease in sensitivity to OC that has been noted among human clinical isolates carrying H274Y. Environmental OC levels have been measured to 58-293 ng/L during seasonal outbreaks and are expected to reach μg/L-levels during pandemics. Thus, resistance could be induced in influenza viruses circulating among wild ducks. As influenza viruses can cross species barriers, oseltamivir resistance could spread to human-adapted strains with pandemic potential disabling oseltamivir, a cornerstone in pandemic preparedness planning. We propose surveillance in wild birds as a measure to understand the resistance situation in nature and to monitor it over time. Strategies to lower environmental levels of OC include improved sewage treatment and, more importantly, a prudent use of antivirals.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
6
issue
9
article number
e24742
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:80052618613
  • pmid:21931841
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0024742
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
32dcf452-5347-4bc4-8ad8-6c4a49d7341e
date added to LUP
2017-04-11 14:05:38
date last changed
2024-02-12 16:57:56
@article{32dcf452-5347-4bc4-8ad8-6c4a49d7341e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) is the most widely used drug against influenza infections and is extensively stockpiled worldwide as part of pandemic preparedness plans. However, resistance is a growing problem and in 2008-2009, seasonal human influenza A/H1N1 virus strains in most parts of the world carried the mutation H274Y in the neuraminidase gene which causes resistance to the drug. The active metabolite of oseltamivir, oseltamivir carboxylate (OC), is poorly degraded in sewage treatment plants and surface water and has been detected in aquatic environments where the natural influenza reservoir, dabbling ducks, can be exposed to the substance. To assess if resistance can develop under these circumstances, we infected mallards with influenza A/H1N1 virus and exposed the birds to 80 ng/L, 1 μg/L and 80 μg/L of OC through their sole water source. By sequencing the neuraminidase gene from fecal samples, we found that H274Y occurred at 1 μg/L of OC and rapidly dominated the viral population at 80 μg/L. IC<sub>50</sub> for OC was increased from 2-4 nM in wild-type viruses to 400-700 nM in H274Y mutants as measured by a neuraminidase inhibition assay. This is consistent with the decrease in sensitivity to OC that has been noted among human clinical isolates carrying H274Y. Environmental OC levels have been measured to 58-293 ng/L during seasonal outbreaks and are expected to reach μg/L-levels during pandemics. Thus, resistance could be induced in influenza viruses circulating among wild ducks. As influenza viruses can cross species barriers, oseltamivir resistance could spread to human-adapted strains with pandemic potential disabling oseltamivir, a cornerstone in pandemic preparedness planning. We propose surveillance in wild birds as a measure to understand the resistance situation in nature and to monitor it over time. Strategies to lower environmental levels of OC include improved sewage treatment and, more importantly, a prudent use of antivirals.</p>}},
  author       = {{Järhult, Josef D. and Muradrasoli, Shaman and Wahlgren, John and Söderström, Hanna and Orozovic, Goran and Gunnarsson, Gunnar and Bröjer, Caroline and Latorre-Margalef, Neus and Fick, Jerker and Grabic, Roman and Lennerstrand, Johan and Waldenström, Jonas and Lundkvist, Åke and Olsen, Björn}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{9}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Environmental levels of the antiviral oseltamivir induce development of resistance mutation H274Y in influenza A/H1N1 virus in mallards}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0024742}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0024742}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}