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LETTER Transmission among mammals of bovine highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses , which have caused outbreaks in US dairy cattle (1–3), has been demonstrated in ferrets by our group (4, 5) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (6). These studies showed that these viruses can be transmitted among ferrets via respiratory droplets , albeit with lower efficiency than seasonal human influenza viruses. In contrast, bovine HPAI H5N1 viruses spread easily among ferrets through direct contact (3 of 3 [100%] ferrets) (6). Although ferrets are frequently used for influenza virus transmission (7–9) and vaccine efficacy (10, 11) studies, they demand considerable housing space and personnel and can be difficult to handle. Here, we investigated the transmissibility of the bovine HPAI H5N1 virus A/Texas/37/2024 (TX/37), which was 100% lethal in ferrets inoculated with as little as 10 plaque-forming units (PFUs) (5) by using a hamster model .  (...) Bovine HP...

Abstract In the past two decades, two pandemic respiratory viruses (H1N1 and SARS-CoV-2) have emerged via spillover from animal reservoirs . In an effort to avert future pandemics, surveillance studies aimed at identifying zoonotic viruses at high risk of spilling over into humans act to monitor the `viral chatter' at the animal-human interface . These studies are hampered, however, by the diversity of zoonotic viruses and the limited tools available to assess pandemic risk. Methods currently in use include the characterization of candidate viruses using in vitro laboratory assays and experimental transmission studies in animal models . However, transmission experiments yield relatively low-resolution outputs that are not immediately translatable to projections of viral dynamics at the level of a host population. To address this gap, we present an analytical framework to extend the use of measurements from experimental transmission studies to generate more quantitative risk assessm...

Abstract The ongoing panzootic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has caused widespread poultry mortality and raised concerns about zoonotic pandemics and wildlife conservation . France recently adopted a preventive vaccination strategy , vaccinating domestic ducks with inactivated and mRNA vaccines . This study evaluates the impact of this campaign on reducing HPAI H5 outbreaks. Using predictive modeling based on previous outbreak data, the expected number of outbreaks in 2023-24 without vaccination was significantly higher than the observed cases, indicating a 95.9% reduction attributable to vaccination . These findings suggest that vaccination effectively mitigated the HPAI H5 outbreak in France. Source: BioRxIV,  https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.28.609837v3 ____

 A poultry farm in Khulna Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6351 ____

Abstract Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) are zoonotic filoviruses that cause hemorrhagic fever in humans . Correlative data implicate bats as natural EBOV hosts , but neither a full-length genome nor an EBOV isolate has been found in any bats sampled. Here, we model filovirus infection in the Jamaican fruit bat (JFB), Artibeus jamaicensis, by inoculation with either EBOV or MARV through a combination of oral, intranasal, and subcutaneous routes . Infection with EBOV results in systemic virus replication and oral shedding of infectious virus. MARV replication is transient and does not shed. In vitro, JFB cells replicate EBOV more efficiently than MARV, and MARV infection induces innate antiviral responses that EBOV efficiently suppresses. Experiments using VSV pseudoparticles or replicating VSV expressing the EBOV or MARV glycoprotein demonstrate an advantage for EBOV entry and replication early , respectively, in JFB cells. Overall, this study describes filovirus species-sp...

A poultry farm in Maritime Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6361 ____

Sheep, March 2025 One domestic sheep (Ovis aries) tested positive for influenza of avian origin (H5N1) in March 2025 . The case was identified following routine surveillance of farmed livestock on a premises in Yorkshire where highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) had been confirmed in other captive birds . The single animal was a ewe with signs of mastitis but no other clinical signs . The milk was positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the blood tested positive for H5 antibodies.   All affected birds and the infected ewe were humanely culled to mitigate the risk of further disease spread. Further official testing of the remaining flock of sheep were all negative for the presence of avian influenza virus. Source: DEFRA,  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bird-flu-avian-influenza-findings-in-captive-mammals/confirmed-findings-of-influenza-of-avian-origin-in-captive-mammals ____

