A novel monoclonal antibody effective against lethal challenge with swine-lineage and 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza viruses in mice

The HA protein of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 viruses (H1N1pdm) is antigenically closely related to the HA of classical North American swine H1N1 influenza viruses (cH1N1). Since 1998, through mutation and reassortment of HA genes from human H3N2 and H1N1 influenza viruses, swine influenza strains are undergoing substantial antigenic drift and shift. In this report we describe the development of a novel monoclonal antibody (S-OIV-3B2) that shows high hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neutralization titers not only against H1N1pdm, but also against representatives of the α, β, and γ clusters of swine-lineage H1 influenza viruses. Mice that received a single intranasal dose of S-OIV-3B2 were protected against lethal challenge with either H1N1pdm or cH1N1 virus. These studies highlight the potential use of S-OIV-3B2 as effective intranasal prophylactic or therapeutic antiviral treatment for swine-lineage H1 influenza virus infections.     

IgM,IgG, and IgA Antibody Responses to Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Hemagglutinin in Infected Persons during the First Wave of the 2009 Pandemic in the United States

The novel influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus caused an influenza pandemic in 2009. IgM, IgG, and IgA antibody responses to A(H1N1)pdm09 hemagglutinin (HA) following A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection were analyzed to understand antibody isotype responses. Age-matched control sera collected from U.S. residents in 2007 and 2008 were used to establish baseline levels of cross-reactive antibodies. IgM responses often used as indicators of primary virus infection were mainly detected in young patient groups (≤5 years and 6 to 15 years old), not in older age groups, despite the genetic and antigenic differences between the HA of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and pre-2009 seasonal H1N1 viruses. IgG and IgA responses to A(H1N1)pdm09 HA were detected in all age groups of infected persons. In persons 17 to 80 years old, paired acute- and convalescent-phase serum samples demonstrated ≥4-fold increases in the IgG and IgA responses to A(H1N1)pdm09 HA in 80% and 67% of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus-infected persons, respectively. The IgG antibody response to A(H1N1)pdm09 HA was cross-reactive with HAs from H1, H3, H5, and H13 subtypes, suggesting that infections with subtypes other than A(H1N1)pdm09 might result in false positives by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lower sensitivity compared to hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays and the detection of cross-reactive antibodies against homologous and heterologous subtype are major drawbacks for the application of ELISA in influenza serologic studies.     

Molecular and serological investigations of the Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic virus in Turkey

Intense research has been conducted on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus to determine the virulence markers. Limited information on characteristics of pandemic virus has become available in Turkey since the pandemic. In this first report from Turkey, we investigated the molecular markers that have been associated with increased virulence and oseltamivir resistance. We also conducted serological studies in people after infection, vaccination, exposure, and no-exposure controls to determine the level of protection against the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus. Thirteen rRT-PCR positive samples were analyzed for presence of mutations that have been associated with host range, virulence, and antiviral resistance: substitution D222G in the HA, E627K in the PB2, and H275Y in the neuraminidase (NA). In addition, 135 serum samples from vaccinated, recovered, asymptomatic contacts, and control individuals were tested using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. D222G was detected in nasal samples from two severe cases. No specified mutations in the PB2 and NA were identified. Additional substitutions, I216V, V321I, E374K, S203T in HA, V655I in PB2, and I163V in NA, were detected. HI testing from vaccinated individuals, recovered patients, asymptomatic contacts, and control individuals showed that 97.9, 99.7, 88.2, and 44.2 % had HI titers ≥40, respectively. Molecular markers promoting influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 to become a pandemic virus are still under investigation. Serological results confirm that younger, un-exposed individuals are at increased risk of pandemic virus infections. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses are still in circulation around the globe. Therefore, these viruses need to be monitored closely for development of new markers including antiviral resistance mutations.     

