ETIDIOH - NEW

  Abstract The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant BA.3.2 descends from BA.3 . It emerged two years after BA.3 ceased to circulate and differs by 39 spike mutations from BA.3 . Similar to BA.2.86, which circulated at low levels before giving rise to JN.1, BA.3.2 shows a low but persistent circulation globally . Here, we characterize the phylogenetic origin, infection in cell culture, and neutralization of BA.3.2 using live virus and blood plasma samples collected in South Africa at different stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Like the Omicron BA.2.86 subvariant, we find that BA.3.2 likely emerged in Southern Africa . We also find that an 871 bp deletion removed ORF7 and ORF8 . In H1299-ACE2 cells, BA.3.2 has lower cytotoxicity measured as plaque area compared to ancestral SARS-CoV-2 but similar to the co-circulating LP.8.1 Omicron subvariant with which it also shares similar replication and infection focus size . BA.3.2 and LP.8.1 exhibit complete escape from neutralization from pre-Omicro...

  {Excerpt} Highlights • Transmission of mpox continues mostly within sexual networks, affecting both women and men , followed by household transmission , and in some historically endemic areas , affecting all age groups.  - All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.  - Unless mpox outbreaks are rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is interrupted , there is a risk of sustained community transmission in all settings.  • In February 2026, 46 countries across all WHO regions reported a total of 1184 confirmed mpox cases , including four deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.3%).  - Of these cases, 58.6% were reported in the WHO African Region .  • Four WHO regions – the Region of the Americas and the African, South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions – reported a decline in confirmed cases in February, compared to January 2026, while the European Region reported an increase in confirmed cases .  - The Eastern Mediterranean R...

{Excerpt} (...)  Daily case figures -- The number of confirmed and probable cases can change when: - a case is laboratory confirmed - when the clinical assessment changes, including when new laboratory results are available - when further epidemiological information is available -- The figures in Table 1 cannot be used to identify the number of new confirmed or probable cases from one day to the next. This also applies to total cases. Table 1. Cases of invasive meningococcal disease linked to Canterbury, Kent by day from 16 March 2026 [Date - Total outbreak confirmed cases - Outbreak confirmed MenB cases (subset of total outbreak confirmed cases) - Outbreak confirmed MenB cases with outbreak strain (subset of outbreak confirmed MenB cases) -  Outbreak probable cases - Total outbreak cases ] * 25 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 17 - 2 - 22 * 24 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 17 - 2 - 22 * 23 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 17 - 3 - 23 * 22 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] -...

  Abstract The ongoing panzootic of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, dominated by clade 2.3.4.4b, constitutes a significant global threat to wildlife, animal health, and public health . Once characterized by sporadic outbreaks, H5N1 has evolved into a sustained, year-round infection with an expanded host range that now includes numerous mammalian species . Its high pathogenicity is primarily driven by the acquisition of a polybasic haemagglutinin cleavage site , enabling systemic viral spread , alongside emerging endothelial and neurotropic properties that contribute to severe disease and high mortality in mammals . Although zoonotic transmission remains limited, H5N1 continues to accumulate mutations associated with mammalian adaptation , particularly within the haemagglutinin and polymerase complex . Notably, recent outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle highlight the emergence of novel mammalian reservoirs with increased human exposure risk. Concurrently, vaccina...

  Summary Background Difficult-to-treat resistant (DTR) Gram-negative infections show resistance to all first-line antibiotics (ie, β-lactams and fluoroquinolones) and have a 40% greater mortality rate than susceptible infections . New antibiotics are now available with improved safety and efficacy and with in-vitro activity against DTR infections; however, their influence on the outcomes of patients with DTR infections remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate whether and why mortality in patients with DTR infections has changed since the introduction of these newer antibiotics in the USA. Methods In this retrospective cohort study in the USA, adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with a DTR Gram-negative infection , defined as microbiological evidence of DTR Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , or Acinetobacter baumannii and receipt of at least 3 consecutive days of any antibiotic therapy , were identified from hospitals reporting microbiology data in the PINC-AI Healthcare Database....

  "Thanks to the epidemiological surveillance network active in the region , the first European {imported} case of avian influenza of the H9 subtype has been identified in a patient arriving from abroad ," said the Regional Councilor for Welfare. The Lombardy Region immediately activated coordination procedures with the Ministry of Health and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) to ensure the utmost rigor in managing the case and monitoring contacts. The councilor added :  "The patient is currently hospitalized in isolation at San Gerardo Hospital in Monza . In addition to treatment for the viral infection, the medical team is managing other comorbidities the patient is suffering from. The epidemiological investigation was promptly conducted by ATS Brianza , while the molecular analyses that allowed for the precise identification of the virus were performed by the University of Milan and confirmed by the Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (composed of the Director...

