ETIDIOH - NEW

Abstract We compared virus replication and host responses in human alveolar epithelium infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A( H5N1 ) viruses. A/Vietnam/1203/2004 replicated most efficiently, followed by A/Texas/37/2024 , then A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024 . Induction of interferon-stimulated genes was lower with A/Texas/37/2024 and A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024, which may indicate a reduced disease severity of those viruses. Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/2/24-1147_article _____

 {Summary} At a glance -- H5N1 bird flu is caused by viruses that can infect cows and other animals but most commonly affect birds and poultry .  -- People who work with infected animals or their byproducts (for example, raw milk ), might get sick from the virus.  -- For example , dairy and poultry workers might get sick with H5N1 bird flu.  -- Your employer should develop a workplace health and safety plan and share it with you.  -- CDC updated this page to add information about worker exposure levels (low, medium, and high).  -- We also added detail about how to use the right personal protective equipment safely for each exposure level. (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/farm-workers.html _____

Abstract The avian influenza virus is a global pathogen with significant health and economic implications. While primarily a pathogen of wild and domestic birds , recent outbreaks of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) clade 2.3.4.4b have caused mortality in a wide variety of mammals , including members of the Canidae family , on multiple continents. Despite sporadic mortality events globally, the epidemiology and pathobiology of H5N1 HPAIV in wild canids remains poorly defined. During 2022–2024, 41 wild canid carcasses (diagnostic cases), including 23 red foxes and 18 gray foxes , were tested for the influenza A virus (IAV) via PCR, with five red fox kits testing positive (12%). Infected animals had variably severe encephalitis , pneumonia , and occasionally myocarditis associated with strong immunolabeling for IAV. Serum from 269 wild canids in Pennsylvania was tested for antibodies to IAV, including 133 samples collected prior to 2021 (pre-H5N1 HPAIV 2.3.4.4b in...

Abstract Avian influenza subtype H5N1 has caused outbreaks worldwide since 1996, with the emergence of the Guandong lineage in China. The current clade 2.3.4.4b has evolved from this lineage, with increased virulence and mass mortality events in birds and mammals . The objective of this study was the analysis of 17 viral genomes of H5N1 avian influenza isolated in Venezuela during the 2022–2023 outbreak. The eight viral genomic segments were amplified using universal primers and sequenced via next-generation sequencing. The sequences were analyzed to confirm the H5 hemagglutinin clade , identify possible genetic reassortments , and perform a phylogenetic and docking analysis of the viral isolates. The viruses found in Venezuela belonged, as expected, to clade 2.3.4.4b and formed a monophyletic clade with North American influenza viruses , with no evidence of further reassortment. The introduction of the virus in South America is associated with bird migration through the Atlantic (Vene...

Abstract Despite extensive experience with influenza surveillance in humans in Senegal , there is limited knowledge about the actual situation and genetic diversity of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) circulating in the country, hindering control measures and pandemic risk assessment . Therefore, as part of the “ One Health ” approach to influenza surveillance, we conducted active AIV surveillance in two live bird markets (LBMs) in Dakar to better understand the dynamics and diversity of influenza viruses in Senegal, obtain genetic profiles of circulating AIVs , and assess the risk of emergence of novel strains and their transmission to humans. Cloacal swabs from poultry and environmental samples collected weekly from the two LBMs were screened by RT-qPCR for H5, H7, and H9 AIVs . Subsequently, a subset of H9-positive samples was selected for whole sequencing. From December 2023 to October 2024, 499 samples were tested, and AIV was detected in 58.3% of them. Among these, A/H9N2 was the o...

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...

Situation at a glance In many countries of the Northern Hemisphere , trends in acute respiratory infections increase at this time of year.  These increases are typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common respiratory viruses , including human metapneumovirus (hMPV), as well as mycoplasma pneumoniae .  Many countries conduct routine surveillance for acute respiratory infections and common respiratory pathogens.  Currently, in some countries in the temperate Northern hemisphere, influenza-like illness (ILI) and/or acute respiratory infection (ARI) rates have increased in recent weeks and are above baseline levels, following usual seasonal trends.  Seasonal influenza activity is elevated in many countries in the Northern hemisphere.  Where surveillance data is available , trends in RSV detections currently vary by region with decreases reported in most regions except ...

7 January 2025  A day after the United States reported its first human death from avian flu, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) insisted on Tuesday that the risk to the wider population remains “low”.  WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva that the H5N1 virus causing the disease is “ not circulating in humans but jumping into humans ” who are exposed to poultry or dairy cattle. “ We’re not seeing sustained circulation ,” she insisted. Underlying conditions The man who died of the disease in Louisiana was over 65 and reportedly had underlying medical conditions, Dr. Harris said.  According to the health authorities , he had been exposed to chickens and wild birds . Several dozen people in the US have contracted avian influenza – commonly referred to as bird flu – during the current outbreak, mainly farmworkers in close contact with poultry flocks and cattle herds. Dr. Harris stressed that WHO’s assessment of the risk to the general population “i...

 {Summary} Misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories gain traction in times of uncertainty when little is known about a disease and when trust in government and public institutions is low . Amidst uncertainty, public health-related memes act as a sort of coping mechanism. Memes images, text, or video that serve as a shorthand form of communication—have the potential to spread quickly and widely on social media. While memes can be humorous, perhaps harmless, they can have serious effects at other times, as during the COVID-19 pandemic. One thing they have in common, however, is their transportability from user to user and platform to platform.  Frame analysis of Internet memes is useful for categorizing what we call frames of meaning in digital space. Unlike the agenda-setting function of mass media, in which gatekeepers (e.g., news editors) set the agenda regarding public issues, framing theory in the digital age is more dynamic, as content may take on different ...

