#India - #Influenza A #H5N1 viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Immediate notification

 Wild Cranes in Rajasthan State.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6217

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#UK, #Human case of avian #influenza #H5N1 detected in #England

UKHSA has confirmed a case of influenza A(H5N1) in a person in the West Midlands region. Bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza is rare and has previously occurred a small number of times in the UK.

The person acquired the infection on a farm, where they had close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds. The risk to the wider public continues to be very low.

The individual is currently well and was admitted to a High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) unit.

The birds were infected with the DI.2 genotype, one of the viruses known to be circulating in birds in the UK this season. This is different to strains circulating among mammals and birds in the US.

Although there has been no demonstrated human-to-human transmission despite extensive recent surveillance of influenza A(H5N1), UKHSA has been tracing all individuals who have been in contact with the confirmed case of avian influenza. Those at highest risk of exposure have been offered antiviral treatment. This is done to reduce the chance that any virus they have been exposed to will be able to cause infection.

The case was detected after the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) identified an outbreak of avian influenza(H5N1) in a flock of birds. UKHSA carried out routine monitoring on people who had been in close contact with the infected birds.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

''The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low despite this confirmed case. We have robust systems in place to detect cases early and take necessary action, as we know that spillover infections from birds to humans may occur.  

Currently there is no evidence of onwards transmission from this case.

People are reminded not to touch sick or dead birds and it’s important that they follow Defra advice about reporting any suspected avian influenza cases.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

''While avian influenza is highly contagious in birds, this is a very rare event and is very specific to the circumstances on this premises.

We took swift action to limit the spread of the disease at the site in question, all infected birds are being humanely culled, and cleansing and disinfection of the premises will be undertaken all to strict biosecure standards. This is a reminder that stringent biosecurity is essential when keeping animals.

We are seeing a growing number of avian flu cases in birds on both commercial farms and in backyard flocks across the country. Implementing scrupulous biosecurity measures will help protect the health and welfare of your birds from the threat of avian influenza and other diseases.

Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, said:

''The safety of the public is paramount, and we are monitoring this situation closely.

The risk of wider or onward transmission is very low, however the UK remains prepared and ready to respond to any current and future health threats.

We recently added the H5 vaccine, which protects against avian influenza, to our stockpile as part of our preparedness plans.

UKHSA will publish further details about the confirmed human case in due course.

Source: UK Health Security Agency, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/human-case-of-avian-flu-detected-in-england#:~:text=UKHSA%20confirms%20rare%20case%20of,in%20the%20West%20Midlands%20region.&text=UKHSA%20has%20confirmed%20a%20case,of%20times%20in%20the%20UK.

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#Isolation and Characterization of #H1 Subtype #Swine #Influenza Viruses Recently Circulating in #China

Abstract

Pigs serve as a mixing vessel for influenza viruses and can independently promote the emergence of pandemic strains in humans. During our surveillance of pig populations from 2021 to 2023 in China, 11 H1 subtype swine influenza viruses (SIVs) were isolated. All viruses were reassortants, possessing internal genes of identical origins (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M: pdm09/H1N1 origin, NS: North American triple reassortant origin). The H1N1 isolates were all the dominant G4 EA H1N1 viruses in China. Two H1N2 isolates carried early human pdm09/H1N1 HA genes, suggesting a possible pig-to-human transmission route. Mutations that dictate host range specificity were identified in all isolates, a phenomenon which may enhance the affinity to human receptors. These H1 subtype viruses effectively replicated both in vivo and in vitro without prior adaptation and exhibited different pathogenicity and growth characteristics. Some of the H1 viruses were even found to cause lethal infections in mice. Taken together, our study indicates that the H1 subtype SIVs recently circulating in China pose a potential threat to human health and emphasizes the importance of continuing to closely monitor their evolution and spread.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/185

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Improving #clinical #care of patients in #Nipah #outbreaks: moving beyond ‘compassionate use’

Summary

The 2024 Nipah outbreak in Kerala, India—its fifth in six years—and the recurring annual outbreaks in Bangladesh underscore the persistent threat posed by the Nipah virus (NiV) in the region. With a high mortality rate, human-to-human transmission potential, and the widespread presence of Pteropus bats, the natural reservoir, NiV remains a significant epidemic threat. Despite being a WHO priority pathogen, there has been no systematic effort to improve patient care for NiVD, leading to consistently poor outcomes. Current care relies on supportive measures and the ‘compassionate use’ of unapproved drugs like ribavirin and remdesivir. Drugs used ‘off-label’ during outbreaks can become the ‘standard of care’ without robust evidence of their safety or efficacy, complicating the testing of new therapies and perpetuating uncertainty about their true effectiveness. To improve NiVD care, we propose four key strategies: 1) Enhance early case detection, 2) optimize supportive care to improve outcomes and create a standard for future trials, 3) adopt a syndromic approach centered on encephalitis, and 4) explore innovative trial designs tailored to low case numbers as an alternative to ‘compassionate use’. By integrating these strategies, healthcare systems in NiV-endemic regions will be better equipped to manage both current and future outbreaks.

