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Abstract Influenza, a major “One Health” threat , has gained heightened attention following recent reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle and cow-to-human transmission in the USA. This review explores general aspects of influenza A virus (IAV) biology, its interactions with mammalian hosts, and discusses the key considerations for developing vaccines to prevent or curtail IAV infection in the bovine mammary gland and its spread through milk. Source: npj Vaccines,  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-025-01063-7 _____

WASHINGTON, January 13, 2025 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard poultry flock in Puerto Rico .   This is the first case of HPAI in domestic birds in Puerto Rico during this outbreak, which began in February 2022. Samples from the flock were tested and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. APHIS is working closely with animal health officials in Puerto Rico on a joint incident response and will provide appropriate support as requested.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections in birds remains low.  As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution. As part of existi...

{Scotland} Backyard flock with 6 hens, approximately 5 months old. Increased mortality and other clinical signs reported. Official samples were H5N1 HPAI positive. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6186 _____

 {Excerpt} -- Avian influenza A(H9N2) : -- 1) Chongqing Municipality : An one-year-old girl with onset on December 13, 2024.  -- 2) Hubei  An eight-year-old girl with onset on November 27, 2024.  -- Avian influenza A(H10N3) :  -- 1) Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region : A 23-year-old woman with onset on December 12, 2024.  Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR,  https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/2025_avian_influenza_report_vol21_wk02.pdf _____

Abstract Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) has caused a panzootic affecting all continents except Australia , expanding its host range to several mammalian species . In March 2024, H5N1 HPAIV was first detected in dairy cattle and goats in the United States . Over 891 dairy farms across 16 states have tested positive until 25th December 2024, with zoonotic infections reported among dairy workers . This raises concerns about the virus undergoing evolutionary changes in cattle that could enhance its zoonotic potential . The Influenza glycoprotein haemagglutinin (HA) facilitates entry into host cells through receptor binding and pH-induced fusion with cellular membranes. Adaptive changes in HA modulate virus-host cell interactions. This study compared the HA genes of cattle and goat H5N1 viruses with the dominant avian-origin clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 in the United Kingdom , focusing on receptor binding, pH fusion, and thermostability. All the tested H5N1 viru...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, January 10, 2025  *** PRESS RELEASE ***  Contact: SFDPH Media Desk: DPH.Press@sfdph.org  SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) announced today that a presumptive case of H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a San Francisco resident .  The individual is a child who experienced symptoms of fever and conjunctivitis but did not need to be hospitalized and has since fully recovered .  The risk to the general public remains low as there is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission .  SFDPH is encouraging people to avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds, especially wild birds and poultry.  Wild birds can be infected with bird flu even if they do not look sick.  If you have found a dead bird , please contact 311.  In addition, as bird flu continues to spread among U.S. dairy cows, SFDPH strongly recommends that individuals not consume raw milk or raw milk products , inc...

Abstract Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an important zoonotic pathogen . The aim of this paper is to report one polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive case of MERS-CoV in a 27-year-old man who was involved in a nationwide longitudinal surveillance study of certain zoonotic diseases in Jordan including MERS-CoV. Whole-blood and nasal swab samples were collected from the man and five camels in the vicinity of his living area. The samples were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to detect MERS-CoV- specific antibodies and MERS-CoV genetic material , respectively. Genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were also performed to detect similarities with known strains of the virus in the region. In January 2021 , an ongoing surveillance study detected a MERS-CoV-positive nasal swab sample from an asymptomatic male and camels using RT-PCR. Phylogenetically, the MERS-CoV isolated in this case b...

{Excerpt} Time Period: December 29, 2024 - January 04, 2025 H5 Detection : 51 sites ( 17.0% ) No Detection : 249 sites ( 83.0% ) No samples in last week :  93 sites Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ______

Abstract Introduction While it remains impossible to predict the timing of the next influenza pandemic , novel avian influenza A viruses continue to be considered a significant threat. Methods A Phase II study was conducted in healthy adults aged 18–64 years to assess the safety and immunogenicity of two intramuscular doses of pre-pandemic 2017 influenza A( H7N9 ) inactivated vaccine administered 21 days apart. Participants were randomized (n = 105 in each of Arms 1–3) to receive 3.75 μg, 7.5 μg or 15 μg of hemagglutinin (HA) with MF59® adjuvant, or 15 μg of HA unadjuvanted vaccine (n = 57, Arm 4). Results The three MF59 adjuvanted vaccines and the 15 μg unadjuvanted vaccine were safe and well-tolerated. Little antibody activity was detected against the A(H7N9) vaccine antigen after the first vaccination across study Arms. After second vaccination , the three adjuvanted Arms showed increases in hemagglutination inhibition (HAI), neutralizing (Neut), and neuraminidase inhibition (NAI) g...

  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...

  Arch Virol SAKUMA S, Mine J, Uchida Y, Kumagai A, et al Long-term immune responses induced by low-dose infection with high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses can protect mallards from reinfection with a heterologous strain. Arch Virol. 2025;170:33. PubMed           Abstract available ARVIA R, Rocca A, Casciato B, Stincarelli MA, et al High-resolution melting analysis for detection of nucleotide mutation markers in the polymerase-acidic (PA) gene of influenza virus that are associated with baloxavir marboxil resistance. Arch Virol. 2025;170:29. PubMed           Abstract available ASHRAF MA, Raza MA, Imran A, Amjad MN, et al Next-generation vaccines for influenza B virus: advancements and challenges. Arch Virol. 2025;170:25. PubMed           Abstract available REHMAN Z, Edington K, Jamal Z, Kritz-Wilson A, et al The introduction of the SARS-CoV-2...

