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  BMJ KAST KA, Sidelnik SA, Nejad SH, Suzuki J, et al Management of alcohol withdrawal syndromes in general hospital settings. BMJ. 2025;388:e080461. PubMed           Abstract available Clin Infect Dis XIANG W, Steinbeis F, Dhindsa K, Kurth F, et al Predicting the risk of intensive care unit admission in patients with COVID-19 presenting in the emergency room: Development and evaluation of the CROSS score. Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 10:ciaf006. doi: 10.1093. PubMed           Abstract available Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol NAKASHITA M, Kurosawa K, Fukusumi M, Irie F, et al Improving the ability of psychiatric hospitals to respond to infectious disease outbreaks: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak response in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2025 Jan 8:1-2. doi: 10.1017/ice.2024. PubMed          VAN REST A, Clarke A, Gounde...

Abstract White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have high value for research, conservation, agriculture, and recreation and might be key SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs . In November 2023, we sampled 15 female deer in a captive facility in Texas, USA . All deer had neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 ; respiratory swab samples from 11 deer were SARS-CoV-2–positive by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and 1 deer also had a positive rectal swab sample . Six of the 11 respiratory swab samples yielded infectious virus; replication kinetics of most samples displayed lower growth 24–48 hours postinfection in vitro than Omicron lineages isolated from humans in Texas in the same period. Virus growth was similar between groups by 72 hours, suggesting no strong attenuation of deer-derived virus. All deer viruses clustered in XBB Omicron clade and demonstrated more mutations than expected compared with contemporaneous viruses in humans, suggesting that crossing the species barrier was accompani...

Abstract East, South, and Southeast Asia (together referred to as Southeastern Asia hereafter) have been recognized as critical areas fuelling the global circulation of seasonal influenza . However, the seasonal influenza migration network within Southeastern Asia remains unclear, including how pandemic-related disruptions altered this network. We leveraged genetic, epidemiological, and airline travel data between 2007-2023 to characterise the dispersal patterns of influenza A/H3N2 and B/Victoria viruses both out of and within Southeastern Asia, including during perturbations by the 2009 A/H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic , consistent autumn-winter movement waves from Southeastern Asia to temperate regions were interrupted for both subtype/lineages, however the A/H1N1 pandemic only disrupted A/H3N2 spread . We find a higher persistence of A/H3N2 than B/Victoria circulation in Southeastern Asia and identify distinct pandemic-related disruptions in A/H3N2 antigen...

  Antiviral Res GAO M, Zhang Z, Yao G, Zhang L, et al Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel 2'-deoxy-2'-spirooxetane-7-deazapurine nucleoside analogs as anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Antiviral Res. 2024 Dec 30:106060. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.106060. PubMed           Abstract available MERCURI FA, Anderson GP, Miller BE, Demaison C, et al Discovery and development of INNA-051, a TLR2/6 agonist for the prevention of complications resulting from viral respiratory infections. Antiviral Res. 2024 Dec 27:106063. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.106063. PubMed           Abstract available BMJ DYER C Psychiatrist is struck off after claiming covid-19 vaccines lacked effectiveness and safety data. BMJ. 2024;387:q2888. PubMed          Clin Chem RAGLOW Z, Lauring AS Virus Evolution in Prolonged Infections of Immunocompromised Individuals. Clin Chem. 20...

{Excerpt} In the 52nd week of 2024 ( December 23rd to December 29th ), respiratory samples from outpatient influenza-like cases and hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases collected in sentinel hospitals across the country (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) were tested for 10 viruses including the new coronavirus, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, common coronavirus, bocavirus, rhinovirus and enterovirus , as well as multiple respiratory pathogens including Mycoplasma pneumoniae. 1. Test results The pathogens detected positive in respiratory samples of influenza-like cases in outpatient and emergency departments of sentinel hospitals were mainly influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, and rhinovirus ; the pathogens detected positive in respiratory samples of hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases were mainly influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and human metapneumovirus . The specif...

Abstract SOBERANA-02 is a safe and effective conjugate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 , produced using the maleimide-thiol chemistry . In this vaccine, the Cys538 in the recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 is linked, through a thiosuccinimide linker, to lysine residues of tetanus toxoid (TT) preparation . LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that TT is a complex mixture of proteins, similar to other TTs where the detoxified tetanus neurotoxin (d-TeNT) has been shown to be the most abundant protein (30-56%), regardless the quantification method used. The fifteen most abundant proteins account for approximately 78% of the total proteins. LC-MS/MS analysis of the activation process showed that 102 out of 107 lysine residues in the d-TeNT incorporated a maleimide group. In contrast, when tryptic peptides isolated by Ni2+-NTA affinity chromatography, were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, only 22 Lys residues in the d-TeNT were cross-linked to the RBD C-terminal tryptic peptide (538CVNF541-HHHHHH...

