The Trans-Kingdom #Spectrum of #Mpox-like Lesion Pustules of Suspect #Patients in the Mpox Clade Ib #Outbreak in Eastern #DRC

 

Abstract

During infectious disease outbreaks, acquiring genetic data across various kingdoms offers essential information to tailor precise treatment methodologies and bolster clinical, epidemiological, and public health awareness. Metagenomics sequencing has paved the way for personalized treatment approaches and streamlined the monitoring process for both co-infections and opportunistic infections. In this study, we conducted long-read metagenomic DNA sequencing on mpox-like lesion pustules from six suspected patients who were positive and confirmed to be infected with MPXV during the MPXV subclade Ib outbreak in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sequenced data were taxonomically classified as bacterial, fungal, and viral in composition. Our results show a wide spectrum of microorganisms present in the lesions. Bacteria such as Corynebacterium amycolatum, Gardnerella vaginalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterobacter clocae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were found in the lesions. The viral classification of the reads pointed out the absolute predominance of the monkeypox virus. Taken together, the outcomes of this investigation underscore the potential involvement of microorganisms in mpox lesions and the possible role that co-infections played in exacerbating disease severity and transmission during the MPXV subclade Ib outbreak.

Source: Microorganisms, https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/9/2025

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#Cholera – Multi-country with a focus on countries experiencing current surges (#WHO D.O.N., August 29 '25)

 

{Summary}

Situation at a glance

The global cholera situation continues to deteriorate, driven by conflict and poverty, posing a significant public health challenge across multiple WHO regions. 

Between 1 January and 17 August 2025, a total of 409 222 cholera/Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) cases and 4738 deaths were reported globally, from 31 countries, with six of the 31 countries reporting case fatality rates above 1%, indicating serious gaps in case management and delayed access to care. 

Cholera is resurging in a number of countries, including some that had not reported substantial case numbers in years, like Chad and the Republic of Congo, while other countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan, are experiencing outbreaks that are continuing from 2024, with significant geographic expansion. This complicates containment efforts and strains fragile health systems. 

Conflict, mass displacement, disasters from natural hazards, and climate change have intensified outbreaks, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas, where poor infrastructure and limited healthcare access delay treatment. 

These cross-border factors have made cholera outbreaks increasingly complex and harder to control. 

Safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are the only long-term and sustainable solutions to ending this cholera emergency and preventing future ones. 

Given the scale, severity, and interconnected nature of these outbreaks, the risk of further spread within and between countries is considered very high. 

Without urgent and coordinated public health measures, based on:

- strengthened surveillance, 

- improved case management, 

- WASH interventions, 

- vaccination campaigns, and 

- cross-border collaboration, 

cholera transmission is likely to expand across countries. 

WHO collaborates with the Ministries of Health, partners and stakeholders in affected countries. 

WHO supports countries in all pillars of cholera control, including: 

- strengthening epidemiological surveillance, 

- reinforcing laboratory capacity, 

- improving access to and quality of treatment, 

- implementing appropriate WASH and IPC practices, 

- promoting community engagement in cholera prevention and control and 

- facilitating OCV access and campaign implementation. 

On 26 August, the Africa CDC and WHO launched the Continental Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa 1.0, alongside a joint Incident Management Team. This initiative follows the commitment of African Heads of State and Government, who have elevated cholera to a continental priority through their recent high-level Call to Action, pledging to control and eliminate outbreaks by 2030.

(...)

Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON579

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Modelling a potential #zoonotic #spillover event of #H5N1 #influenza

 

Abstract

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a prominent candidate for a future human pandemic arising from a zoonotic spillover event. Its best-known subtype is H5N1, with South- or South-East Asia a likely location for an initial outbreak. Such an outbreak would be initiated through a primary event of bird-to-human infection, followed by sustained human-to-human transmission. Early interventions require the extraction, integration and interpretation of epidemiological information from the limited and noisy case data available at outbreak onset. We studied the implications of a potential zoonotic spillover of H5N1 influenza into humans. Our simulations used BharatSim, an agent-based model framework designed primarily for the population of India, but which can be tuned easily for others. We considered a synthetic population representing primary contacts in an outbreak site with infected birds. These primary contacts transfer infections to secondary (household) contacts, from where the infection spreads further. We simulate outbreak scenarios in farm as well as wet-market settings, accounting for the network structure of human contacts and the stochasticity of the infection process. We further simulated multiple interventions, including bird-culling, quarantines, and vaccinations. We show how limited, noisy data for primary and secondary infections can be used to estimate epidemiological transmission parameters, such as the basic reproductive ratio R_0 from other metrics like the secondary attack risk, in realistic social interaction settings. We describe the impact of early interventions (bird-culling, quarantines, and vaccination), taken together or separately, in slowing or terminating the outbreak. An individual-based model allows for the most granular description of the bird-human spillover and subsequent human-to-human transmission for the case of H5N1. Such models can be contextualised to individual communities across varied geographies, given representative contact networks. We show how such models allow for the systematic real-time exploration of policy measures that could constrain disease-spread, as well as guide a better understanding of disease epidemiology for an emerging infectious disease.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