Epidemiology and full genome sequence analysis of H1N1pdm09 from Northeast China

Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus (H1N1pdm09) was a novel tri-assortment virus that emerged in Mexico and North America in 2009 and caused the first influenza pandemic in the 21st century. This study investigated the prevalence pattern and molecular characteristics of H1N1pdm09 in three continuous years from April 2009 to March 2012 in populations of Tianjin, Northeast China. Totally, 3,068 influenza viruses (25.4 %) were detected from 12,089 respiratory specimens. Among them, 41.4 % (1,269/3,068) were H1N1pdm09 positive. 15.1 % (192/1,269) severe respiratory infection cases were H1N1pdm09 positive. H1N1pdm09 was the predominant prevalence subtype in October 2009–March 2010 (69.1 %, 930/1,346) and October 2010–March 2011 (42.1 %, 220/523). Eight isolated H1N1pdm09 viruses from severe infection/death cases in three different years were selected to sequence the whole genome through splicing the sequences following 46 PCRs. HA sequences of seven H1N1pdm09 isolates from mild infection cases were detected. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HA, NA, M, NP and NS genes of H1N1pdm09 viruses gathered together with swine influenza A (H1N1), whereas PB2 and PA genes originated from avian influenza virus, and PB1 gene originated from human seasonal influenza virus. Identity analysis indicated that all the genes were highly conserved. Compared with vaccine strain A/California/07/2009(H1N1), the maximal mutation gene was HA (0.7–2.6 %), then NA (0.6–1.7 %), last one was M (mutation rate 0–0.6 %). More site substitutions were observed in 2011 isolates than in 2009 and 2010 isolates of HA (p = 0.002), NA (p = 0.003) and PA (p = 0.001) proteins. The amino acid substitution rates were varied among eight gene segments, ranging from 7.39 × 10^?4 for PB2 to 7.40 × 10^?3 for NA. The higher d _N / d _S rates were observed in HA, PA and NS segments in H1N1pdm09 in Tianjin. Three HA amino acid site substitutions occurred at the HA receptor-binding sites and antigenic determinant, including S179N and K180T (located at antigenic site Sa) in A/Tianjinhedong/SWL44/2011(H1) and A/Tianjinjinnan/SWL41/2011(H1), and D239N (located at antigenic site Ca) in A/Tianjinninghe/SWL49/2009(H1). Antigenic drift may have occurred in H1N1pdm09 with time. No oseltamivir-resistance site substitution was observed at 275 and 295 sites. Amino acid residue site at 31 in M2 protein was N in all 8 isolates, which suggested that H1N1pdm09 was resistant to amantadine.     

Antigenic variation of H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza viruses in Japan and Vietnam

The antigenicity of the influenza A virus hemagglutinin is responsible for vaccine efficacy in protecting pigs against swine influenza virus (SIV) infection. However, the antigenicity of SIV strains currently circulating in Japan and Vietnam has not been well characterized. We examined the antigenicity of classical H1 SIVs, pandemic A(H1N1)2009 (A(H1N1)pdm09) viruses, and seasonal human-lineage SIVs isolated in Japan and Vietnam. A hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay was used to determine antigenic differences that differentiate the recent Japanese H1N2 and H3N2 SIVs from the H1N1 and H3N2 domestic vaccine strains. Minor antigenic variation between pig A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses was evident by HI assay using 13 mAbs raised against homologous virus. A Vietnamese H1N2 SIV, whose H1 gene originated from a human strain in the mid-2000s, reacted poorly with post-infection ferret serum against human vaccine strains from 2000-2010. These results provide useful information for selection of optimal strains for SIV vaccine production.     

Classical swine H1N1 influenza viruses confer cross protection from swine-origin 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus infection in mice and ferrets

The hemagglutinin of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus is a derivative of and is antigenically related to classical swine but not to seasonal human H1N1 viruses. We compared the A/California/7/2009 (CA/7/09) virus recommended by the WHO as the reference virus for vaccine development, with two classical swine influenza viruses A/swine/Iowa/31 (sw/IA/31) and A/New Jersey/8/1976 (NJ/76) to establish the extent of immunologic cross-reactivity and cross-protection in animal models. Primary infection with 2009 pandemic or NJ/76 viruses elicited antibodies against the CA/7/09 virus and provided complete protection from challenge with this virus in ferrets; the response in mice was variable and conferred partial protection. Although ferrets infected with sw/IA/31 virus developed low titers of cross-neutralizing antibody, they were protected from pulmonary replication of the CA/7/09 virus. The data suggest that prior exposure to antigenically related H1N1 viruses of swine-origin provide some protective immunity against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus.     

