ETIDIOH - NEW

  Abstract Introduction Seasonal influenza causes significant global morbidity, mortality, and economic burden . Ongoing viral evolution can lead to vaccine mismatch and the emergence of antiviral resistance , highlighting the importance of genomic surveillance. The 2024–2025 influenza season was characterized by high incidence and increased hospitalizations. Methods We analyzed influenza A virus (IAV) genomes and clinical characteristics from the 2024–2025 season . Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 648 influenza A–positive clinical specimens collected between October 2024 and April 2025. Results Hemagglutinin (HA) sequences were recovered from 74.23% (481/648) of samples and used for subtyping and phylogenetic analysis. A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses co-circulated , representing 55.5% and 44.5% of cases, respectively. Among A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, the HA1 substitution T120A , located near the Sa antigenic site , increased more than twofold compared with the prior season. Ci...

  Abstract Background Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains a key driver of community spread , with secondary attack rates in Thai households reaching approximately 50 %. There is limited evidence supporting the efficacy of antiviral post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in this context. Methods The phase 2/3, open-label, (1:1) cluster-randomized controlled trial in Thailand , 168 household close contacts from 76 index cases were enrolled to receive either favipiravir-PEP (FPV-PEP) (1600–2000 mg/day for 7 days) or usual care. The efficacy of FPV-PEP was investigated in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection after contact with index cases. Results The incidence of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was lower in the FPV-PEP group than in the usual care group (7.32 % vs. 14.47 %), although the difference was not statistically significant . A trend toward fewer early positive rapid diagnostic test results on day 3 was observed in the FPV-PEP group. Symptom development was less frequent among FPV...

  Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus has spread to over 1,080 dairy farms across 18 states in the United States, resulting in 41 human infections and posing serious risks to both animal and public health . To address these risks, a hemagglutinin-based mRNA–lipid nanoparticle vaccine was developed , and its safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy in high-yielding lactating dairy cows were evaluated. The vaccine was well tolerated, had no adverse effects on health or milk production , and induced strong antibody responses . Two weeks after the second immunization, all the immunized cattle were fully protected against a high-dose H5N1 virus challenge . Notably, two-thirds of the cattle were still completely protected even at the 19th week after the first vaccination , when their serum antibody levels were very low. These data demonstrate that the mRNA vaccine confers robust, lasting protection against H5N1 virus in lactating dairy cows, providing a foundatio...

  {Summary} Recent headlines about influenza have reported a “super flu” causing a “record-breaking season” that is “overwhelming hospitals.” Although less dramatic, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal substantial influenza activity : the agency estimated that there were more than 20 million cases of influenza illness, 270,000 influenza-related hospitalizations , and 11,000 deaths from influenza in the United States through January 24, 2026. These numbers aren’t extraordinary as compared with those from previous seasons, but some indicators of influenza activity and severity have been remarkable. (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2600395?query=TOC ____

  Abstract Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging coronavirus that can cause zoonotic disease in humans with lethal severe viral pneumonia . Dromedary camels are the source of zoonotic infection. As of November 2025, MERS-CoV has resulted in a total of 2630 reported cases, 37% of these being fatal . The number of reported human cases has been on a decreasing trend since 2016 and reached a nadir during the COVID-19 pandemic . The reason for the reduction of cases is unclear and may be multifactorial. We hypothesized that mutations accumulating in the virus spike protein may have reduced zoonotic potential . Here, we investigate the impact of recently emerged virus spike-protein mutations on virus replication competence using pseudoviruses and replication-competent recombinant viruses. We found that virus spike variants detected in 2019 and some from 2023 show a reduced cell entry, lower viral replication and reduced fitness in human primary alveolar e...

  Risk statement    -- The scope of this Rapid Risk Assessment is to reassess the epidemiological situation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus ( MERS-CoV ) following the recent exportation (in December 2025) of cases from the Arabian Peninsula to France and three healthcare-associated clusters reported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2024–2025.  -- These events, together with the continued occurrence of sporadic cases in Arabian Peninsula countries, highlight the ongoing risk of international spread to non-endemic countries and reflect the persistent circulation of MERS-CoV in the Middle East .   -- Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic virus transmitted to humans through direct or indirect contact with infected dromedary camels , which are the natural host of the virus.  -- First identified in humans in 2012 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Jordan , MERS-CoV causes a viral respiratory infect...

