High Level of Genetic Compatibility between Swine-Origin H1N1 and Highly Pathogenic Avian H5N1 Influenza Viruses

Reassortment is an important mechanism for the evolution of influenza viruses. Here, we coinfected cultured cells with the pandemic swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) and a contemporary H5N1 virus and found that these two viruses have high genetic compatibility. Studies of human lung cell lines indicated that some reassortants had better growth kinetics than their parental viruses. We conclude that reassortment between these two viruses can occur and could create pandemic H5N1 viruses.