  Abstract The global expansion of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus A(H5N1) underscores the need for rapid surveillance at high-risk wildlife interfaces. Taiaroa Head (45.7828 S, 170.7333 E) in the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand hosts a plethora of aquatic wildlife including a large red-billed gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus) colony as well as the only mainland breeding colony of northern royal albatross (Diomedea sanfordi). The Royal Albatross Centre is also a major nature tourism destination , attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually, thereby creating a dense ecological and human-wildlife interface vulnerable to viral incursion. We evaluated the GeneXpert II platform using the Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV cartridge as a field-deployable tool for avian influenza virus detection in environmental and wildlife-associated samples . The assay detected synthetic influenza A viral RNA and multiple endemic low pathogenic avian influenza virus subtypes...

  {Excerpt} (...) Daily case figures -- The number of confirmed and probable cases can change when: - a case is laboratory confirmed - when the clinical assessment changes, including when new laboratory results are available - when further epidemiological information is available __ The figures in Table 1 cannot be used to identify the number of new confirmed or probable cases from one day to the next. This also applies to total cases. Table 1. Cases of invasive meningococcal disease linked to Canterbury, Kent by day from 16 March 2026 [Date - Total outbreak confirmed cases - Outbreak confirmed MenB cases (subset of total outbreak confirmed cases) - Outbreak confirmed MenB cases with outbreak strain (subset of outbreak confirmed MenB cases) - Outbreak probable cases - Total outbreak cases ] * 24 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 17 - 2 - 22 * 23 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 17 - 3 - 23 * 22 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 19  -  [note 1] - 9 - 29 * 21 March 2026 - ...

  Significance The rising global numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections highlight the need to assess potential neurodevelopmental and psychiatric impact in children born to infected mothers. Human cohorts have provided conflicting conclusions , while mouse studies have focused on moderate-to-severe infection despite most infections in pregnant women being mild or asymptomatic. Our study shows that mild, respiratory tract–restricted SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant mice was sufficient to cause placental inflammation and transient changes in offspring brain gene expression , without altering gross brain structure or behavior under our experimental conditions. These findings suggest that soluble factors induced by maternal respiratory infection mediate placental inflammation and changes in offspring brain gene expression during the fetal and neonatal periods, which resolve in later childhood. Abstract Maternal viral infection during pregnancy has been identified as a risk factor for psychia...

  Abstract Introduction Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are critical tools for elucidating viral evolution , informing vaccine design, and developing antiviral therapeutics . Large-animal models, such as the pig , that closely mirror human immune responses are essential for understanding influenza immunity. Methods Pigs were either infected or sequentially immunized with influenza viruses and monoclonal antibodies directed against H3, H5, and H7 influenza virus haemagglutinins were isolated. Antibody specificity, breadth, epitope targeting (head versus stem), neutralizing capacity, and Fc-mediated activity were assessed across influenza subtypes. Results Pigs generated both strain-specific and broadly reactive mAbs targeting haemagglutinin head and stem epitopes . An H3-specific mAb (H3–57) selectively recognized the egg-adapted L194P mutation associated with reduced human vaccine effectiveness . H5 and H7 immunization induced neutralizing antibodies , including cross-group stem mAbs ...

  ABSTRACT Marine mammals, particularly seals, are susceptible to both avian and human influenza A viruses (IAVs), making them potential intermediates for zoonotic virus emergence . In recent decades, repeated transmissions of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) from wild aquatic birds , their natural reservoir, have caused significant mortality in seals . Defining the molecular determinants of viral adaptation in marine mammals , and their implications for replication in human cells , is therefore essential. The non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of AIV, a key antagonist of the interferon (IFN) response , plays a central role in host adaptation . Here, we analyzed NS1 proteins from seal influenza viruses ( H3, H4, H5, H7 , and H10 subtypes) and their closest avian relatives isolated between 1980 and 2023 , and evaluated their function in seal, avian, and human cells . Phylogenetic analysis confirmed multiple bird-to-seal transmission events . Seal-derived NS1 proteins generally contained f...

  {Excerpt} (...) Daily case figures -- The number of confirmed and probable cases can change when: - a case is laboratory confirmed - when the clinical assessment changes, including when new laboratory results are available - when further epidemiological information is available -- The figures in Table 1 cannot be used to identify the number of new confirmed or probable cases from one day to the next. This also applies to total cases. Table 1. Cases of invasive meningococcal disease linked to Canterbury, Kent by day from 16 March 2026 [Date - Total confirmed cases - Confirmed MenB cases (subset of total confirmed cases) - Probable cases - Total cases] * 23 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 20 - 3 - 23 * 22 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 19 - 9 - 29 * 21 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 19 - 9 - 29 * 20 March 2026 - 23 - 18 - 11 - 34 * 19 March 2026 - 18 - 13 - 11 - 29 * 18 March 2026 - 15 - 9 - 12 - 27 * 17 March 2026 - 9 - 6 - 11 - 20 * 16 March 2026 - [note 1] - 4 - [note 1] - 15 __ Note 1 : The...

