Phylogenetic analysis of hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and nucleoprotein genes of H9N2 avian influenza viruses isolated in Israel during the 2000–2005 epizootic

The first two isolates of H9N2 influenza virus in Israel were collected from turkey and chicken hosts in May 2000. The actual epizootic of the H9N2 virus started in December 2001, after a 1.5-year period of silence, and still continues. A total of more than 500 isolations from turkeys and chickens were registered during the outbreaks. The present study has revealed some genetic peculiarities among the local isolates, namely: all the isolates...