The authors are grateful for ongoing support from the Mphasis F1 Foundation. BharatSim development was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Grant No: R/BMG/PHY/GMN/20, as well as by the Mphasis F1 Foundation.

Source: MedRxIV, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.28.25326570v2

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#USA, #Wastewater Data for Avian #Influenza #H5 (#CDC, August 29 '25)

 

{Summary}

Time Period: August 17, 2025 - August 23, 2025

-- H5 Detection: 2 sites (0.5%)

-- No Detection: 429 sites (99.5%)

-- No samples in last week: 31 sites

(...)

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html

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#Pathogenicity of #SARS-CoV-2 #Omicron #Subvariants #JN.1, #KP.2, and #EG.5.1 in K18-hACE2 Transgenic #Mice

 

Abstract

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 lineage in late 2023 marked a major shift in viral evolution. By January 2024, it had displaced XBB variants to become the dominant strain worldwide. JN.1 and its descendants are antigenically distinct from earlier Omicron subvariants, with approximately 30 additional spike mutations compared to XBB-derived viruses. The combination of these features alongside growing evidence of considerable immune evasion prompted the FDA to recommend that vaccine formulations be updated to target JN.1 rather than XBB.1.5. The continued dominance of JN.1-derived variants necessitates the characterization of viral infection in established animal models to inform vaccine efficacy and elucidate host–pathogen interactions driving disease outcomes. In this study, transgenic mice expressing human ACE2 were infected with SARS-CoV-2 subvariants JN.1, KP.2, and EG.5.1 to compare the pathogenicity of JN.1-lineage and XBB-lineage SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Infection with JN.1 and KP.2 resulted in attenuated disease, with animals exhibiting minimal clinical symptoms and no significant weight loss. In contrast, EG.5.1-infected mice exhibited rapid progression to severe clinical disease, substantial weight loss, and 100% mortality within 7 days of infection. All variants replicated effectively within the upper and lower respiratory tracts and caused significant lung pathology. Notably, EG.5.1 resulted in neuroinvasive infection with a significantly high viral burden in the brain. Additionally, EG.5.1 infection resulted in a significant increase in CD8+ T cell and CD11b+ CD11c+ dendritic cell populations in infected lungs.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/9/1177

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#Mpox Multi-country external #situation #report no. 57 published 28 August 2025 (#WHO, summary)

 

Highlights   

• All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate in several countries. 

- When mpox outbreaks are not rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is not interrupted, they continue to pose a risk of sustained community transmission. 

- Since the last edition of this report, one country, Senegal, has reported mpox for the first time. Efforts to identify the clade are underway. 

• Furthermore, Türkiye has reported cases of mpox due to clade Ib MPXV for the first time and the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported its first cases of mpox due to clade IIb MPXV.  

• In July 2025, 47 countries in five (out of six) WHO regions reported a total of 3924 confirmed cases, including 30 deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.8%). 

- The South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions reported an increase in cases in July 2025, while the African Region, European Region and the Region of the Americas reported a decrease. 

- The Eastern Mediterranean Region did not report any mpox case in July 2025. 

• Twenty-one countries in Africa have reported ongoing mpox transmission in the past six weeks. 

- Clade IIb MPXV continues to be reported in West Africa, while Central African countries report both clade Ia and clade Ib MPXV, and East African countries report clade Ib MPXV. 

• The recent overall downward trend of confirmed cases across the continent is driven by the decline in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Uganda.  

• Kenya continues to experience community transmission and has been observing a gradual upward trend in confirmed cases reported throughout 2025. Cases continue to be reported primarily among young adults, and all but one death have been reported among people living with HIV. 

