Modeled #Scenario #Projections for the #Ebola Disease #Outbreak Caused by #Bundibugyo Virus, 2026 (MMWR)

 

Summary

    -- What is already known about this topic?

        ° An outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease, is currently ongoing, centered in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    -- What is added by this report?

        ° CDC used a transmission model to project outbreak growth over 3 months, by using different assumptions about the number of deaths as of May 24, 2026, and by varying the percentages of persons with BVD who are successfully identified and isolated to prevent ongoing transmission. Assuming 50 cumulative deaths as of May 24, 2026, if 70% of patients were to enter isolation, only approximately one in 20 simulations projected an outbreak exceeding 10,000 cases within 3 months.

    -- What are the implications for public health practice?

        ° Large-scale, rapid public health action is needed to control the current outbreak, already the largest known BVD outbreak, from becoming one of the largest Ebola epidemics in history.

Abstract

On May 15, 2026, the Ministries of Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda declared outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease. In response to reports of high numbers of suspected cases and deaths in these outbreaks, CDC simulated scenario projections to understand possible future morbidity and mortality. A branching process model with the capacity to model transmission-reducing nonpharmaceutical interventions was calibrated to three putative cumulative death counts and projected for four possible intervention scenarios ranging from poor (20%) to extremely high (95%) levels of isolation and treatment of symptomatic persons. The analysis suggested a plausible spillover event (i.e., the transmission of a virus from its natural animal reservoir to humans) in mid to late February 2026. With poor isolation levels of patients with BVD (20%) and no other interventions, the likelihood of an outbreak that exceeds 20,000 cases within 3 months is 65%. If, however a high proportion of patients were to enter isolation (70%), only a one in 20 chance is projected for an outbreak with ≥10,000 cases within 3 months. These results underscore the importance of strong public health interventions, because the current outbreak is already the largest known BVD outbreak and has the potential to quickly become one of the largest Ebola disease outbreaks ever recorded.

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7522e1.htm?s_cid=mm7522e1_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM155686&ACSTrackingLabel=Early%20Release%20%E2%80%93%20Vol.%2075%2C%20June%205%2C%202026&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM155686

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#Assessment of #Risk to the #US #Population from the #Ebola Disease #Outbreak Caused by #Bundibugyo Virus, 2026 (MMWR)

 

Summary

    -- What is already known about this topic?

        ° An outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease, is currently occurring, centered in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    -- What is added by this report?

        ° CDC assessed the risk posed by this ongoing outbreak to the U.S. population during the next 3 months as low.

    -- What are the implications for public health practice?

        ° Ensuring sufficient public health resources to control the outbreak in DRC will be necessary for maintaining a low risk to the U.S. population. If cases arise in the United States, there is public health capacity to contain and control an outbreak, and CDC guidance for U.S. clinicians and public health practitioners can help prevent the potential spread.

Abstract

On May 15, 2026, the ministries of health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda declared outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease. In response to reports of high numbers of suspected cases and deaths in the affected countries, CDC assessed the risk posed by the BVD outbreak to the U.S. population during the next 3 months. This analysis used a standardized risk assessment approach that included epidemiologic data from the ongoing outbreak and historical data from previous Ebola outbreaks; the overall risk was determined by taking into account independent assessments of the likelihood of infection and the impact of infection. The assessment found that the overall risk to the U.S. population posed by the current BVD outbreak during the next 3 months is low, based on the extremely low likelihood of transmission, despite the high impact that potential infection could have and the resources that would be required to respond to the outbreak. Limitations to this assessment included uncertainties around the epidemiology of BVD as well as the current and future scope and geographic spread of the outbreak. CDC continues to monitor factors that could change this risk assessment.

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7522e2.htm?s_cid=mm7522e2_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM155686&ACSTrackingLabel=Early%20Release%20%E2%80%93%20Vol.%2075%2C%20June%205%2C%202026&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM155686

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Notes from the Field: #Outbreak of #Ebola Disease Caused by #Bundibugyo Virus — #DRC and #Uganda, May 2026 (MMWR, edited)

 

Summary

    ° What is already known about this topic?