  {Summary} Overall risk statement -- At the end of 2025, the global public health risk from COVID-19 remained moderate, following the declining deaths and hospitalizations in 2022 due to high population immunity , improved clinical management, and similar virulence and characterized by sustained stability in severity indicators—including ICU admissions and in hospital mortality—throughout the following years.  -- Most SARS-CoV-2 variants now belong to the JN.1 Omicron sublineages , which show immune escape but do not result in increased disease severity compared to other Omicron sublineages.  -- Nonetheless, continued surveillance gaps , reduced genomic sequencing and sharing of sequence information, and limited reporting , especially from low- and middle-income countries, undermine a more informed risk assessment at this time.  -- SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate widely , as indicated by sentinel surveillance under GISRS and wastewater surveillance , co-circulatin...

  A wild Mute Swan in Žilinský Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7246 ____

  Abstract Recent A(H5N1) zoonotic cases linked to poultry and cattle in North America highlight the urgent need to assess the pandemic potential of emerging strains . Using male ferrets , we evaluate two B3.13 and two D1.1 genotype A(H5N1) viruses isolated from humans and observe fatal disease and varying capacities for direct contact transmission . To enhance pandemic risk assessment , we conduct aerosol sampling using cyclone BC251 and water condensation capture-based SPOT samplers and perform comparative analyses to include additional A(H5N1), A(H9N2), A(H7N9), and A(H1N1)pdm09 strains with known transmissibility profiles. Although none of the A(H5N1) strains transmit via the air, B3.13 viruses are detected at significantly higher levels compared to D1.1 strains . Here we show strong correlations between viral loads in nasal washes, airborne virus shedding, and transmissibility in ferrets , highlighting the value of these metrics for identifying zoonotic influenza viruses that ...

  Abstract Decelerating gains in life expectancy (e0) in high-income countries have raised concerns about the future of human longevity . To enhance our understanding of these developments, we examine subnational (N = 450) mortality trends in Western Europe in the period 1992-2019. Between 1992 and 2005, gains in life expectancy were both substantial and widespread. Laggard regions experienced the fastest improvements, yielding rapid regional convergence. Between 2005 and 2019, however, gains in these regions decelerated , while remaining remarkably stable in vanguard regions, suggesting that it remains possible to continue extending longevity . The observed slowing of e0 gains is strongly associated with mortality at ages 55-74 , which increased in this period across large areas of Western Europe , particularly in Germany and France . In this work, we show that monitoring mortality trends at a fine geographical level is crucial for revealing both the potential for, and challenges ...

  Public Domain Source:  Link:  https://www.wikiart.org/en/titian/crowning-with-thorns ____

  Highlights •  IN-delivered ChAd-Texas vaccine elicits mucosal antibody and T cell responses •  IN-delivered ChAd-Texas vaccine protects against H5N1 in mice and hamsters •  IN delivery of ChAd-Texas vaccine confers greater protection than IM delivery •  ChAd-Texas induces H5N1 immunity in the setting of prior influenza immunity Summary The emergence of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses in dairy cows and humans has increased the potential for another pandemic . To address this risk, we developed chimpanzee adenoviral (ChAd)-vectored H5 hemagglutinin-targeted vaccines and tested their immunogenicity and efficacy in rodents . Immunization with ChAd-Texas (clade 2.3.4.4b) vaccine in mice elicits neutralizing antibody responses and confers protection against viral infection and mortality upon challenge with a human H5N1 isolate (A/Michigan/90/2024, clade 2.3.4.4b). Intranasal delivery of the ChAd-Texas vaccine elicits mucosal antibody and T cell respon...