• China, Germany, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom have reported additional cases of mpox due to clade Ib MPXV since the last situation report. These cases have been linked to travel, and community transmission of clade Ib MPXV continues to be reported only in countries in central and eastern Africa. 

• On 20 August 2025, the WHO Director-General extended standing recommendations for mpox issued to States Parties by 12 months, until 20 August 2026, to further prevent or reduce international spread of mpox, as well as its impact on health. 

(...)

Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-mpox--external-situation-report--57---28-august-2025

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#Italy, Integrated #WNV & #USUV #Surveillance - Weekly #Bulletin No. 7 - 28 August 2025 (summary)

 

{Summary}

-- During surveillance week from 21 to 27 August, 79 new confirmed human cases of West Nile Virus infection have been reported. 

-- Since the beginning of the epidemic season, the total number of confirmed cases have risen to 430 (they were 351 in the last bulletin); of these:

- 193 were West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease cases: 8 in Piedmont, 12 Lombardy, 14 Veneto, 1 Friuli-Venezia Giulia, 1 Liguria, 13 Emilia-Romagna, 62 Latium, 2 Molise, 64 Campania, 2 Basilicata, 5 Calabria, 1 Sicily, 8 Sardinia), 

- 38 were asymptomatic cases among blood donors, 

- 193 were West Nile Fever cases, 

- 3 asymptomatic and 

- 3 unspecified cases. 

-- Among the confirmed cases, there were 27 fatalities: 1 Piedmont, 1 Lombardy, 1 Emilia-Romagna, 11 Latium, 11 Campania, 2 Calabria). 

- The Case-Fatality Rate in WNND cases is so far at 13.9% (during 2018 it was 20%, in 2024 14%). 

-- One confirmed human case of Usutu virus infection has been confirmed in Latium's province of Latina. 

(...)

Source: High Institute of Health, https://www.epicentro.iss.it/westnile/bollettino/Bollettino_WND_2025_07.pdf

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#Landscape changes elevate the #risk of avian #influenza virus diversification and emergence in the East Asian–Australasian #Flyway

 

Significance

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) threatens wildlife, agriculture, and humans. Along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, a major waterfowl migration corridor and HPAIV hot spot, landscape changes are altering migratory bird distributions and increasing opportunities for wild–poultry interactions. By integrating empirical data into an individual-based model, we show that landscape change between 2000 and 2015 reshaped waterfowl migration, substantially increased wild-poultry spillover, and avian influenza virus (AIV) reassortment in poultry, our proxy for potential AIV diversification and emergence of novel subtypes. Risk regions expanded across southeastern China, the Yellow River basin, and northeastern China. These findings highlight the importance of landscape changes in potentially elevating AIV diversification and emergence, and the landscape dynamics should be integrated into future studies.

Abstract

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) persistently threaten wild waterfowl, domestic poultry, and public health. The East Asian–Australasian Flyway plays a crucial role in HPAIV dynamics due to its large populations of migratory waterfowl and poultry. Over recent decades, this flyway has undergone substantial landscape changes, including both losses and gains of waterfowl habitats. These changes can affect waterfowl distributions, increase contact with poultry, and consequently alter ecological conditions that favor avian influenza virus (AIV) evolution. However, limited research has assessed these likely impacts. Here, we integrated empirical data and an individual-based model to simulate AIV transmission in migratory waterfowl and domestic poultry, including wild-to-poultry spillover and reassortment dynamics in poultry, across landscapes representing the years 2000 and 2015. We used the reassortment incidence as a proxy for ecological and transmission conditions that support viral diversification and the emergence of novel subtypes. Our simulations show that landscape change reshaped the waterfowl distribution, facilitated bird aggregation at improved habitats, increased coinfection, and raised reassortment rate by 1,593%, indicating a substantially higher potential for viral diversification and emergence. Model-generated risk maps show expanded and increased reassortment risk in southeastern China, the Yellow River Basin, and northeastern China. These findings suggest the importance of landscape change as a driver of potential AIV diversification and subtype emergence. This underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate landscape dynamics, host movement, and viral evolution to better assess and mitigate future risk.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2503427122?af=R

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Comparative single-cell #genomics of two uncultivated #Naegleria species harboring #Legionella #cobionts

 