Highlights The current review highlights the following major findings from the literature. 1.The genomic control of pathogenic properties of murine β-coronavirus. 2.Plausible mechanism of virus-induced neuroinflammatory demyelination and axonal loss. 3.Spike protein as a major determinant of MHV-induced neuropathogenesis. 4.The minimal essential motif in fusion peptide responsible for neuropathogenesis. 5.mCoV research sheds light on hCoV neuropathogenesis and helps design anti-virals. Abstract Coronaviruses have emerged as a significant challenge to human health . While earlier outbreaks of coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV posed serious threats , the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has heightened interest in coronavirus research due to its pulmonary pathology , in addition to its neurological manifestations . In addition, the patients who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection show long-term symptoms such as anosmia, brain fog and long COVID. A major hurdle in studying these v...

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/clara-peeters/still-life-with-cheeses-almonds-and-pretzels-1615 ____

PHNOM PENH, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A three-year-and-six-month boy from northeast Cambodia's Kratie province has been confirmed for H5N1 human avian influenza , raising the number of cases to three so far this year , said a Ministry of Health's statement on Sunday. The boy had been brought to the hospital in a critical condition with fever, cough, and dyspnea , it said, adding that he is receiving medical treatment with the utmost care from a team of doctors. "According to queries, the patient's family raised chickens and about five chickens had died , as some others were sick, and his family members cooked the dead poultry for food," the statement said. Health authorities are looking into the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the patient in order to prevent an outbreak in the community, it added. Among the three human cases of H5N1 so far this year , two had died, and all patients reportedly had a h...

  Ann Intern Med Correction: Anticoagulation Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Mar 18. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00916. PubMed          Antiviral Res SAFIRIYU AA, Hussain A, Dewangan N, Kasle G, et al The fusion peptide of the spike protein S2 domain may be a mimetic analog of beta-coronaviruses and serve as a novel virus-host membrane fusion inhibitor. Antiviral Res. 2025 Mar 16:106144. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106144. PubMed           Abstract available XU M, Zhang Z, Sun Y, Mai H, et al Corrigendum to "IgA class switching enhances neutralizing potency against SARS-CoV-2 by increased antibody hinge flexibility" [Antiv. Res. (2025) 106082]. Antiviral Res. 2025 Mar 20:106146. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106146. PubMed          Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol ZUREIK A, Couturier A, Delcourt C Evolution of ophthalmological care in adult with ...

  Am J Med HOLLAND J, Sheehan D, Brown S, O'Flanagan S, et al Immune Response and Cognitive Impairment in Post-COVID Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Am J Med. 2025;138:698-711. PubMed           Abstract available PASCULLI P, Zingaropoli MA, Dominelli F, Solimini AG, et al Insights into Long COVID: Unraveling Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Radiological Findings, Functional Sequelae and Correlations: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Am J Med. 2024 Sep 17:S0002-9343(24)00569-2. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2024. PubMed           Abstract available XU J, Wu D, Yang J, Zhao Y, et al Adult Outpatients with Long COVID Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant. Part 1: Oral Microbiota Alterations. Am J Med. 2025;138:732-741. PubMed           Abstract available YOO KH, Lee SH, Cho Y, Kim YJ, et al Synergistic Effect of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Vaccination on the Risk of Ven...

Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of subtype H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) have crossed the species barrier and caused a mastitis-like infection in dairy cows . The high levels of infectious virus found in the milk raised considerable concerns about the safety of raw milk products . This study examined the effect of temperature and pH on the stability of HPAIV and low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIV). We found that H5N1 HPAIV remained infectious in milk at 4 degrees Celsius for four weeks , with slow decreases at 21 degrees Celsius, and complete inactivation at 37 degrees Celsius after four weeks . H5N1 LPAIV was stable at 50 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes but inactivated at higher temperatures (55 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, 60 degrees Celsius for 1 minute, or 72 degrees Celsius for 30 seconds). At pH levels between 6 and 10 , the virus remained stable but was partially inactivated at pH 5.0 and completely inactivated at pH 4.0. During yogurt production,...