        ° Bundibugyo virus has caused two previous Ebola disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

    ° What is added by this report?

        ° In May 2026, a large outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease was identified in DRC and Uganda. As of June 2, a total of 378 confirmed cases and 63 confirmed deaths have been reported. No cases have been reported in the United States.

    ° What are the implications for public health practice?

        ° To help reduce the risk for continued spread of Bundibugyo virus, including potential spread beyond DRC and Uganda or importation to the United States, ongoing collaboration between CDC and international partners and coordination among U.S. government agencies are essential.

Abstract

Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) is a type of Ebola disease, a severe and often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever (1). Bundibugyo virus was first identified in 2007, when it caused an outbreak in Uganda with 149 suspected cases and 37 deaths (2). A 2012 BVD outbreak in DRC resulted in 56 laboratory-confirmed cases and 17 deaths (3). On May 15, 2026, the ministries of health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda declared outbreaks of BVD. As of June 2, a total of 378 confirmed cases and 63 confirmed deaths have been reported.

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7522e3.htm?s_cid=mm7522e3_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM155686&ACSTrackingLabel=Early%20Release%20%E2%80%93%20Vol.%2075%2C%20June%205%2C%202026&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM155686

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#Hantavirus #outbreak on a cruise #ship in the South Atlantic

 

{Excerpt}

On May 2, 2026, a cluster of severe respiratory illness among passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic was reported to WHO, and a suspected hantavirus outbreak was identified. The vessel departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, carrying 147 individuals (88 passengers and 59 crew members) from 23 countries.1 This event raises concerns about surveillance, outbreak response, containment, and the potential for international spread of hantavirus. As of May 4, 2026, seven cases (two laboratory confirmed and five suspected) have been identified, including three deaths, corresponding to a crude case-fatality rate of more than 40%.1 All patients presented with fever or gastrointestinal symptoms, or both, with rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock in severe cases.1 The overall attack rate was 4·8% (seven of 147 individuals on board infected).1

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Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00934-7/fulltext?rss=yes

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Cruise #ship #hantavirus #outbreak in remote #island communities

 

On April 27, 2026, the Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship MV Hondius arrived at Ascension Island, a remote mid-Atlantic UK Overseas Territory (UKOT). The vessel had left Ushuaia (Argentina) on April 1, 2026, then visited the Antarctic Peninsula and other UKOT islands in the south Atlantic: the British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, and St Helena (figure).1 At Ascension Island, a 69-year-old man (case 3) with a severe respiratory syndrome was admitted into the care of the island's small medical team. This team resuscitated the patient and arranged for a medical evacuation service in South Africa to transfer him to intensive care in Johannesburg. 

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Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01014-7/fulltext?rss=yes

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#SARS-CoV-2 #Omicron BA.2.86 and JN.1 expand #tropism in #human proximal #intestinal epithelium

 

Abstract

Omicron SARS-CoV-2 has diversified into multiple sub-lineages, complicating assessment of their intrinsic phenotypes due to background population immunity. We compare replication and biological characteristics of variants from BA.1 to JN.1 using human bronchial and lung explants, airway organoids, colon cells, and proximal intestinal enteroids. XBB.1.5 and EG.5.1 achieve higher replication titres in respiratory tissues than BA.2.86 and JN.1, indicating enhanced respiratory fitness. EG.5.1 displays dual cell-entry pathways and greater replication in alveolar epithelial cells, supporting increased lung tropism and pathogenicity. In contrast, BA.2.86 and JN.1 rely on TMPRSS2-mediated entry in airways. Notably, BA.2.86 and JN.1 replicate more efficiently than EG.5.1 in proximal intestinal enteroids in an ACE2- and TMPRSS2-dependent manner, but not in colon cells. JN.1 exhibits elevated intestinal tropism with limited proinflammatory cytokine induction, suggesting potential for faecal transmission. Here we show XBB.1.5 and EG.5.1 greater transmissibility and severity potential whereas BA.2.86 and JN.1 exhibit enhanced intestinal adaptation.