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has been driven by SARS-CoV-2 variants with enhanced transmission and immune escape . Apart from extensive evolution in the Spike protein , non-Spike mutations are accumulating across the entire viral genome and their functional impact is not well understood. To address the contribution of these mutations, we reconstructed genomes of recent Omicron variants with disabled Spike expression (replicons) to systematically compare their RNA replication capabilities independently from Spike. We also used a single reference replicon and complemented it with various Omicron variant Spike proteins to quantify viral entry capabilities in single-round infection assays. Viral entry and RNA replication were negatively correlated , suggesting that as variants evolve reduced entry functions under growing immune pressure on Spike, RNA replication increases as a compensatory mechanism. We identified multiple mutations across the viral genome that enhanced viral RNA replica...

Abstract XEC and KP.3.1.1 have surpassed KP.3 to become the globally dominant lineages due to their unique NTD mutations. However, several emerging JN.1 sublineages , such as LF.7.2.1, MC.10.1, NP.1 , and, especially, LP.8.1, have demonstrated superior growth advantages compared to XEC . It is critical to access the virological and antigenic characteristics of these emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we found that LF.7.2.1 is significantly more immune invasive than XEC, primarily due to the A475V mutation, which enabled the evasion of Class 1 neutralizing antibodies . However, LF.7.2.1's weak ACE2 binding affinity substantially impaired its fitness . Likewise, MC.10.1 and NP.1 exhibited strong antibody immune evasion due to the A435S mutation, but their limited ACE2 engagement efficiency restricted their growth advantage , suggesting that A435S may regulate the Spike conformation, similar to the NTD glycosylation mutations found in KP.3.1.1 and XEC . Most importantly, we found tha...

{Excerpts} 27 December 2024 Situation at a glance This is an update to the Disease Outbreak News on Undiagnosed disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo published on 8 December 2024 (now named acute respiratory infections complicated by malaria).  It includes updated epidemiological investigation information and preliminary laboratory results.  On 29 November, an alert was raised by local health zone authorities of Panzi health zone in Kwango province after an increase in deaths , particularly among children under five years of age , following febrile illness .  Enhanced epidemiological surveillance was rapidly implemented, which in the absence of a clear diagnosis was based on the detection of syndromic cases of febrile illnesses with cough, body weakness, with one of a number of other symptoms compatible with acute respiratory and febrile illnesses.  This resulted in a rapid increase in the number of cases meeting the definition, with a total of 891 cases re...

23 December 2024 - Statement  Key points: -- Vaccination remains an important public health countermeasure against COVID-19 . As per the WHO Director General’s standing recommendations for COVID-19, Member States are recommended to continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination based on the recommendations of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE). -- SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate and evolve with important genetic and antigenic evolution of the spike protein since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. -- The objective of an update to COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition is to enhance vaccine-induced immune responses to circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. -- The WHO TAG-CO-VAC advises retaining the use of a monovalent JN.1 lineage variant as the antigen in future formulations of COVID-19 vaccines. -- In accordance with WHO SAGE policy, vaccination should not be delayed in anticipation of access to vaccines with an updated composition; vaccination programmes ca...

  Antiviral Res WELCH SR, Bilello JP, Carter K, Delang L, et al Meeting report of the 37th International Conference on Antiviral Research in Gold Coast, Australia, May 20-24, 2024, organized by the International Society for Antiviral Research. Antiviral Res. 2024;232:106037. PubMed           Abstract available WANG B, Xia H, Peng BH, Choi EJ, et al Pellino-1, a therapeutic target for control of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease severity. Antiviral Res. 2024;233:106059. PubMed           Abstract available SHANNON A, Canard B Nucleotide analogues and mpox: Repurposing the repurposable. Antiviral Res. 2024;234:106057. PubMed           Abstract available BMJ FLYNN SG, Park RS, Jena AB, Staffa SJ, et al Coaching inexperienced clinicians before a high stakes medical procedure: randomized clinical trial. BMJ. 2024;387:e080924. PubMed    ...

 {Excerpt} KINSHASA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with a deadly illness of unknown origin that has claimed dozens of lives in a province, prompting investigations and heightened alertness as test results are awaited. "This is, therefore, influenza, which has been formally identified," Patrick Muyaya, spokesperson for the DRC government, announced at a national television broadcast late Friday as he read the minutes of the Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, the country's capital, earlier that day. During the meeting, Public Health Minister Roger Kamba said that since October, 592 cases of the illness have been recorded in the Panzi health zone of the southwestern Kwango province . Symptoms exhibited by patients are "similar to the flu," according to Kamba, who noted that the outbreak coincides with the seasonal flu period, which peaks in December. Laboratory analysis revea...

Abstract Central nervous system (CNS) infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 are uncommon. This case report describes the clinical progression of a 92-year-old female who developed a persistent neuroinfection associated with SARS-CoV-2. The patient initially presented with progressive fatigue , catarrhal symptoms , and a fever (38.6 °C). Initial laboratory findings revealed hypoxemia (O2 saturation 79.8%), acidosis (pH 7.3), an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 14.8 mg/L, and a high D-dimer level (2.15 µg/mL). Nasopharyngeal (NP) antigen and RT-PCR tests confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and an NP swab also detected penicillin- and ampicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . She was admitted for conservative management , including oxygen supplementation , IV fluids, and prophylactic anticoagulation. Subsequently, she developed neurological symptoms — lethargy, discoordination, and impaired communication —without signs of meningism . Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis identified SARS-C...