Abstract Key to the success of influenza A virus as a pathogen are its numerous tactics of immune evasion. To suppress anti-viral cellular and organismal responses , influenza A virus encodes several immunomodulatory proteins , including the endoribonuclease PA-X . PA-X decreases inflammation and immune responses in in vivo infections by limiting host gene expression . PA-X is conserved in 99% of all influenza A viral strains , pointing to its importance as a crucial immunomodulator . However, it is not yet known how PA-X activity alters the antiviral response in the human airway or how it benefits the virus. To define how influenza A virus uses this protein to evade immune responses , we characterized the impacts of PA-X on the host response to infection in the infected and bystander cells of the airway epithelium using a 3D ex vivo model. We discovered that PA-X exerts a dual action on immune responses , dampening aspects of both the innate and adaptive immune systems . Consistent wi...

 By Kbh3rd - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5545061 Source:  Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-turbine_locomotive ____

  Clin Infect Dis BRAMANTE CT, Boulware DR Preventing Long COVID With Metformin. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Jan 29:ciaf700. doi: 10.1093. PubMed          Emerg Infect Dis PERERA RAPM, Marques A, Graham-Wooten J, Tan LH, et al Enhanced Isolation and Detection of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients Undergoing Antiviral Therapy. Emerg Infect Dis. 2026;32:103-113. PubMed           Abstract available Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol NEO YN, Martinez-Alvarez L, Davagnanam I, Girafa G, et al Correction: Treatment of post-vaccination optic neuritis: implications from the global SARS-CoV-2 vaccination effort. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2026 Jan 29. doi: 10.1007/s00417-026-07129. PubMed          Int J Infect Dis NGIAM JN, Wee LE, Lim JT, Loy EX, et al Early administration of neutralising monoclonal antibodies and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. Int J Infect Dis. 2026 Jan 25:108435. ...

  Am J Med CHENG Y, Ling Y, Scholten J, Atkins D, et al Patterns and trends in prevalent central nervous system stimulant use in US veterans with traumatic brain injury. Am J Med. 2026;139:170-180. PubMed           Abstract available BMC Pediatr AKAR A Rare disease mimicking multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. BMC Pediatr. 2025;26:56. PubMed           Abstract available Cell PEKAR JE, Crespo-Bellido A, Lemey P, Bowman AS, et al Can H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle be contained in the US? Cell. 2026 Jan 23:S0092-8674(25)01483-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025. PubMed           Abstract available J Clin Microbiol XU X, Hull W, Plunkett D, Tu ZJ, et al Emergence of influenza A(H3N2) subclade K in northeast Ohio in autumn 2025. J Clin Microbiol. 2026 Jan 27:e0181325. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01813. PubMed          J Infect Dis ZHONG...

  Abstract The emergence of MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2 highlights the significant public health and economic threats posed by coronaviruses . In Lao PDR , SARS-CoV-2-related bat coronaviruses capable of binding to human ACE2 receptors have been found in northern regions , but little is known about coronavirus diversity in anthropized environments like temples . This study investigated coronavirus circulation, diversity, and prevalence in bats from caves and temples in Vientiane Province , Lao PDR. A total of 648 guano samples (505 Chaerephon plicatus , 100 Hipposideros spp ., 43 Taphozous spp .) were collected between December 2022 and June 2023 and screened using pan-coronavirus RT-PCR approach . The overall positivity rate was 17.28%, significantly higher in caves (18.8%) than temples (4.41%) (p = 0.003). C. plicatus showed the highest positivity rate (21.38%), followed by Hipposideros spp . 4%, while Taphozous spp . were negative. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diverse...

  By Hpeterswald - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28169917 Source:  Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davenport_Locomotive_Works ____

  Abstract US retail milk monitoring during April 13–May 3, 2024 , identified influenza A(H5N1) viral RNA in 36% of retail milk samples , indicating widespread undetected infections in US dairy cows . After federal initiatives, reported infections more closely aligned with findings in retail milk during December 27, 2024–January 29, 2025 , reflecting improved detection and control. Source:  Link:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/32/2/25-1332_article ____