Characterization of oseltamivir‐resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses in Taiwan in 2009–2011

The early isolated swine‐origin influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses were susceptible to oseltamivir; however, there is a concern about whether oseltamivir‐resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses will spread worldwide as did the oseltamivir‐resistant seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses in 2007–2008. In this study, the frequency of oseltamivir resistance in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses was determined in Taiwan. From May 2009 to April 2011, 1,335 A(H1N1)pdm09‐positive cases in Taiwan were tested for the H275Y mutation in the neuraminidase (NA) gene that confers resistance to oseltamivir. Among these, 15 patients (1.1%) were found to be infected with H275Y virus. All the resistant viruses were detected after the patients have received the oseltamivir. The overall monthly ratio of H275Y‐harboring viruses ranged between 0% and 2.88%, and the peak was correlated with influenza epidemics. The genetic analysis revealed that the oseltamivir‐resistant A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses can emerged from different variants with a great diversity under drug pressure. The ratio of NA/HA activities in different clades of oseltamivir‐resistant viruses was reduced compared to those in the wild‐type viruses, indicating that the balance of NA/HA in the current oseltamivir‐resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses was interfered. It is possible that H275Y‐bearing A(H1N1)pdm09 virus has not yet spread globally because it lacks the essential permissive mutations that can compensate for the negative impact on fitness by the H275Y amino acid substitution in NA. Continuous monitoring the evolution patterns of sensitive and resistant viruses is required to respond to possible emergence of resistant viruses with permissive genetic background which enable the wide spread of resistance. J. Med. Virol. 85:379–387, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Serologic Evidence of Pandemic Influenza Virus H1N1 2009 Infection in Cats in China

Infection of domestic cats with (H1N1) pandemic 2009 (pdm09) influenza A virus has recently been documented. In this paper, we report for the first time the sporadically current seroprevalence of (H1N1) pdm09 influenza A virus infection in cats in China. Thirteen of 1,080 sera were found positive by nucleoprotein (NP)-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in different cat populations in southern China. It is very important to stress further surveillance of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza A virus in cats in southern China.     

Novel reassortant influenza viruses between pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and other influenza viruses pose a risk to public health

Influenza A virus (IAV) is characterized by eight single-stranded, negative sense RNA segments, which allows for gene reassortment among different IAV subtypes when they co-infect a single host cell simultaneously. Genetic reassortment is an important way to favor the evolution of influenza virus. Novel reassortant virus may pose a pandemic among humans. In history, three human pandemic influenza viruses were caused by genetic reassortment between avian, human and swine influenza viruses. Since 2009, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (pdm/09 H1N1) influenza virus composed of two swine influenza virus genes highlighted the genetic reassortment again. Due to wide host species and high transmission of the pdm/09 H1N1 influenza virus, many different avian, human or swine influenza virus subtypes may reassert with it to generate novel reassortant viruses, which may result in a next pandemic among humans. So, it is necessary to understand the potential threat of current reassortant viruses between the pdm/09 H1N1 and other influenza viruses to public health. This study summarized the status of the reassortant viruses between the pdm/09 H1N1 and other influenza viruses of different species origins in natural and experimental conditions. The aim of this summarization is to facilitate us to further understand the potential threats of novel reassortant influenza viruses to public health and to make effective prevention and control strategies for these pathogens.     

High doses of recombinant mannan‐binding lectin inhibit the binding of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus with cells expressing DC‐SIGN

The pandemic influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 virus continues to be a threat to human health. Low doses of mannan‐binding lectin (MBL) (<1 μg/mL) were shown not to protect against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection. However, the effect of high doses of MBL has not been investigated. Dendritic cell‐specific intercellular adhesion molecule‐3 grabbing non‐integrin (DC‐SIGN) has been proposed as an alternative receptor for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. In this study, we examined the expression of DC‐SIGN on DCs as well as on acute monocytic leukemia cell line, THP‐1. High doses of recombinant or human MBL inhibited binding of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 to both these cell types in the presence of complement derived from bovine serum. Further, anti‐DC‐SIGN monoclonal antibody inhibited binding of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 to both DC‐SIGN‐expressing DCs and THP‐1 cells. This study demonstrates that high doses of MBL can inhibit binding of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus to DC‐SIGN‐expressing cells in the presence of complement. Our results suggest that DC‐SIGN may be an alternative receptor for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus.     