Abstract In early 2024, an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle in the USA . The epidemic remains uncontrolled , with spillbacks into poultry , wild birds and other mammals including humans . Here, we present molecular and virological evidence that the cattle B3.13 genotype H5N1 viruses rapidly accumulated adaptations in polymerase genes that enabled better replication in bovine cells , as well as cells of other mammalian species including humans and pigs . We find evidence of several mammalian adaptations gained early in the evolution of these viruses in cattle including PB2 M631L , which is found in all cattle sequences, and PA K497R, which is found in the majority. Structurally, PB2 M631L maps to the polymerase-ANP32 interface, an essential host factor for viral genome replication. We show this mutation adapts the virus to co-opt bovine ANP32 proteins and thereby enhances virus replication in bovine and primary human airway c...

January 6, 2025 -- CDC is saddened by Louisiana's report that a person previously hospitalized with severe avian influenza A(H5N1) illness ("H5N1 bird flu") has passed away .  While tragic, a death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States is not unexpected because of the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause severe illness and death.  As of January 6, 2025, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2024 and 67 since 2022.  This is the first person in the United States who has died as a result of an H5 infection.  Outside the United States , more than 950 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported to the World Health Organization; about half of those have resulted in death. CDC has carefully studied the available information about the person who died in Louisiana and continues to assess that the risk to the general public remains low .  Most importantly, no person-to-person transmission spread has been ...

{Edited} January 06, 2025 The Louisiana Department of Health reports the patient who had been hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana and the U.S. has died .  The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions .  The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.  LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission . This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.  The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one. Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient.  While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or c...

 {Excerpt, edited, original article in Bahasan} KOMPAS.com - The United States recorded its first death from bird flu ( H5N1 ), as recorded by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Monday (6/1/2025) local time. Quoted from the Washington Post , Tuesday (7/1/2025), this case occurred in Louisiana, involving a patient over 65 years old who had comorbidities . (...) Source: Kompas,  https://health.kompas.com/read/25A07073728468/as-laporkan-kasus-kematian-pertama-flu-burung-pada-manusia# ____

Genetic Sequences of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses Identified in a Person in Louisiana What to know -- CDC has sequenced the influenza viruses in specimens collected from the patient in Louisiana who was infected with, and became severely ill from HPAI A(H5N1) virus.  -- The genomic sequences were compared to other HPAI A(H5N1) sequences from dairy cows, wild birds and poultry , as well as previous human cases and were identified as the D1.1 genotype .  -- The analysis identified low frequency mutations in the hemagglutinin gene of a sample sequenced from the patient, which were not found in virus sequences from poultry samples collected on the patient’s property, suggesting the changes emerged in the patient after infection. Background This is a technical summary of an analysis of the genomic sequences of the viruses identified in two upper respiratory tract specimens from the patient who was severely ill from an infection with highly pathogenic avian infl...

Abstract Zoonotic infections (swine-human) caused by influenza A viruses (IAVs) have been reported and linked to close contact between these species . Here, we describe eight human IAV variant infections ( 6 mild and 2 severe cases , including 1 death ) detected in Paraná, Brazil , during 2020–2023. Genomes recovered were closely related to Brazilian swIAVs of three major lineages (1 A.3.3.2/ pdm09, 1B/human-like, and H3.1990.5), including three H1N1v, two H1N2v, two H3N2v and one H1v. Five H1v were closely related to pdm09 lineage , one H1v ( H1N2v ) grouped within 1B.2.3 clade, and the two H3v grouped within a clade composed exclusively of Brazilian H3 swIAV (clade H3.1990.5.1). Internal gene segments were closely related to H1N1pdm09 isolated from pigs . IAV variant rarely result in sustained transmission between people, however the potential to develop such ability is of concern and must not be underestimated. This study brings into focus the need for continuous influenza surveilla...

 A poultry farm in Lisboa Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6164 _____

 A poultry farm in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6165 _____

 Wild Anatidae birds in Hessen Region, Frankfurt am Main. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6166 _____

Abstract Introduction Pandemic influenza vaccine development focuses on the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen for potency and immunogenicity. Antibody responses targeting the neuraminidase (NA) antigen, or the HA stalk domain have been implicated in protection against influenza. Responses to the NA and HA-stalk domain following pandemic inactivated influenza are not well characterized in humans. Material and methods In a series of clinical trials , we determine the vaccines' NA content and demonstrate that NA inhibition (NAI) antibody responses increase in a dose-dependent manner following a 2-dose priming series with AS03-adjuvanted influenza A(H7N9) inactivated vaccine (A(H7N9) IIV). NAI antibody responses also increase with interval extension of the 2-dose priming series or following a 5-year delayed boost with a heterologous adjuvanted A(H7N9) IIV. Neither concomitant seasonal influenza vaccination given simultaneously or sequentially, nor use of heterologous A(H7N9) IIVs in the 2-dos...

Abstract Recent outbreaks of influenza A(H5N1) have affected many mammal species . We report serologic evidence of H5N1 virus infection in horses in Mongolia . Because H3N8 equine influenza virus is endemic in many countries, horses should be monitored to prevent reassortment between equine and avian influenza viruses with unknown consequences. Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/1/24-1266_article _____