Source: 

Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-74111-y

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Broad heterologous #protection against #Influenza A viruses by an adjuvant-free modular mucosal T-cell #vaccine #platform

 

Abstract

Rapid antigenic evolution of Influenza A viruses (IAVs) enables their escape from strain-specific vaccine immunity, underscoring the need for broadly protective strategies. Here, we describe a modular, adjuvant-free mucosal vaccine platform that elicits potent and cross-protective T cell immunity. The approach uses overlapping CD4+ and CD8+ epitope-dense regions from the consensus IAV M1 and NP proteins, identified through computational and functional screening. These peptides are delivered using polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticles, engineered for selective uptake by antigen-presenting cells and enabling sustained, pH-responsive antigen release. This design enhances antigen processing and MHC cross-presentation, functionally substituting for a conventional adjuvant. This formulation drives robust activation of primed human as well as murine CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and confers broad protection against homologous (H1N1, H3N2) as well as heterologous (H5N1) IAV strains in immunized mice. Overall, this adjuvant-free dose-sparing platform establishes an adaptable framework for next-generation broadly-protective vaccines against rapidly evolving viruses.

Competing Interest Statement

R.T.Y. and S.T. are co-inventors on an unpublished patent titled Immunogenic peptide(s), composition(s) and application(s) thereof broadly protective against Influenza, Indian patent application number 202541082426. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funder Information Declared

DBT-ENDFLU, BT/IN/EU-INF/15/RV/19-20

Source: 

Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.29.715080v2

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#Scenario #analysis for potential #community spread of #Andes virus (ANDV)

 

Abstract

We simulated the potential community spread of Andes virus (ANDV) following the introduction of a single infectious individual in a generic population, based on epidemiological parameters derived from a human-to-human historical outbreak. Under current available evidence, our analyses suggest that, within 4 months from the index case’s symptom onset, the expected outbreak size is unlikely to exceed 50 cases, with a high probability of epidemic extinction, particularly when > 50% cases are effectively isolated from the start of the outbreak.

Source: 

Link: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.22.2600425#abstract_content

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Why #Andes #hantavirus is not the next #SARS-CoV-2: contrasting viral shedding, #transmissibility and #genomic patterns

 

Abstract

A cruise ship-associated Andes hantavirus outbreak has raised questions usually associated with respiratory viruses, including transmissibility and pandemic risk. Although Andes virus may enter through the respiratory route, cause severe respiratory disease and under close contact spread between humans, it differs fundamentally from SARS-CoV-2. The ecology is rodent-borne, pathogenesis is vascular, diagnosis is centred on blood PCR and serology, and genetic diversity is mainly shaped by reservoir ecology and geography rather than by sustained human-to-human transmission and immune selection.

Source: 

Link: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.22.2600428?emailalert=true#abstract_content

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Use of #tocilizumab for severe #hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: a MEURI case series with contextual comparisons

 

Summary

Background

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare zoonotic disease associated with high mortality, acute respiratory failure, shock, capillary leak, and systemic inflammation. Currently, no specific antiviral or immunomodulatory therapy has proven effective for routine clinical use. The current cruise-associated hantavirus outbreak motivated this early descriptive report from an ongoing, larger, pre–post study (ISRCTN72088243). We aimed to describe tocilizumab use under the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered and Investigational Interventions (MEURI) framework.

Methods

In this descriptive case series at Hospital Zonal de Bariloche Dr Ramón Carrillo, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, patients with laboratory-confirmed severe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission or assessment were eligible to receive tocilizumab in addition to standard supportive care, in accordance with the MEURI framework. Tocilizumab was administered to patients within 24 h of ICU admission or ICU-level evaluation as a single intravenous dose of 8 mg/kg, up to a maximum of 800 mg. During this time, five eligible patients could not receive tocilizumab because timely administration was not feasible due to drug unavailability or refractory shock at diagnosis. This case series represents the first report from the larger, ongoing, pre–post study (ISRCTN72088243). The main descriptive outcome was survival to ICU discharge in patients who received tocilizumab and patients who were eligible to receive tocilizumab but did not.