Natural co-infection of influenza A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09 viruses resulting in a reassortant A/H3N2 virus

BackgroundDespite annual co-circulation of different subtypes of seasonal influenza, co-infections between different viruses are rarely detected. These co-infections can result in the emergence of reassortant progeny.Study designWe document the detection of an influenza co-infection, between influenza A/H3N2 with A/H1N1pdm09 viruses, which occurred in a 3 year old male in Cambodia during April 2014. Both viruses were detected in the patient at relatively high viral loads (as determined by real-time RT-PCR CT values), which is unusual for influenza co-infections. As reassortment can occur between co-infected influenza A strains we isolated plaque purified clonal viral populations from the clinical material of the patient infected with A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09.ResultsComplete genome sequences were completed for 7 clonal viruses to determine if any reassorted viruses were generated during the influenza virus co-infection. Although most of the viral sequences were consistent with wild-type A/H3N2 or A/H1N1pdm09, one reassortant A/H3N2 virus was isolated which contained an A/H1N1pdm09 NS1 gene fragment. The reassortant virus was viable and able to infect cells, as judged by successful passage in MDCK cells, achieving a TCID₅₀ of 10⁴/ml at passage number two. There is no evidence that the reassortant virus was transmitted further. The co-infection occurred during a period when co-circulation of A/H3N2 and A/H1N1pdm09 was detected in Cambodia.ConclusionsIt is unclear how often influenza co-infections occur, but laboratories should consider influenza co-infections during routine surveillance activities.     

Characterization of an influenza A virus in Mexican swine that is related to the A/H1N1/2009 pandemic clade

In the spring of 2009, swine-origin influenza H1N1pdm09 viruses caused the first influenza pandemic of this century. We characterized the influenza viruses that circulated early during the outbreak in Mexico, including one newly sequenced swine H1N1pdm09 virus and three newly sequenced human H1N1pdm09 viruses that circulated in the outbreak of respiratory disease in La Gloria, Veracruz. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the swine isolate (A/swine/Mexico/4/2009) collected in April 2009 is positioned in a branch that is basal to the rest of the H1N1pdm09 clade in two (NP and PA) of the eight single-gene trees. In addition, the concatenated HA-NA and the complete whole-genome trees also showed a basal position for A/swine/Mexico/4/2009. Furthermore, this swine virus was found to share molecular traits with non-H1N1pdm09 H1N1 viral lineages. These results suggest that this isolate could potentially be the first one detected from a sister lineage closely related to the H1N1pdm09 viruses.     

Differential influenza H1N1-specific humoral and cellular response kinetics in kidney transplant patients

Renal transplant recipients (RTR) are considered at high risk for influenza-associated complications due to immunosuppression. The efficacy of standard influenza vaccination in RTRs is unclear. Hence, we evaluated activation of the adaptive immunity by the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 (A(H1N1)pdm09) vaccine in RTRs as compared to healthy controls. To determine cross-reactivity and/or bystander activation, seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine and tetanus/diphteria toxoid (TT/DT) vaccine-specific T cells along with allospecific T cells were quantified before and after A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccination. Vaccination-induced alloimmunity was additionally determined by quantifying serum creatinine and proinflammatory protein IP-10. Contrary to healthy controls, RTRs required a booster vaccination to achieve seroconversion (13.3 % day 21; 90 % day 90). In contrast to humoral immunity, sufficient A(H1N1)pdm09-specific T-cell responses were mounted in RTRs already after the first immunization with a magnitude comparable with healthy controls. Interestingly, vaccination simultaneously boosted T cells reacting to seasonal flu but not to TT/DT, suggesting cross-activation. No alloimmune effects were recorded. In conclusion, protective antibody responses required booster vaccination. However, sufficient cellular immunity is established already after the first vaccination, demonstrating differential kinetics of humoral and cellular immunity.     