ABSTRACT

Amoeboflagellates of the genus Naegleria are free-living protists ubiquitously found in soil and freshwater habitats worldwide. They include the “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri, an opportunistic pathogen that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but fatal infection of humans. Beyond their direct pathogenicity, protists can also act as environmental reservoirs for intracellular bacterial pathogens, such as Legionella spp., to persist and multiply in the environment. In this study, we carried out single-cell genome sequencing of two uncultivated Naegleria species isolated from the River Leam in England. From single cells, we generated two highly complete Naegleria genomes. Phylogenetic analyses placed these species as close relatives of Naegleria fultoni and Naegleria pagei. Exploring Naegleria evolutionary genomics, we identified gene families encoding antistasin-like domains, which have been characterized as factors that inhibit coagulation in blood-feeding leeches. Antistasin-like domains were identified in all sequenced Naegleria species and their close relative Willaertia magna, yet are otherwise largely restricted to animal genomes. Significantly, we recovered highly complete bacterial genomes from each Naegleria single-cell sample. Phylogenomic analysis revealed that both bacteria belong to the Legionellaceae family. Both bacterial genomes encode comprehensive sets of secretion systems and effector arsenals. We identified putative Legionella effectors that resemble TAL (Transcription activator-like) effectors from plant pathogenic Xanthomonas spp. in terms of protein sequence and predicted structure, representing a potentially novel class of Legionella effectors. Our study highlights the advantages of single-cell environmental genomics approaches, which enable direct association of intracellular pathogens with their hosts to better understand the evolution of host-pathogen interactions.

Source: mSphere, https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/msphere.00352-25?af=R

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An emerging #PB2-627 #polymorphism increases the #zoonotic #risk of avian #influenza virus by overcoming ANP32 host restriction in mammalian and avian hosts

 

ABSTRACT

Alterations in the PB2-627 domain of avian influenza virus (AIV) can potentially increase the risk of cross-host species infections in humans and mammals. Recently, there has been a rise in human cases of AIV infections without the presence of the known mammalian determinant PB2-E627K. Here, we identified a variant, PB2-627V, which has evolved in poultry and has contributed to the increase in human AIV infections. By screening global PB2 sequences, we discovered a new independent cluster of PB2-627V that emerged in the 2010s, prevalent in avian, mammalian, and human AIV isolates, including those of H9N2, H7N9, H3N8, 2.3.4.4b H5N1, and other subtypes. We functionally assessed its host adaptation, fitness, and transmissibility across three subtypes of AIVs (H9N2, H7N9, and H3N8) in different host models. PB2-627V combines the viral properties of avian-like PB2-627E and human-like PB2-627K, facilitating AIVs to efficiently infect and replicate in chickens and mice by utilizing both avian- and human-origin ANP32A proteins. Importantly, PB2-627V promotes efficient transmission between ferrets through respiratory droplets. Deep sequencing of passaged chicken and transmitted ferret viral samples indicates that PB2-627V remains stable across the two host species and shows a high potential for long-term prevalence in avian species. Thus, the PB2-627V mutation in AIVs can stably transmit through poultry and can overcome the cross-species barrier to infect humans. Given the global prominence of AIVs, it will be prudent to monitor influenza viruses for the PB2-627V mutation as a potential marker for zoonotic spread.

IMPORTANCE

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are significant zoonotic pathogens. There is a rising trend of human cases of AIVs caused by a range of virus subtypes, including H9N2, H3N8, and H5N1 viruses. Thus, it is crucial to understand the underlying viral changes in AIVs that could result in zoonotic spread. We identify mutation PB2-627V as an emerging viral factor that confers dual ability to the virus to infect and adapt to mammalian and avian hosts, and virus transmissibility in ferrets. The presence of PB2-627V in multiple subtypes of AIVs has the potential to cause public health risk. We therefore propose that PB2-627V be included as a molecular marker to assess the zoonotic risk of AIVs.

Source: Journal of Virology, https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jvi.00853-25?af=R

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#Human-Derived #H3N2 #Influenza A Viruses Detected in #Pigs in Northern #Italy

 