Abstract The ongoing panzootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses is the largest in history , with unprecedented transmission to multiple mammalian species . Avian influenza A viruses of the H5 subtype circulate globally among birds and are classified into distinct clades based on their hemagglutinin (HA) genetic sequences. Thus, the ability to accurately and rapidly assign clades to newly sequenced isolates is key to surveillance and outbreak response . Co-circulation of endemic, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H5) lineages in North American and European wild birds necessitates the ability to rapidly and accurately distinguish between infections arising from these lineages and epizootic HPAI A(H5) viruses. However, currently available clade assignment tools are limited and often require command line expertise, hindering their utility for public health surveillance labs. To address this gap, we have developed datasets to enable A(H5) clade assignments wit...

Abstract Understanding wildlife-pathogen interactions is crucial for mitigating zoonotic risk . Through meta-transcriptomic sequencing we profiled the infectomes of 1,922 samples from 67 mammalian species across China , uncovering a remarkable diversity of viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. Of the 195 pathogens identified , 62 were novel , including a bi- segmented coronavirus in diseased lesser pandas, which we propose represents a new genus – Zetacoronavirus . The orders Carnivora and Rodentia exhibited the highest pathogen diversity and were implicated in numerous host-jumping events. Comparative analysis of diseased versus healthy animals revealed a trend of higher pathogen loads in the former, with possible differences in tissue tropisms. In total, 48 zoonotic and 17 epizootic pathogens were identified, with frequent cross-species transmission , emphasizing the potential for emerging public health threats. This study highlights the urgent need for wildlife pathogen...

 Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/georges-seurat/the-channel-of-gravelines-petit-fort-philippe-1890 Public Domain. _____

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 Seasonal and pandemic influenzas are continuous threats to human health, requiring rapid development of vaccines to multiple evolving viral strains. New RNA vaccine technologies have the adaptability and manufacturability to facilitate pandemic preparedness but have limited flexibility in their route of administration, reducing the ability to establish local protective immune responses such as respiratory mucosal immunity. Here, we describe monovalent and bivalent self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccines against A/Vietnam/1203/2004 H5N1 and A/Anhui/2013 H7N9. These saRNA vaccines express either H5 or H7 hemagglutinin and are formulated with a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) that permits both intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) dosing. In mice , IM vaccination established systemic humoral and cellular responses but no detectable mucosal response , while IN administration induced robust systemic and mucosal immunity . The saRNA-NLC vaccines provided complete protection against...

Abstract H5Nx viruses continue to wreak havoc in avian and mammalian species worldwide. The virus distinguishes itself by the ability to replicate to high titers and transmit efficiently in a wide variety of hosts in diverse climatic environments. Fortunately, transmission to and between humans is scarce . Yet, if such an event were to occur, it could spark a pandemic as humans are immunologically naive to H5 viruses. A significant determinant of transmission to and between humans is the ability of the influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) protein to shift from an avian-type to a human-type receptor specificity . Here, we demonstrate that a 2016 2.3.4.4e virus HA can convert to human-type receptor binding via a single Q226L mutation , in contrast to a cleavage-modified 2016 2.3.4.4b virus HA . Using glycan arrays, x-ray structural analyses, tissue- and direct glycan binding, we show that L133adelta and 227Q are vital for this phenotype. Thus, whereas the 2.3.4.4e virus HA only needs a s...

Waterford Township, Mich. – The Oakland County Health Division is monitoring a situation involving highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, identified in animals at the farm at Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford Township.  |--     Eleven individuals who had direct contact with the animals are being         monitored    for 10 days, beginning yesterday. --| Initially, it was reported that two of the 11 are experiencing flu-like symptoms . Since then, the Health Division has learned that only one individual has symptoms . That person’s influenza test has been collected and results from the state lab are pending . “The risk of contracting bird flu is very low for the general public , but it’s important to be aware of the disease in the community,” said Oakland County Director of Health and Human Services Leigh-Anne Stafford. “Protect yourself and prevent bird flu by avoiding direct contact with sick or dead bi...

Executive Summary   The first ever National One Health Framework to Address Zoonotic Diseases and Advance Public Health Preparedness in the United States (NOHF-Zoonoses), 2025-2029, establishes a structure to facilitate multisectoral and transdisciplinary coordination, collaboration, and communication across the federal government .  Using the One Health approach , the framework addresses zoonotic diseases and other priority One Health issues in the United States (U.S.).  The One Health approach recognizes the interdependence of the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants , and the wider environment (including ecosystems).  This approach mobilizes multiple diverse sectors , disciplines, and communities to work together to promote well-being and address health and ecosystem threats.  Previous multisectoral work in the U.S . identified the critical need to formalize federal One Health coordination to address zoonotic diseases and other One Health relat...

ABSTRACT The tonsils have been identified as a site of replication for Epstein–Barr virus, adenovirus, human papillomavirus, and other respiratory viruses. Human tonsil epithelial cells ( HTECs ) are a heterogeneous group of actively differentiating cells . Here, we investigated the cellular features and susceptibility of differentiated HTECs to specific influenza viruses , including expression of avian-type and mammalian-type sialic acid (SA) receptors , viral replication dynamics, and the associated cytokine secretion profiles. We found that differentiated HTECs possess more abundant α2,3-linked SA (preferentially bound by avian influenza viruses ) than α2,6-linked SA (preferentially bound by mammalian strains ). This dual receptor expression suggests a role in influenza virus adaptation and tropism within the tonsils by facilitating the binding and entry of multiple influenza virus strains. Our results indicated the susceptibility of differentiated HTECs to a wide range of influenza...