Differential host determinants contribute to the pathogenesis of 2009 pandemic H1N1 and human H5N1 influenza A viruses in experimental mouse models

Influenza viruses are responsible for high morbidities in humans and may, eventually, cause pandemics. Herein, we compared the pathogenesis and host innate immune responses of a seasonal H1N1, two 2009 pandemic H1N1, and a human H5N1 influenza virus in experimental BALB/c and C57BL/6J mouse models. We found that both 2009 pandemic H1N1 isolates studied (A/Hamburg/05/09 and A/Hamburg/NY1580/09) were low pathogenic in BALB/c mice [log mouse lethal dose 50 (MLD(50)) >6 plaque-forming units (PFU)] but displayed remarkable differences in virulence in C57BL/6J mice. A/Hamburg/NY1580/09 was more virulent (logMLD(50) = 3.5 PFU) than A/Hamburg/05/09 (logMLD(50) = 5.2 PFU) in C57BL/6J mice. In contrast, the H5N1 influenza virus was more virulent in BALB/c mice (logMLD(50) = 0.3 PFU) than in C57BL/6J mice (logMLD(50) = 1.8 PFU). Seasonal H1N1 influenza revealed marginal pathogenicity in BALB/c or C57BL/6J mice (logMLD(50) >6 PFU). Enhanced susceptibility of C57BL/6J mice to pandemic H1N1 correlated with a depressed cytokine response. In contrast, enhanced H5N1 virulence in BALB/c mice correlated with an elevated proinflammatory cytokine response. These findings highlight that host determinants responsible for the pathogenesis of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza viruses are different from those contributing to H5N1 pathogenesis. Our results show, for the first time to our knowledge, that the C57BL/6J mouse strain is more appropriate for the evaluation and identification of intrinsic pathogenicity markers of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza viruses that are "masked" in BALB/c mice.     

唐山市甲型H1N1流感病毒血凝素基因序列分析

目的 分析2010—2016年唐山市甲型H1N1流感病毒血凝素(hemagglutinin,HA)基因序列进化特征.方法 选取唐山市3家哨点医院流感样病例分离到的24株甲型H1N1病毒,通过RT-PCR和测序方法获得HA基因的全长序列,运用分子生物学软件和统计学软件对序列进行拼接、比对和分析.结果 同源进化分析显示,24株甲型H1N1流感病毒HA基因与疫苗株A/California/7/2009的核苷酸和氨基酸的同源性分别为97.0%~99.0%和97.0%~98.5%.进化分析显示,2010—2016年唐山地区流行的甲型H1N1流感病毒属于1、7、6三个基因分支,其中6分支毒株分为6C、6B、6B.1和6B.2亚支.氨基酸位点分析显示,不同毒株与疫苗株比较存在8~16处氨基酸位点改变,其中7个变异涉及3个抗原表位:H138Q/Y和S203T突变位于Ca区,N125S、K153E、S162N、K163T/Q突变位于Sa区,S185T突变位于Sb区同时也位于受体结合部位;2015—2016流行季6B.1分支毒株抗原位点S162N突变增加了新的潜在糖基化位点.结论 与疫苗株比较,随着时间推移唐山地区甲型H1N1流感病毒发生了抗原漂变,未来仍应关注6B分支流行株的变化.     

Innate and adaptive immune responses in patients with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09

Innate and adaptive immune responses play critical roles in the body’s defense against viruses. We investigated the host immune response against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus [A(H1N1)pdm09] in patients before and after anti-influenza therapy and found that the numbers of dendritic cells and T cells were significantly reduced compared with those of a healthy control group. In contrast, the frequency of natural killer, γδT and T regulatory (T_reg) cells increased, and the concentrations of plasma interferon (IFN)-α/γ and interleukin (IL-15) were significantly higher than those of the control. Following therapy the frequency of γδT and T_reg cells returned to normal; the counts of myeloid dendritic and plasmacytoid dendritic cells were still lower than the control, while the concentrations of IFN-α/γ and IL-15 remained high. We show that infection with A (H1N1)pdm09 was accompanied by changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subgroups and cytokine profiles, leading to deleterious imbalances in innate and adaptive immunity.     