Abstract

In recent years, the four main swine influenza A virus (IAV-S) subtypes circulating in swine in the EU have been H1avN1, H1huN2, H1N1pdm09, and H3N2. The latter emerged in 1984 from a reassortment event between a human seasonal H3N2 and H1avN1, and is currently detected at low prevalence in swine in Italy. Here, we describe nine H3N2 IAV-S isolates belonging to three novel genotypes, first detected in Italy in 2021, likely resulting from reassortment events between swine and human IAVs. The first genotype was characterized by a hemagglutinin (H3 HA) of human seasonal origin, a neuraminidase (N2 NA) derived from H1huN2 strains circulating in Italian swine, and an avian-like internal gene cassette (IGC). The second genotype differed in its IGC constellation: PB2, PB1, PA and NP segments were of pandemic origin (pdm09), while NS and M segments derived from the Eurasian avian-like lineage. The third genotype combined a human-derived H3, a Gent/84-derived N2, and a pdm09-origin IGC, as well as an avian-like NS. This study aimed to characterize the genetic features of these novel H3huN2 and assess their epidemiological relevance, with implications for surveillance and control, improving preparedness and mitigating the risks posed by zoonotic influenza viruses.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/9/1171

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#Influenza A Virus #Infection Impairs #Neuronal Activity in Human iPSC-Derived NGN2 Neural Co-Cultures

 

Abstract

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is associated with a wide variety of neurological complications, of which mild complications like impaired cognitive functioning are most prominent. Even though several studies have shown that many influenza viruses can enter the CNS, the neuropathogenesis of seasonal (H3N2 and H1N1) and pandemic (pH1N1 2009) IAV infections is poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the cellular tropism, replication efficiency and associated functional consequences using a human stem cell-derived neural co-culture model of neurons and astrocytes. All viruses were able to infect neurons in the co-culture model, although this infection did not result in efficient replication and release of progeny virus. In addition, infection did not result in visible cell death or apoptosis. However, functional analyses revealed that IAV inoculation resulted in a reduction of spontaneous neural activity and a partial reduction of neural excitability. This study shows that seasonal and pandemic IAVs can disrupt neural homeostasis, without efficient virus replication or the induction of cell death. However, these functional changes in neural activity can contribute to cognitive problems during IAV infections in the acute and potentially post-acute phase of the infection.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funder Information Declared

ZonMw, The Dutch Organisation for knowledge and innovation in health, healthcare and well-being, https://ror.org/01yaj9a77, 91718308

The netherlands organisation for scientific research, OCENW.XS22.2.045, 024.003.001

Escmid, xx

European Union, 101084171

Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.26.672266v1

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28. 
    Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility.
    Nature. 2025;644:579.
    PubMed        
    
    
29. COSTELLO A
    David Nabarro obituary: global-health leader who fought malnutrition, malaria, Ebola and COVID-19.
    Nature. 2025;644:870.
    PubMed        
    

#Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Research #References (by AMEDEO, August 26 '25)

 

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    PubMed         Abstract available
    
    

    
    N Engl J Med

21. MCINTYRE L, Fergusson D, McArdle T, English S, et al
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    PLoS Comput Biol

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    PLoS One

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24. VILLENEUVE PJ, Cottagiri SA, Jiang Y, De Groh M, et al
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25. DANOK L, Burke J, MacDonald T, Cheema S, et al
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26. OTI O, Foley S, Pitt I
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27. CREEDON S, Trace A
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28. MARTIN-ESCOLANO J, Ruiz-Molina A, Rodriguez-Urbistondo C, Infante-Dominguez C, et al
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#Sources and sinks of #influenza A virus genomic diversity in #swine from 2009 to 2022 in the #US

 

ABSTRACT

Influenza A virus (IAV) in swine in the U.S. is surveilled to monitor genetic evolution to inform intervention efforts and aid pandemic preparedness. We describe data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Surveillance Plan for Influenza A Virus in Pigs from 2009 to 2022. Clinical respiratory cases were subtyped, followed by sequencing of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), and a subset of viruses was whole genome sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis identified geographic and temporal IAV reassortment hotspots. Regions acting as IAV genomic diversity sources or sinks were quantified, and dissemination was qualified and modeled. The dominant IAV clades were H1N2 (1B.2.1), H3N2 (1990.4.a), and H1N1 (H1-1A.3.3.3-c3). Internal genes were classified as triple-reassortant (T) or pandemic 2009 (P), and three genome constellations represented 73.5% of detections across the last 2 years. In some years, the distribution of IAV diversity was so narrow that it presented a statistical signal associated with local adaptation. We also demonstrated that the source of most IAV genomic diversity was in Midwest states (IL, MO, IA), and while this was correlated with swine inventory, the emergence and persistence of diversity were tied to swine transport across the U.S. The continued regional detection of unique HA, NA, and genome constellations provides support for targeted interventions to improve animal health and enhance pandemic preparedness.

