Skip to main content

Zoonotic #Influenza #Preparedness: Dutch Medical #Labs Efficiently Detect Animal Influenza A Viruses - External #Quality #Assessment, 2023

Image
By G.M.

 


Highlights

• Concern over H5N1 bird flu testing and detection in the Netherlands is increasing.

• 50 human laboratories in the Netherlands, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao were assessed.

• The laboratories detected animal influenza viruses with high performance.

• Few laboratories identified the animal subtype of detected influenza A viruses.

• National reference laboratory capacity to identify the animal subtype is critical.


Abstract

Background

Since 2022, highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza A virus clade 2.3.4.4b has caused global outbreaks among wild birds and poultry, with increasing mammalian and sporadic human infections. This elevates concerns about zoonotic transmission and pandemic risk, highlighting the need for accurate detection and identification of animal influenza A viruses by human clinical diagnostic laboratories (hCDL).

Methods

To evaluate routine diagnostic performance, an External Quality Assessment (EQA) panel containing inactivated influenza A viruses of avian (three subtype H5, one H7), swine (two H1, one H3), and human (one H1pdm09, one H3) origin was distributed to 50 hCDL in the Netherlands, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Laboratories conducted their routine molecular influenza virus detection and, if available, subtyping workflows.

Results

A total of 118 detection workflows were reported. Of these, 109 (91%) successfully detected influenza A virus in all positive specimens. At least one workflow in 49/50 (98%) laboratories reliably detected all animal influenza viruses as type A influenza virus. Most false negatives occurred with swine H1N1v. Only 24 workflows from 20 laboratories attempted subtyping for one or multiple panel specimens (total 109 subtype-specific results reported): for human viruses, 37/39 results were correct; for avian viruses, 13/14 were correct (including 12/12 for H5); for swine viruses, only 2/56 were correct (both swine H3N2 using broad-reactive H3 assays).

Conclusions

hCDL in the Netherlands demonstrate high performance for detecting animal influenza A viruses. However, subtyping capacity is limited, necessitating referral of specimens of suspected zoonotic influenza cases to the National Influenza Centre for further characterization.

Source: 


Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1386653226000168?dgcid=rss_sd_all

____

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#Neuroinvasive #Oropouche virus in a patient with #HIV from extra-Amazonian #Brazil

By G.M.
{Excerpt} A novel reassortant Oropouche virus (OROV) lineage (with medium [M], large [L], and small [S] RNA segments : M1L2S2) has driven Brazil's largest and most geographically widespread OROV epidemic , expanding beyond the endemic Amazon basin to establish local transmission across multiple Brazilian states and other previously unaffected Latin American countries . The rapid spread of this lineage underscores its evolutionary potential and reinforces its significance as a public health threat .1 Similar to chikungunya and Zika viruses, expanding arboviruses can exhibit unexpected clinical and epidemiological shifts , including vertical transmissions , neuroinvasive effects, and potentially fatal outcomes.2–4 Although OROV typically causes self-limited febrile illness, accumulating clinical and experimental evidence suggests neurotropic potential .5 This Correspondence describes the first confirmed case of neuroinvasive OROV infection caused by the emergent M1L2S2 lineage in ext...
Post a Comment
Read more »

No evidence of immune #exhaustion after repeated #SARS-CoV-2 #vaccination in vulnerable and healthy populations

By G.M.
Abstract Frequent SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in vulnerable populations has raised concerns that this may contribute to T cell exhaustion , which could negatively affect the quality of immune protection. Herein, we examined the impact of repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on T cell phenotypic and functional exhaustion in frail older adults in long-term care (n = 23), individuals on immunosuppressive drugs (n = 10), and healthy adults (n = 43), in Canada . Spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell levels did not decline in any cohort following repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, nor did the expression of exhaustion markers on spike-specific or total T cells increase. T cell production of multiple cytokines (i.e. polyfunctionality) in response to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 did not decline in any cohort following repeated vaccination. None of the cohorts displayed elevated levels of terminally differentiated T cells following multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. Thus, repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was...
Post a Comment
Read more »

Chimeric #hemagglutinin and #M2 #mRNA #vaccine for broad #influenza subtype protection

By G.M.
Abstract Since multiple and unpredicted influenza viruses cause seasonal epidemics and even high-risk pandemics , developing a universal influenza vaccine is essential to provide broad protection against various influenza subtypes. Combined with the mRNA lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated (mRNA-LNP) vaccine platform and chimeric immunogen strategy , we developed a novel cocktail mRNA vaccine encoding chimeric HAs (cH5/1-BV, cH7/3) and intact M2 (termed Fluaxe), which confers broad protection against major circulating IAVs and IBVs , as well as highly pathogenic avian influenza . Two-dose intramuscular immunization of Fluaxe in mice elicited cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies , T cell responses, and long-lived immunity, resulting in robust protection against multiple lethal influenza virus infections and severe acute lung injuries . In particular, intramuscular administration stimulated systemic immunity together with a prominent lung tropism of memory cells . Moreover, Fluaxe immuniza...
Post a Comment
Read more »