Immunization with a low dose of hemagglutinin-encoding plasmid protects against 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus in mice

A vaccine against the novel pandemic influenza virus (2009 H1N1) is available, but several problems in preparation of vaccines against the new emerging influenza viruses need to be overcome. DNA vaccines represent a novel and powerful alternative to conventional vaccine approaches. To evaluate the ability of a DNA vaccine encoding the hemagglutinin (HA) of 2009 H1N1 to generate humoral responses and protective immunity, BALB/c mice were immunized with various doses of 2009 H1N1 HA-encoding plasmid and anti-HA total IgG, hemagglutination inhibition antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were assayed. The total IgG titers against HA correlated positively with the doses of DNA vaccine, but immunization with either a low dose (10 μg) or a higher dose (25-200 μg) of HA plasmid resulted in similar titers of hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibodies, following a single booster. Further, 10 μg plasmid conferred effective protection against lethal virus challenge. These results suggested that the DNA vaccine encoding the HA of 2009 H1N1 virus is highly effective for inducing neutralizing antibodies and protective immunity. DNA vaccines are a promising new strategy for the rapid development of efficient vaccines to control new emerging pandemic influenza viruses.     

Molecular characterization of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates collected in the 2015-2016 season and comparison of HA mutations detected in Turkey since 2009

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic virus causing the 2009 global outbreak moved into the post-pandemic period, but its variants continued to be the prevailing subtype in the 2015-2016 influenza season in Europe and Asia. To determine the molecular characteristics of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates circulating during the 2015-2016 season in Turkey, we identified mutations in the hemagglutinin (HA) genes and investigated the presence of H275Y alteration in the neuraminidase genes in the randomly selected isolates. The comparison of the HA nucleotide sequences revealed a very high homology (>99.5%) among the studied influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates, while a relatively low homology (96.6%-97.2%), was observed between Turkish isolates and the A/California/07/2009 vaccine virus. Overall 14 common mutations were detected in HA sequences of all 2015-2016 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates with respect to the A/California/07/2009 virus, four of which located in three different antigenic sites. Eleven rare mutations in 12 HA sequences were also detected. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all characterized influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates formed a single genetic cluster, belonging to the genetic subclade 6B.1, defined by HA amino acid substitutions S84N, S162N, and I216T. Furthermore, all isolates showed an oseltamivir-sensitive genotype, suggesting that Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) could still be the drug of choice in Turkey.     

Genetic diversity of HA1 domain of hemagglutinin gene of pandemic influenza H1N1pdm09 viruses in New Delhi, India

Genetic analysis of pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1; H1N1pdm09) virus was undertaken to understand virus evolution during 2009 and 2010 in India. Surveillance of influenza viruses from July 2009 to December 2010 revealed major peaks of circulating H1N1pdm09 viruses in August–September and December–January 2009 and then in August–September 2010. To understand the diversity of the H1N1pdm09 virus, selected specimens (n = 23) from 2009 or 2010 were characterized by nucleotide sequence determination of the HA1 subunit of the HA gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 22 clustered with clade 7 viruses characterized by S203T mutations, whereas one virus from 2010 fell within clade 6. None of the viruses from either 2009 or 2010 formed a monophyletic group, suggesting a continuum of independent introduction of circulating viral strains. Amino acid analysis revealed minor amino acid changes in the antigenic or receptor‐binding domains. Importantly, we observed mutations that were also present in 1918 pandemic virus, which includes S183P in 4 and S185T mutation in 3 of 13 viruses analyzed from 2010, while none of the 2009 viruses carried these mutations. Whether antibody‐mediated pressure is imposing such changes remains to be determined. Continued genetic surveillance is warranted to monitor pathogenicity as the virus evolves to acquire new features. J. Med. Virol. 84:386–393, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.