Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in pigs, Togo, 2013

- First detection of swine influenza virus in Togo.
- 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus in pigs in Togo.
- Human-to-swine transmission of 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus in Togo.

We collected 325 nasal swabs from freshly slaughtered previously healthy pigs from October 2012 through January 2014 in a slaughterhouse near Lomé in Togo. Influenza A virus genome was detected by RT-PCR in 2.5-12.3% of the pooled samples, and results of hemagglutinin subtyping RT-PCR assays showed the virus in all the positive pools to be A(H1N1)pdm09. Virus was isolated on MDCK cells from a representative specimen, A/swine/Togo/ONA32/2013(H1N1). The isolate was fully sequenced and harbored eight genes similar to A(H1N1)pdm09 virus genes circulating in humans in 2012-2013, suggesting human-to-swine transmission of the pathogen.