Expansion of genotypic diversity and establishment of 2009 H1N1 pandemic-origin internal genes in pigs in China

‘Two-way' transmission of influenza viruses between humans and swine has been frequently observed and the occurrence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza (pdm/09) demonstrated that swine-origin viruses could facilitate the genesis of a pandemic strain. Although multiple introductions to and reassortment in swine of the pdm/09 virus have been repeatedly reported in both Eurasia and the Americas, its long-term impact on the development of swine influenza viruses (SIVs) has not been systematically explored. Our comprehensive evolutionary studies on the complete genomes of 387 SIVs obtained from 2009 to 2012 in influenza surveillance in China revealed 17 reassortant genotypes with pdm/09-origin genes. Even though the entire 2009 pandemic virus and its surface genes cannot persist, its internal genes have becoming established and are now the predominant lineages in pigs in the region. The main persistent pdm/09-origin reassortant forms had at least 5 pdm/09-origin internal genes and their sur...