Findings

Between June 1, 2024, and May 5, 2026, 13 patients with laboratory-confirmed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome were evaluated for inclusion after institutional approval of the MEURI protocol. Ten met eligibility criteria for tocilizumab; five received tocilizumab and five did not. In the five eligible non-treated patients, two were diagnosed when they were already in refractory shock, precluding timely administration, and three did not receive tocilizumab because the drug was unavailable when treatment was being considered. Four of five tocilizumab-treated patients survived to ICU discharge. The fifth treated patient died after rapid progression to refractory shock. All five eligible non-treated patients died after ICU admission.

Interpretation

These observations suggest that IL-6 inhibition warrants further evaluation within the MEURI framework or analogous expanded-access frameworks, and, when feasible, collaborative randomised studies with standardised data collection.

Funding

None.

Translations

For the Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00285-9/abstract

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Breeding #pig #transport drives the dispersal of #swine #influenza A virus across #Europe

 

Abstract

Pigs serve as reservoirs of former human influenza A virus (IAV) H1N1 and H3N2 lineages and act as mixing vessels for diverse strains, facilitating the emergence of novel IAVs. Understanding the spread and evolution of swine IAVs (swIAVs) is therefore crucial to assess the risk of strains with zoonotic potential emerging. This study uses a phylogeographic framework to investigate the predictors of swIAV dispersal across Europe. All publicly available swIAV genomic sequences were retrieved and subsampled for the ten largest European pig-producing countries. Discrete phylogeographic reconstructions were conducted for H1, H3, N1, N2 encoding genes and all internal gene segments. Our analyses indicate that viral dispersal predominantly occurred from north-western to southern and eastern Europe, with frequent long-distance transitions between non-adjacent countries. We also extended the discrete phylogeographical analyses with generalized linear models to test the association between viral movement and potential predictors, such as live pig trade, pork trade, pig densities, farm sizes, or the geographic distance between key pig production zones. We find that breeding pig trade is the only consistently well-supported predictor of between-country transition events, whereas pork trade and geographic distance were not supported. This highlights that farms importing breeding pigs from multiple countries could act as hotspots for reassortment of diverse swIAV strains. Strengthening external biosecurity on farms with emphasis on quarantining breeding pigs, limiting long-distance transport, and implementing a One Health surveillance system for earlier detection of emerging strains, could help curb the rapid spread and evolution of swIAV in Europe.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Source: 

Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.01.729471v1

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CEIRR #Risk #Assessment Pipeline executive reports on #H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza 2.3.4.4b, swine H1 1B.2, and #H9N2 low pathogenicity avian influenza B4.7.2

 

ABSTRACT

The Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR) Risk Assessment Pipeline (RAP) integrates surveillance, phenotypic analysis, and computational modeling across six CEIRR centers to evaluate the pandemic potential of influenza A viruses. By generating coordinated data sets from wild and domestic animals and linking them to viral evolution and functional traits, CEIRR RAP supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s and the World Health Organization’s risk-assessment efforts. The RAP’s data packages thereby enable evidence-based prioritization of global influenza preparedness and response strategies.

Source: 

Link: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.00545-26

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Identification and characterization of a #SARS-CoV-2 #Mpro G23 deletion #ensitrelvir - #resistant mutant

 

