Abstract：H3N1 subtype Avian influenza virus (AIV) can infect wild birds, poultry, pigs (Sus scrofa) and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). In order to understand the biological property of H3N1 subtype AIV, phylogenetic analysis and specific pathogen free (SPF) animal infection experiments were conducted for two H3N1 strains, A/environment/Anhui/S4108/2011 (EN/AH/S4108/2011) and A/duck/Fujian/S2196/2012 (DK/FJ/S2196/2012) which were isolated from Anhui and Fujian province in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the genetic origin of the two stains were obviously diversified. The neuraminidase (NA) and matrix protein (M) genes of DK/FJ/S2196/2012 and the polymerase basic protein 1 (PB1), NA, and non-structural protein (NS) genes of EN/AH/S4108/2011 were most closely related to those of H5N1 AIVs. Besides, these two viruses shed only through oropharyngeal route of infected chickens (Gallus gallus) and didn't have the ability to horizontal transmission. The two viruses could efficiently replicate in the nasal turbinates and lungs of infected mice (Mus musculus) without prior adaptation. In addition, these two viruses did not cause any obvious clinical symptoms of infected mice, and thereby they were low pathogenic to mice. In conclusion, two H3N1 viruses showed genetic diversity and complexity in their origin and had a low potential risk to infect mammals. This study indicated that H5N1 AIVs in eastern China were involved in reassortment with H3N1 subtype AIVs genome, which provides scientific basis for prevention and control of H3N1 subtype AIVs.
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