IMPORTANCE

Variation in the genetic diversity of influenza A virus (IAV) in swine through time and between regions impacts control efforts. This study quantified the genomic diversity of swine IAV collected from 2009 to 2022 at regional and national levels and modeled sources and sinks of that diversity. Seasonal patterns of IAV transmission were observed, and some locations contributed disproportionately to the emergence of genomic diversity. Minor groups of viruses had the potential to disseminate across the U.S. with animal movement. The identification of these patterns demonstrates the importance of a robust surveillance system to inform vaccine updates that reflect regional patterns of genetic diversity. We show how preemptive interventions in swine IAV diversity hubs could reduce reassortment and the emergence of novel genomic diversity, and how these efforts are likely to reduce the transmission of IAV within swine and between swine and humans.

Source: Journal of Virology, https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jvi.00541-25?af=R

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#Bulgaria - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (#poultry) (Inf. with) - Immediate notification

 

Poultry farms in Plovdiv Region.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6746

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Serological #Evidence of #Flavivirus #Infection Among #Mothers of #Newborns in El Paso, #Texas

 

Abstract

Background: 

Flaviviruses represent a significant worldwide threat to human health and have the potential to emerge and cause outbreaks in non-endemic geographical regions. Ongoing surveillance for these viruses in the United States–Mexican border communities such as El Paso, Texas, is lacking. As a continuing effort to better understand the prevalence and to determine which arboviruses are endemic, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of specific flavivirus antibody among 910 human umbilical cord blood samples obtained from mothers who delivered newborns in El Paso, Texas.

Materials and Methods: 

The samples were screened for West Nile virus (WNV) and dengue virus (DENV) IgG antibodies with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by a plaque reduction neutralization test for DENV, WNV, Zika virus (ZIKV) and Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV).

Results: 

Among the 910 samples, 2% were positive for specific IgG antibody to DENV, 4.4% to WNV, 0.1% to SLEV, and 0.0% for ZIKV antibody. The results confirmed the local transmission of WNV and supported a low prevalence rate for DENV, and this was the first reported serological evidence of SLEV infection in the El Paso community.

Conclusion: 

The interpretation of the public health significance of these observations supported previous findings of ongoing transmission of WNV and suggested the possibility of DENV transmission and re-emergence of SLEV in the community. Therefore, prospective studies are needed to obtain a more conclusive understanding of the prevalence of flaviviruses in the El Paso community.

Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15303667251367518

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Single-Cell #Network #Analysis Identifies CLEC4E as a Key Mediator of Proinflammatory mDC Responses in #Influenza #Infection

 

Abstract

The severity of influenza is often driven by an excessive host immune response rather than the virus itself, yet the key molecular drivers within specific immune cells remain poorly understood. While recent single-cell RNA sequencing studies have successfully identified immune populations involved, they have largely not identified the upstream drivers modulating their pro-inflammatory functions. Here we employed an integrated single-cell co-expression network to address this gap. Our analysis identified myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) as central to pro-inflammatory response during infection. Through a multi-layered key driver analysis, we pinpointed C-type lectin, CLEC4E as a top candidate modulating this pathological inflammatory response. The role of CLEC4E was confirmed in an independent single-cell dataset from influenza-infected patients and further validated in vivo. Pharmacological inhibition of CLEC4E in a murine influenza model significantly reduced disease severity and lower viral titers in the lungs. This study not only clarifies that CLEC4E overexpression in mDCs contributes to pro-inflammatory signaling pathways influencing influenza severity but also shows the power of single-cell network approaches to uncover novel and robust therapeutic targets hidden within complex immune responses.

Competing Interest Statement

The M.S. laboratory has received unrelated funding support in sponsored research agreements from Phio Pharmaceuticals, 7Hills Pharma, ArgenX NV, Ziphius and Moderna.

Funder Information Declared

NIH Common Fund, R21AI149013, R01AI170112, U01AG088351

Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.21.671587v1

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History of Mass Transportation: The FS Ale 801 Electric Multiple Unit

 

Di Christof Hofbauer - http://www.bahnbilder.ch/picture/8345, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16838742

Source: Wikipedia, https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotrici_FS_ALe_801_e_ALe_940

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The Great Day of His Wrath, John Martin (1851 - 1853)

 

Public Domain.

Source: WikiArt, https://www.wikiart.org/en/john-martin/the-great-day-of-his-wrath-1853

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