ABSTRACT

Ensitrelvir is an antiviral drug that specifically targets the conserved main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, mutations in Mpro could confer resistance to antivirals, including ensitrelvir. Thus, identifying SARS-CoV-2 drug-resistant mutants and elucidating their mechanisms of resistance are critical for guiding the selection of effective antiviral therapies. Here, we utilized a recombinant luminescent attenuated SARS-CoV-2 lacking the open reading frames (ORF) 3a and 7b proteins (Δ3a7b-Nluc WT) to safely identify ensitrelvir drug-resistant mutants (DRM-E) without the need of using virulent forms of SARS-CoV-2. We isolated a DRM-E containing a Mpro G23 deletion (G23del) with high resistance (~1,000-fold) to ensitrelvir, but not to the Mpro inhibitor nirmatrelvir or to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor remdesivir. The contribution of G23del in ensitrelvir resistance was confirmed by generating a Δ3a7b-Nluc containing G23del in Mpro (Δ3a7b-Nluc G23del). Δ3a7b-Nluc G23del exhibited resistance to ensitrelvir in both cultured cells and in K18 hACE2 transgenic mice. Binding affinity revealed that the G23del mutation altered ensitrelvir, but not nirmatrelvir, binding to Mpro. Notably, while Δ3a7b-Nluc G23del was affected in viral fitness, serial passage of Δ3a7b-Nluc G23del in the absence of ensitrelvir resulted in the emergence of substitution L50F in Mpro that restored viral fitness loss caused by G23del without altering resistance to ensitrelvir. Our results demonstrate that G23del in Mpro can confer resistance to ensitrelvir. Positively, G23del in Mpro does not render SARS-CoV-2 resistant to nirmatrelvir or remdesivir, suggesting the feasibility of treating SARS-CoV-2 infections containing G23del Mpro with other approved antivirals.

Source: 

Link: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00584-26

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#Human #MERS-CoV #research in the #Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A mapping scoping review of #epidemiology, #clade, and research priority gaps

 

Abstract

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to pose a substantial public health challenge within Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This scoping review systematically examines geographic distribution, methodological characteristics, and thematic priorities of published research, while identifying critical evidence gaps. A total of 171 peer-reviewed studies on human MERS-CoV were included, with a marked predominance from Saudi Arabia (88.3%). Research output peaked in 2016 and 2019, followed by a decline coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional designs were most common (43.3%), with widespread reliance on non-probability sampling (95.3%). Epidemiology and surveillance constituted the primary research focus (∼24%), with case fatality rate being the most frequently reported metric (43.9%). Limited genomic investigations were identified, with Clade B representing 71.4% of characterized strains. Overall, the evidence base reflects geographic concentration, methodological heterogeneity, and thematic limitations, underscoring the need for expanded research scope and enhanced regional collaboration.

Source: 

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034126001449?via%3Dihub

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Cross-border #transmission of #Ebola virus disease caused by #Bundibugyo virus into #Uganda, 2026

 

{Excerpt}

During May 17–18, 2026, WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) separately determined that the outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations (2005) and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. This occurred after more than a month of undetected but suspected transmission of an unclassified viral haemorrhagic fever in Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On May 15, 2026, Uganda had reported a case of imported BDBV in one of its private health facilities within the city, Kampala. A second case was identified in Kampala in a separate private health facility on the next day. This outbreak arising out of two imported cases from the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents the second recognised outbreak caused by BDBV in Uganda since its initial identification in the western part of the country in 2007.

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Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00288-4/fulltext

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Data #gaps of international #databases on HPAI #H5 in #wildlife in the #Americas: implications for #surveillance, research, and #conservation

 

Abstract

Global efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5 on domestic animals, humans, and wildlife rely on timely and transparent information that is both accurate and interpretable across countries and sectors. International epidemiological and genomic databases, such as the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), the Global Animal Disease Information System (EMPRES-i+), the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), and the National Center for Technological Bioinformation Virus Portal (NCBI) provide essential information for surveillance, research, and decision-making. To evaluate how well these resources capture recent wildlife impacts, we consolidated information from these databases and complementary public sources including government reports, scientific literature, and news articles, on wildlife mortality associated with HPAI H5 in the Americas from November 2021 to July 2024. The consolidated dataset comprised 615,883 wild birds (287 spp.) and 63,409 wild mammals (39 spp.). In comparison, WAHIS represented 16,902 wild birds (261 spp.) and 6,323 wild mammals (31 spp.) while EMPRES-i+ captured a substantially smaller portion of affected host diversity for both wild birds (105 spp.) and wild mammals (27 spp.). Genomic databases (GISAID and NCBI) represented 7,027 whole genome equivalents of H5 viruses from wild birds (175 spp.) and 371 from wild mammals (26 spp.). These discrepancies indicate that international databases, while essential, provide an incomplete picture of HPAI impacts on wildlife, with significant geographic and taxonomic asymmetries attributable to differences in surveillance capacity, reporting practices, sequencing effort, and data-sharing pathways. Studies and management strategies relying on these resources without complementary validation may therefore mistake data gaps for real-world epidemiological patterns. Strengthening data reporting standards, improving validation procedures, and integrating international databases with national reports, scientific publications, and other sources will enhance the reliability of epidemiological analyses and support more effective One Health surveillance, risk assessment, and conservation action.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Source: 

Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.30.728949v1

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First reported case of #Andes #hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome treated with a combination of #favipiravir, #ribavirin, icatibant and baricitinib

 

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To describe the first documented case of Andes virus (ANDV) hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in Spain and the first worldwide use of a therapeutic regime including two antivirals (favipiravir and ribavirin) and two host-directed drugs (baricitinib and icatibant).

Methods

A 69-year-old Spanish man, repatriated following a multinational ANDV outbreak aboard a cruise ship, was managed in a high-level isolation unit. Diagnosis was established by RT-PCR and serology while he was still asymptomatic as part of protocol-driven screening. Under compassionate-use authorisation and written informed consent, the patient received ribavirin (initially intravenous, then switched to oral on day +4), oral favipiravir, subcutaneous icatibant, and oral baricitinib, with serial clinical, laboratory, and radiological monitoring.

Results

Hypoxaemia, bilateral B-lines, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and hyponatraemia developed within 24 hours after diagnosis. The combination regimen was initiated on day 0, and baricitinib was added on day +1, coinciding with the need for high-flow nasal oxygen. Sustained clinical, laboratory, and radiological recovery occurred from day +2 onwards, without progression to invasive ventilation or vasopressors. Mild diarrhoea attributed to ribavirin led to its discontinuation on day +5, shortly after the IV-to-oral switch. Severe recurrent diarrhoea on day +8, attributed to favipiravir, prompted its withdrawal before completion of the planned 10-day course; baricitinib was completed on day +10.

Conclusions

This sentinel case of imported HCPS in non-endemic Europe was managed with, to our knowledge, the first reported combined antiviral and host-directed regimen for this syndrome and the first reported use of favipiravir in a patient with hantavirus infection. The favourable outcome supports prospective evaluation of antiviral combinations and adjunctive immunomodulation within international preparedness protocols.

Source: 

Link: https://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.org/article/S1198-743X(26)00310-1/fulltext

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#Bundibugyo #ebolavirus #outbreak in #DRC and #Uganda: rapid #assessment from the #ESCMID Emerging Infections Subcommittee

 

Introduction

The ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda represents a major regional public health emergency with international implications. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the event a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May 2026, while clarifying that it did not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency [1]. This distinction reflects the revised International Health Regulations framework, which allows WHO to distinguish a PHEIC from a pandemic emergency when an event is serious and internationally relevant but does not meet the additional criteria for a pandemic emergency.

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Source: 

Link: https://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.org/article/S1198-743X(26)00285-5/fulltext

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Beyond past #Ebola #outbreaks: delayed #detection, #preparedness gaps, and the #vaccine race during the 2026 #Bundibugyo virus outbreak

 

{Summary}

The 2026 Bundibugyo Public Health Emergency of International concern

What makes the current Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), caused by the Bundibugyo virus Diseases (Orthoebolavirus), different from previous Ebola outbreaks over the past five decades? This question has gained renewed urgency following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17, 20261. This declaration occurred only two days after the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the Ministry of Health of Uganda declared an outbreak of Ebola Disease following the confirmation of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) in both countries1–3.

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Source: 

Link: https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(26)00478-9/fulltext

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#Outbreak at #Sea: The MV Hondius #Hantavirus #Cluster as a Sentinel for Global #Pandemic Readiness

 

{Summary}

The South Atlantic promises crystalline isolation. But the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius—an expedition vessel carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 nations—harbored something else entirely between the Southern Cone and Antarctica [1, 2]. An invisible passenger. Epidemiologists trace this outbreak directly to dry land, theorizing the index case inhaled aerosolized rodent excreta during a Southern Cone bird-watching excursion [1].

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Source: 

Link: https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(26)00473-X/fulltext

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