ETIDIOH - NEW

  ABSTRACT Influenza A viruses continuously circulate among avian and swine species, posing a persistent threat to public health . The development of influenza candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) plays a pivotal role in the global strategy for influenza pandemic preparedness . Safety-testing of CVVs for attenuation in ferrets represents a critical step that takes place prior to making these viruses available to vaccine manufacturers . Development of pathogenicity standards is needed to establish acceptable thresholds of disease so that CVV safety can be assessed without the need for comparison to the parental virus. To assess the capacity of diverse CVVs to cause pathogenesis in mammalian hosts , clinical and virological parameters were compiled from CVV assessments in ferrets conducted using consistent methods over approximately 20 years to identify disease parameters most reflective of attenuation compared to wild-type strains. These analyses revealed an overall reduction in ferret ...

  New human cases {1,2}:  -- From 2 July to 25 August 2025 , based on reporting date, the detection of influenza A( H5N1 ) in five humans and influenza A(H9N2) in two humans were reported officially.   Circulation of influenza viruses with zoonotic potential in animals :  - High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) events in poultry and non-poultry animal species continue to be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).{3}  - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also provides a global update on avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential.{4}  Risk assessment {5}:  - Sustained human to human transmission has not been reported from these events.  - Based on information available at the time of this risk assessment update , the overall public health risk from currently known influenza A viruses detected at the human-animal interface has not changed and remains low .  - The occurrence of sus...

  Summary Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping infectious disease diagnostics by supporting clinical decision making , optimising laboratory and clinical workflows, and enabling real-time disease surveillance. AI approaches improve pathogen detection, antimicrobial stewardship , and treatment monitoring , enhancing diagnostic accuracy , efficiency, and scalability. The role of AI in combating antimicrobial resistance is particularly significant, enabling rapid pathogen identification and personalised treatment . Despite progress over the past two decades, widespread AI adoption in infectious disease diagnostics faces challenges. In high-income countries, fragmented data ecosystems , incomplete datasets , and algorithmic bias hinder clinical integration. Meanwhile, low-income and middle-income countries contend with limited digital infrastructure, unstandardised data, and financial constraints, exacerbating disparities in diagnostic access. Further barriers include concerns ove...