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Showing posts from March 18, 2025

#Baloxavir improves #disease #outcomes in #mice after intranasal or ocular #infection with #Influenza A virus #H5N1-contaminated cow’s #milk

Abstract Testing approved antivirals against A(H5N1) influenza viruses circulating in peridomestic species, including dairy cows , is critical to public health and pre-pandemic planning . It cannot be tested in humans due to A(H5N1) disease severity. Here, in mice, we demonstrate that US FDA-approved baloxavir treatment mediates improved disease outcomes ( survival and viral dissemination ) over oseltamivir after lethal intranasal and ocular challenge with A(H5N1)-contaminated cow milk. Source: Nature Microbiology,  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-01961-5 ____

Analyses of #phylogenetics, natural #selection, and #protein structure of clade 2.3.4.4b #H5N1 #Influenza A reveal that recent viral lineages have evolved promiscuity ...

Abstract H5N1 influenza has been circulating in birds from Eurasia and Africa for more than 146 years , but human infection has been sporadic. H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) has recently infected hundreds of species of wild and domestic birds and mammals in North America . Furthermore, as of February 26, 2025, H5N1 has infected 70 humans in the United States , and one infection proved lethal . Furthermore, in attempts to control H5N1 in the United States, 10s of millions of egg-laying chickens have died or been culled . These efforts have led to very high egg prices in the United States. We have developed an analytical bioinformatics and genomics workflow to understand better how H5N1 is circulating in North America and adapting to new host species . Our workflow consists of: 1) Phylogenetic analyses of large viral sequence datasets to identify subclades of viral lineages causing the current outbreaks in humans and farm animals and closely related viral background lineages. 2) Next, we transfer...