Source: Lancet Regional Health South-East Asia, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lansea/article/PIIS2772-3682(24)00177-X/fulltext

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New incursions of #H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian #influenza viruses in wild #birds, South #Korea, October 2024

{Excerpt}

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5Nx viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/Gd) lineage have led to substantial economic losses within the poultry industry and represent an ongoing public health threat (1). The Gs/Gd lineage H5 viruses not only have evolved into 10 primary clades 0–9 with their subclades but are also reassorted with other influenza A viruses (2–4). Notably, since 2020, clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1 viruses have caused outbreaks across a broad geographic range, including Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Antarctica (5–7). The infections of HPAI H5N1 viruses in mammals including wild, domestic, and humans underscore the potential zoonotic risk and pandemic potential of these evolving H5 viruses (8).

(...)

Source: Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1526118/full

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#USA - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N9 viruses (#poultry) (Inf. with) - Immediate notification

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N9, Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b and HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b were confirmed in a commercial duck premises in Merced County, CA. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in conjunction with State Animal Health and Wildlife Officials, are conducting comprehensive epidemiological investigations and enhanced surveillance in response to the HPAI related events.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6201

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#Bussuquara Virus: A Neglected #Orthoflavivirus with Broad Distribution Across Central and South #America and the #Caribbean

Abstract

Bussuquara virus (BSQV) was first discovered in the Brazilian Amazon in 1956. It is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) in the genus Orthoflavivirus, family Flaviviridae. Since its discovery, BSQV has been sporadically detected across the South (Brazil, Columbia, and Argentina) and Central (Panama and Mexico) America and the Caribbean (Grenada), but there is minimal BSQV surveillance due to limited public health awareness and a lack of specific or sensitive diagnostics. BSQV exposure has been reported in a wide range of host and vector species, including humans. Little information is available in the literature and herein we summarize the published historical findings on BSQV and suggest a pathway for future studies to better understand its potential emergence into human populations.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/183

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Estimating the #generation time for #influenza #transmission using #household data in the #USA

Abstract

The generation time, representing the interval between infections in primary and secondary cases, is essential for understanding and predicting the transmission dynamics of seasonal influenza, including the real-time effective reproduction number (Rt). However, comprehensive generation time estimates for seasonal influenza, especially since the 2009 influenza pandemic, are lacking. We estimated the generation time utilizing data from a 7-site case-ascertained household study in the United States over two influenza seasons, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. More than 200 individuals who tested positive for influenza and their household contacts were enrolled within 7 days of the first illness in the household. All participants were prospectively followed for 10 days, completing daily symptom diaries and collecting nasal swabs, which were then tested for influenza via RT-PCR. We analyzed these data by modifying a previously published Bayesian data augmentation approach that imputes infection times of cases to obtain both intrinsic (assuming no susceptible depletion) and realized (observed within household) generation times. We assessed the robustness of the generation time estimate by varying the incubation period, and generated estimates of the proportion of transmission occurring before symptomatic onset, the infectious period, and the latent period. We estimated a mean intrinsic generation time of 3.2 (95 % credible interval, CrI: 2.9–3.6) days, with a realized household generation time of 2.8 (95 % CrI: 2.7–3.0) days. The generation time exhibited limited sensitivity to incubation period variation. Estimates of the proportion of transmission that occurred before symptom onset, the infectious period, and the latent period were sensitive to variations in the incubation period. Our study contributes to the ongoing efforts to refine estimates of the generation time for influenza. Our estimates, derived from recent data following the COVID-19 pandemic, are consistent with previous pre-pandemic estimates, and will be incorporated into real-time Rt estimation efforts.

Source: Epidemics, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755436525000039?via%3Dihub

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The first reported case of #candidemia caused by the novel #Candida tropicalis diploid sequence type 1515

Abstract

Introduction: 

Since the dawn of the new millennium, Candida species have been increasingly implicated as a cause of both healthcare-associated as well as opportunistic yeast infections, due to the widespread use of indwelling medical devices, total parenteral nutrition, systemic corticosteroids, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Candida tropicalis is a pathogenic Candida species associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and drug resistance issues on a global scale.

