ETIDIOH - NEW

LETTER In March 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 of the clade 2.3.4.4b was detected in dairy cows in Texas and has since been detected in several other U.S. states (1). Virus has been detected within cow’s milk , indicating that the mammary epithelium may support viral replication (2). Virus has also been detected on milking machines , leading to a hypothesis that influenza is spreading through fomites from udder to udder instead of the intranasal route (3, 4). There have been studies using cows to better understand mammary infections; however, the cow model is costly and limited (1, 5). We sought to establish a model for intramammary infections of H5N1 and H1N1 influenza virus in mice . (...) Source: Journal of Virology,  https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jvi.01927-24?af=R _____

{Excerpt} Time Period: January 19 - January 25, 2025 -- H5 Detection : 33 sites ( 10.1% ) -- No Detection : 295 sites ( 89.9% ) -- No samples in last week : 61 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html _____

The laboratory diagnosed type H5 on Thursday, January 23 in one of the sick birds that was sampled in the framework of passive surveillance , on January 24 all birds were culled, on January 29 the laboratory confirmed the detection of Neuraminidase 1 and identification of hemagglutinin genes found in the cleavage site of avian influenza virus type A lineage Goose/Guangdong (Gs/GD) subtype H5, clade 2.3.4.4. highly pathogenic. Out of the 408 backyard birds, one died and two became sick in Chiriquí Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6225 ____

A  foie gras goose holding in Heves Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6227 _____

 A breeding goose holding in Pest Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6228 _____

 A wild Eurasian Jackdaw in Lounais-Suomen aluehallintovirasto Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6229 _____

Abstract In April 2024, the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias of Mexico City identified a case of unsubtypeable Influenza A in a 58-year-old immunocompromised patient with renal failure due to diabetic nephropathy and bacterial peritonitis. Through sequencing the M, NS, NA, NP, and HA complete segments, we identified an H5N2 influenza virus with identity of 99% with avian influenza A(H5N2) from Texcoco, Mexico, in 2024. This case is the first reported with direct evidence of human infection caused by the H5N2 influenza virus; the relationship of the virus with the severity of his condition remains unknown. Source: Viruses,  https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/205 _____

Summary Background DR Congo has the highest global burden of mpox , a disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus . The incidence has risen since 1980, but recent analyses of epidemiological trends are lacking. We aimed to describe trends in suspected and confirmed mpox cases in DR Congo using epidemiological and laboratory mpox surveillance data collected from 2010 to 2023, and provide insights that can better inform the targeting and monitoring of control strategies. Methods We analysed aggregated national epidemiological surveillance data and individual-level laboratory data from 2010 to 2023. We calculated incidence based on suspected cases, case-fatality ratios, and percentage of laboratory-confirmed cases and assessed geospatial trends. Demographic and seasonal trends were investigated using generalised additive mixed models. Findings Between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2023, a total of 60 967 suspected cases and 1798 suspected deaths from mpox were reported in DR Congo ( c...

Summary Highly pathogenic avian influenza has spilled into many mammals, most notably cows and poultry, with several dozen human breakthrough infections. Zoonotic crossovers , with hemagglutinins mutated to enhance viral ability to use human α2-6-linked sialic acid receptors versus avian α2-3-linked ones, highlight the pandemic risk . To gain insight into these crossovers, we determined the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the hemagglutinin from the zoonotic H5N1 A/Texas/37/2024 strain (clade 2.3.4.4b) in complex with a previously reported neutralizing antibody . Surprisingly, we found that the receptor-binding site of this H5N1 hemagglutinin was already occupied by an α2-3-linked sialic acid and that this glycan emanated from asparagine N169 of a neighboring protomer on hemagglutinin itself. This structure thus highlights recognition by influenza hemagglutinin of an “auto”-α2-3-linked sialic acid from N169, an N-linked glycan conserved in 95% of H5 strains, and adds “aut...