Abstract Rationale and Objectives :  Iron availability and metabolism are important in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections . More recently, links have been reported between iron and the severity of viral infections . In this study, we characterize a crucial relationship between iron metabolism and IAV infection and disease.  Methods :  Iron-related gene expression was assessed in human airway epithelial cells (AEC) infected with IAV. AECs were cultured with ferric iron, iron-loaded transferrin, or iron chelator, deferoxamine (DFO), prior to infection with IAV. Mice were placed on a high iron diet for 8 weeks prior to infection with IAV or treated with anti-transferrin receptor-1 (TFR1) antibody during IAV infection. The effects of iron modulation and depletion of TFR1-mediated responses on IAV infection were assessed.  Measurements and main results :  Iron-related gene expression and metabolism are altered systemically and in lung tissues and AECs during IA...

{Excerpt} Time Period: March 09 - March 15, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  12 sites ( 2.7% ) -- No Detection :  431 sites ( 97.3% ) -- No samples in last week :  177 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

{Highland Scotland} Flock of 23 chickens and 4 goose. Increased mortality reported. Samples taken were found positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6357 ____

Abstract Objective :  To analyze the epidemiological, etiological and genetic characteristics of influenza virus in Shandong Province during 2023-2024.  Methods :  The surveillance data of influenza-like illness (ILI) in sentinel hospitals in Shandong from 2023 to 2024 were collected and analyzed. The isolated influenza strains with hemagglutination titers ≥8 were selected for antigenicity analysis , drug susceptibility test, gene sequencing and evolutionary analysis .  Results :  From 2023 to 2024, the positive rate of influenza virus in Shandong was 8.51% (23 663/277 995), the highest positive rate was in the age group of 5-14 years (15.78%, 6 073/38 478), and the highest positive rate was in the 49th week (35.86%, 2 264/6 313). Both antigenicity analysis and evolutionary analysis showed that the A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype and B(Victoria) strain had good matching effect and close evolutionary distance with the 2023-2024 surveillance year vaccine strain. The A(H3N2) ...

On 12th September 2024, a dead Tristan (Brown) Skua (Stercorarius antarcticus hamiltoni) was found at the Gough Island helipad. The following day, a live skua was observed showing suspicious signs of HPAI , including head drooping, lethargy and weakness , and was later reported dead. Between the 12th and 15th September, a total of four skuas were found dead from suspicious causes. Three carcasses were swabbed on the 20th of September and all were confirmed POSITIVE for H5N1 HPAIV by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Weybridge laboratory) in the UK on the 24th of October 2024. On the day of sampling, the fourth carcass could not be found and was probably taken away by a scavenging skua. Since then, no further signs of HPAI among skuas or in other seabirds breeding on Gough Island, have been observed. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6354 ____

Abstract Infections caused by endemic viruses , and the vaccines used to control them, often provide cross-protection against related viruses. This cross-protection has the potential to alter the transmission dynamics and likelihood of emergence of novel zoonotic viruses with pandemic potential. Here, we investigate how changes in population immunity after the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the likelihood of emergence of a novel sarbecovirus , termed SARS-CoV-X. We show that sera from patients with different COVID-19 immunological histories possess cross-neutralising antibodies against the spike (S) protein of multiple zoonotic sarbecoviruses . Mathematical simulations using these viruses show a significant reduction in their likelihood of emergence in populations with current levels of SARS-CoV-2 natural and vaccine-derived immunity, with the outcome determined by the extent of cross-protection and the R_0 of the novel virus. We also show that preventative vaccination programs agains...

Abstract A sustained outbreak of H5N1 influenza virus among wild fowl and domestic livestock has caused more than 70 zoonotic infections in humans in the United States , including one death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended rapid H5 subtyping for all hospitalized cases with influenza A virus infection to enable prompt initiation of antiviral treatment , as well as infection prevention and implementation of public health measures to control spread. To address these needs, we developed a multiplex RT-qPCR assay to subtype H5 influenza virus in nasal, nasopharyngeal, and conjunctival specimens with a limit of detection of 230 copies/mL. No cross-reactivity was observed with other common respiratory viruses, including seasonal H3N2 and H1N1 influenza A viruses. We retrospectively subtyped 590 influenza A-positive clinical specimens processed by University of Washington labs between March 2024 and February 2025, including 512 specimens collected during the 2024...