Methodology: 

We report a case of a 43-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital for further management of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. During his stay in the ward, he received systemic corticosteroids for a total duration of 32 days. A broad-spectrum antibiotic (piperacillin-tazobactam) was also given due to copious amounts of tracheostomy secretions.

Results: 

The patient’s fever recurred following an afebrile interval of 11 days, and C. tropicalis was cultured from his blood. The yeast was highly resistant to fluconazole and voriconazole but remained susceptible to echinocandins. Unfortunately, the patient was unable to receive any echinocandin and eventually succumbed to candidemia.

Conclusions: 

Multilocus sequence typing was used to characterize C. tropicalis as a novel diploid sequence type (i.e., 1515) that has not been previously reported.

Source: Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, https://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/39863954

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Fire-Swept Hills, Tom Thomson (1915)

 

Public Domain.

Source: WikiArt, https://www.wikiart.org/en/tom-thomson/fire-swept-hills-1915

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#Hemagglutinin with a #polybasic #cleavage site confers high #virulence on #H7N9 avian #influenza viruses

Abstract

H7N9 avian influenza virus (AIV) first emerged in February 2013 in China, and early isolates were all low pathogenic (LP). After circulation for a few years in live poultry markets of China, LP H7N9 AIVs evolved into a highly pathogenic (HP) form in late 2016. Deduced amino acid sequence analysis of hemagglutinin (HA) gene revealed that all HP H7N9 AIVs have obtained four-amino-acid insertion at position 339-342 (H7 numbering), making the cleavage site from a monobasic motif (LP AIVs) to a polybasic form (HP AIVs). Notably, the polybasic cleavage site motifs are diversified, of which PEVPKRKRTAR↓GLF motif is prevalent. To elucidate the reasons accounting for its dominance, recombinant H7N9 virus carrying PEVPKRKRTAR↓GLF (rJT157-2) motif was generated based on LP H7N9 virus A/chicken/Eastern China/JT157/2016 (JT157). Besides, another two viruses containing PEVPKGKRTAR↓GLF (rJT157-1) and PEIPKRKRTAR↓GLF (rJT157-3) cleavage site motifs were also constructed as comparisons. We found that rJT157-2 showed better biological characterizations in vitro including replication kinetics, plaque size, thermal and acid stability. In addition, animal experiments demonstrated that rJT157-2 was more pathogenic to both chickens and mice with higher virus titers and induced more severe changes in the lungs. These results suggested that HP H7N9 viruses carrying PEVPKRKRTAR↓GLF motif in the HA cleavage site were most likely adaptive mutants during the evolution of H7N9 AIVs.

Source: Poultry Science, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000690?via%3Dihub

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#Remdesivir and #Obeldesivir Retain Potent #Antiviral Activity Against #SARS-CoV-2 #Omicron Variants

Abstract

As new SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to emerge, it is important to evaluate the potency of antiviral drugs to support their continued use. Remdesivir (RDV; VEKLURY®) an approved antiviral treatment for COVID-19, and obeldesivir (ODV) are inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase Nsp12. Here we show these two compounds retain antiviral activity against the Omicron variants BA.2.86, BF.7, BQ.1, CH.1.1, EG.1.2, EG.5.1, EG.5.1.4, FL.22, HK.3, HV.1, JN.1, JN.1.7, JN.1.18, KP.2, KP.3, LB.1, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.5.72, XBB.1.16, XBB.2.3.2, XBC.1.6, and XBF when compared with reference strains. Genomic analysis identified 29 Nsp12 polymorphisms in these and previous Omicron variants. Phenotypic analysis of these polymorphisms confirmed no impact on the antiviral activity of RDV or ODV and suggests Omicron variants containing these Nsp12 polymorphisms remain susceptible to both compounds. These data support the continued use of RDV in the context of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and the development of ODV as an antiviral therapeutic.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/168

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#Detection of low pre-existing #humoral #immunity against #influenza virus #H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in unexposed individuals

Abstract

The repeated spill-over of Influenza A virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b from cattle to humans highlights the risk of a human H5N1 pandemic. Given the impact of pre-existing immunity on the course and severity of viral infections, we assessed in detail the humoral immunity against the H5N1 A/Texas/37/2024 isolate in H5N1-naive individuals. To this end, we performed complementary binding and neutralization assays on 66 subjects and ranked activities among a panel of 76 influenza A virus isolates. We detected low but distinct cross-neutralizing titers against A/Texas/37/2024 with a 3.9 to 15.6-fold reduction compared to selected H1N1 or H3N2 strains. Moreover, by cloning and evaluating 136 monoclonal antibodies from single memory B cells, we identified potent A/Texas/37/2024-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in five out of six investigated individuals. These antibodies predominantly utilize VH1-69 gene segments, cross-neutralize H1, and compete with antibodies targeting the HA stem. Our findings demonstrate partial pre-existing humoral immunity to A/Texas/37/2024 in H5N1-naive individuals.

Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.22.634277v1

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Novel introductions of #human-origin #H3N2 #influenza viruses in #swine, #Chile

Abstract

Influenza A virus (IAV) continuously threatens animal and public health globally, with swine serving as a crucial reservoir for viral reassortment and evolution. In Chile, H1N2 and H3N2 subtypes were introduced in the swine population before the H1N1 2009 pandemic, and the H1N1 was introduced from the H1N1pdm09 by successive reverse zoonotic events. Here, we report two novel introductions of IAV H3N2 human-origin in Chilean swine during 2023. Our study reveals a closer relationship between recent human seasonal H3N2 and novel swine strains. Interestingly, one strain maintains all the genes from the original human virus, but the other strain is already a reassortment of human H3N2 and an H1N2 previously observed on the farm. Observing global IAV sequences, a similar pattern was identified in the USA confirming the reverse zoonotic potential of current seasonal human H3N2 strains. These results highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance and reinforcing biosecurity in swine farms. These findings raise questions about their potential impact on viral dynamics in the swine population and public health, underscoring the need for further investigation into the origin and evolutionary dynamics of this emerging swine H3N2 reassortant virus.

Source: Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1505497/full

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Phylogeography and biological characterization of #H12N2 virus isolated from whooper #swan in Central #China

Abstract

Wild birds and waterfowl serve as the natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). When AIVs originating from wild birds cross species barriers to infect mammals or humans, they pose a significant threat to public health. The H12 subtype of AIVs primarily circulates in wild birds, with relatively few isolates reported worldwide, and the evolutionary and biological characteristics of H12 subtype AIVs remain largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of H12 subtype AIVs worldwide and conducted a comprehensive investigation into the evolutionary and biological characteristics of an H12N2 virus isolated from a whooper swan in Central China. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the H12N2 isolate belongs to the Eurasian lineage, with its HA gene likely originating from a duck-derived H12N5 virus and its NA gene potentially derived from an H9N2 virus, indicating that it is a complex reassorted virus. Animal experiments in domestic ducks and chickens demonstrated that the virus replicates at low levels in the respiratory tract of poultry and exhibits moderate horizontal transmission in ducks. However, it is capable of efficient horizontal transmission in chickens. Mouse infection experiments revealed that the virus could be detected in the nasal turbinates and lungs of mice, indicating that the H12N2 virus can infect mice without prior adaptation. In vitro studies revealed that the virus replicates efficiently in MDCK cells, with significantly higher titers than those in DF1 cells. These findings, combined with the mouse infection results, suggest that the H12N2 virus poses a potential risk of mammalian infection. This study provides valuable insights regarding the characteristics of the H12N2 virus and highlights the importance of ongoing surveillance and risk assessment of AIVs originating from wild birds.

Source: Frontiers in Microbiology, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1536876/full

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#USA, Monitoring for Avian #Influenza A(#H5) Virus In #Wastewater (Jan 12-18 '25)

 {Excerpt}

Time Period: January 12 - January 18, 2025

-- H5 Detection: 35 sites (10.4%)

-- No Detection: 301 sites (89.6%)

-- No samples in last week: 62 sites

(...)

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html

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#Portugal - #Influenza A #H5N1 viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Immediate notification

 Unspecified domestic birds in Leiria Region.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6214

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#Antiviral activity of #tecovirimat against #monkeypox virus clades 1a, 1b, 2a, and 2b

{Excerpt}

The zoonotic Orthopoxvirus monkeypox virus includes two main clades (ie, 1 and 2) relevant to human transmission.1 Two major outbreaks of monkeypox virus have occurred since 2022,1–3 and were declared public health emergencies of international concern by WHO in July, 2022, and August, 2024. The first outbreak was caused by a clade 2b strain that quickly spread worldwide, resulting in approximately 100 000 cases and 200 deaths.3 In the second outbreak, the novel clade 1b emerged.4 As of December, 2024, this upsurge has resulted in more than 55 000 reported or suspected cases and approximately 1000 deaths in DR Congo and neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Angola.4 A few imported clade 1b cases have also been reported in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, France, the USA, Canada, and Thailand.5 Prevention measures include patient isolation and care as well as vaccines.

(...)

Source: Lancet Infectious Diseases, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(25)00014-3/fulltext?rss=yes

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