  Highlights •  A detailed phylogenetic analysis of H5N1 HPAIV isolated from humans was performed. •  All strains infecting humans have acquired substitutions in several key proteins. •  All strains have gained specific substitutions to better adapt to the human host. •  Substitutions in key proteins involved in replication and immune evasion were found. •  A significant degree of polymorphic sites was found in the polymerase complex. •  Substitutions in hemagglutinins and neuraminidases from different clades were found. Abstract Avian Influenza Viruses (AIVs) pose today a very significant risk to global health given the widespread circulation of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV). After decimating the avian population all over the world, these viruses spill over to many different mammal species , causing also fatal outbreaks. As the virus continues to evolve increasing human cases of H5N1 HPAIV have been reported, causing concern t...

  Significance Influenza remains a major global health threat . We introduce oseltamivir-based aziridines that unite transition-state mimicry for tight binding with aziridine-enabled covalent capture of the catalytic tyrosine . This dual function yields potent, mechanism-based neuraminidase inhibition and enables activity-based quantification of active enzyme directly in complex samples. Across N1, N2, and influenza B enzymes , selected compounds show high potency against diverse viral neuraminidases and in live virus replication assays. By combining a clinically grounded scaffold with a reactivity handle, these molecules bridge therapeutic and diagnostic needs and offer a practical platform for neuraminidase imaging and antiviral development. Abstract Influenza neuraminidase (NA) is a critical target for seasonal and pandemic antivirals , including the strains of current concern. Current treatments, such as Zanamivir and Oseltamivir , are limited by noncovalent binding and emergin...

  Abstract Introduction   Increasing occurrence of epidemics and pandemics and concurrent emergence of different pathogens calls for multi-sectoral, multi-pathogen preparedness actions. Data on various factors that drive emergence of diverse pathogens can inform evidence-based preparedness by identifying geographies at-risk. When leveraging evidence within a One Health approach , multiple pathogens can be addressed simultaneously, thereby strengthening countries pandemic preparedness efforts.  Methods   For seventeen priority pathogens ( avian influenza viruses, zoonotic coronaviruses including COVID-19, hemorrhagic fever viruses including Ebola , Henipaviruses , and arboviruses including yellow fever and Zika ), we identified global evidence on animal reservoirs, vectors, environmental suitability , and reported human cases . We discriminated geospatially recorded pathogen detections from a background sample and constructed maps using these datasets to generate an e...

  There is an observation of death of several numbers (30) of crows in the jungle of Tribhuvan University premises. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7387 ____

Frequent sightings of wild birds were reported in the vicinity of the farm. The farm comprises multiple poultry sheds having birds of different age (4-56 weeks) groups. On 15 March, a sudden mortality event occurred in one shed, where approximately 100 commercial layer birds died acutely. Since that incident, mortality has been observed across all sheds on the farm. Commercial Layers of various age (4-56 weeks) group affected since 15 March, 2026 and a large number of chicken appear slightly droopy or depressed, and die suddenly. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7386 ____

  {A black headed gull. By © Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5548312 } __ According to article 10.4.1.4 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Member Countries should not impose bans on the trade in poultry commodities in response to notification on the presence of any influenza A virus in birds other than poultry A wild black-headed gull. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7385 ____

  {Excerpt} (...) Daily case figures -- The number of confirmed and probable cases can change when: - a case is laboratory confirmed - when the clinical assessment changes, including when new laboratory results are available - when further epidemiological information is available -- The figures in Table 1 cannot be used to identify the number of new confirmed or probable cases from one day to the next. This also applies to total cases. Table 1. Cases of invasive meningococcal disease linked to Canterbury, Kent by day from 16 March 2026 [Date - Total confirmed cases - Confirmed MenB cases (subset of total confirmed cases) - Probable cases - Total cases] * 22 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 19 -9 - 29 * 21 March 2026 - 20 [note 2] - 19 - 9 - 29 * 20 March 2026 - 23 - 18 - 11 - 34 * 19 March 2026 - 18 - 13 - 11 - 29 * 18 March 2026 - 15 - 9 - 12 - 27 * 17 March 2026 - 9 - 6 - 11 - 20 * 16 March 2026 - [note 1] - 4 - [note 1] - 15 __ Note 1 : The distinction between a confirmed case and a p...

  Abstract Although seasonal influenza vaccination programs are effective at a population level, our data from inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) cohorts in years 2015-2022 reveal that 50-60% of individuals do not seroconvert following immunization. The underlying mechanisms of vaccine non-responsiveness are far from understood. In this study, we sought to define key determinants of optimal B cell immune responses elicited by seasonal influenza vaccination, and to explore why some individuals fail to elicit humoral immunity following immunization. Immune responses associated with seroconversion and vaccine failure from individuals immunized with IIVs were compared at cellular and molecular levels using single-cell transcriptomics . We analyzed HA-specific B cell immunity across vaccine-responders, breakthrough infections and patients hospitalized with acute influenza. Droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing and VDJ-sequencing of influenza-specific B cells from stored PBMCs was pe...