Abstract: To investigate the pathogenicity of A/Hero/Guangdong/C1/2013(H5N6), an AIV strain isolated from Heron on ducks and mice, pathogenicity of this new virus strain and changing of histopathology as well as a preliminary study on its biological characteristics were studied by virus challenges test via intranasal and eye-drop and in chicken via jugular vein injection.Results showed that the EID₅₀ of this strain of virus was 10^-8.16/0.1 mL in embryonated chicken eggs and the intravenous inoculation of pathogenic index (IVPI) was 2.76.In ducks and mice, the 50% lethal doses (LD₅₀) of it were determined to be 10^-4.0/0.2 mL and 10^-4.67/0.05 mL, respectively.Symptoms of infection included loss of appetite, depression, swollen head and tears after being infected with 10⁶ EID₅₀ per duck by intranasal and eye-drop administration.Most of ducks died 4 to 7 days post-infection, liver, lung and kidney still eliminated toxicants at day 7 post-infection.Anatomy showed symptoms of pericardial effusion, pulmonary congestion and kidney enlargement, while pathological section showed pathological change like karyopycnosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in heart, liver, kidney and spleen.Mice developed symptoms of infection like loss of appetite, depression, shaggy coat and ruffled coat after being infected with 5×10⁵ EID₅₀ per mouse by intranasal and eye-drop administration.Most of the infected mice died 5 to 7 days post-infection and only liver still eliminated toxicants at day 7 post-infection.Although organ anatomy showed no obvious pathological changes, pathological section showed pathological changes like karyopycnosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in heart, kidney and lung.Our research demonstrated that this H5N6 subtype AIV had a strong pathogenicity and could be defined as a highly pathogenic AIV strain as its IVPI was greater than 1.2.Our work laid a theory foundation for study, prevention and control of H5N6 subtype AIV.

Key words: H5N6 subtype avian influenza virus; duck; mouse