ETIDIOH - NEW

Abstract Background The recent surge in incidence and geographic spread of OROV infections poses an escalating threat to global public health. However, studies exploring the clinical signs of OROV infection remains exceedingly limited. Methods We searched for OROV studies published until June 17, 2024, in several electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library. Results In total, 15 studies involving 806 patients with OROV infection were eligible for inclusion. General symptoms with fever and headache were the most common. Gastrointestinal disturbances like nausea/vomiting, anorexia , and odynophagia were also prevalent, along with ocular symptoms , mainly retro-orbital pain, photophobia, and redness . Respiratory symptoms , such as cough, sore throat and nasal congestion, are present, and skin-related issues like rash, pruritus, and pallor were also identified. Conclusion Overall, this study provides a foundational understanding of OROV’s clinical manif...

Summary Background SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to post-acute sequelae that can affect nearly every organ system , including the immune system . However, whether an infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with increased risk of future infections with other pathogens is not yet fully characterised. In this study, we aimed to test the association between a positive test for COVID-19, compared with a negative test, and rates of future infections with other pathogens. Methods We used the US Department of Veterans Affairs health-care databases to build a spatiotemporally aligned cohort of 231 899 people with a positive COVID-19 test and 605 014 with a negative COVID-19 test (test-negative control group) between Nov 1, 2021, and Dec 31, 2023. We first did a discovery approach to map the associations between those with a positive COVID-19 test versus a negative test and laboratory-based outcomes of infectious illnesses. We then compared rates of a prespecified set of infectious disease outcomes...

Abstract An unprecedented outbreak of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, was reported in United States dairy cattle during the spring of 2024. It has now spread to hundreds of herds across multiple states. In humans, antibodies to the hemagglutinin (HA) protein confer the strongest protection against infection. Human herd immunity limits viral spread but also drives the emergence of antigenic variants that escape dominant antibody responses. We used store-bought milk to profile the collective H5N1 antibody response of dairy cattle herds . We detected HA binding antibodies in specific samples from states with recent/ongoing outbreaks. These antibodies present in milk neutralized replicating virus expressing dairy cattle HA and neuraminidase (NA). Despite originating from independent vendors, dairies/plants, geographic regions, and time, antibodies present in these samples are remarkably similar in activity and HA binding specificity. The dominant antibody resp...

Abstract The continuous spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses poses significant challenges, particularly in regions with high poultry farm densities where conventional control measures are less effective. Using phylogeographic and phylodynamic tools , we analysed virus spread in Southwestern France in 2020-21, a region with recurrent outbreaks. Following a single introduction, the virus spread regionally, mostly affecting duck farms , peaking in mid-December with a velocity of 27.8 km/week and an effective reproduction number between farms (Re) of 3.8, suggesting the virus can spread beyond current control radii. Transmission declined after late December following preventive culling. Farm infectiousness was estimated around 9 days. Duck farm density was the main driver of virus spread and we identified farm density and proximity thresholds required to maintain effective control (Re < 1). These findings offer actionable guidance to support regional biosecurity and to...

Abstract The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus has been endemic in aquatic birds since 1997, causing outbreaks in domestic poultry and occasional human infections worldwide. Recently, the cross-species transmission of a new reassortant variant from clade 2.3.4.4b of H5N1 to cattle in the US has heightened concerns regarding the expansion of host range and potential human infection . As eradicating the H5N1 virus from its reservoir is impossible, it is essential to prepare for a potential pandemic caused by an H5N1 derivative. Utilizing a deleted-NS1 live attenuated influenza viral vector vaccine system (DelNS1 LAIV), a system we have previously used in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, we have rapidly developed an intranasal vaccine for cattle H5N1 and related clade 2.3.4.4b strains, based on publicly available sequences. Our research demonstrates that a single intranasal immunization can provide effective protection against lethal challenges from HPAI cattle or ...

On 31 March 2025 a clinical suspicion was reported to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. The affected poultry holding consists of 24 hens. On 1 April 2025 highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 was confirmed by the national reference laboratory. A 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone has been established. The culling was completed on 1 April 2025. Carcasses will be disposed of by rendering. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6392 ____

 Death was observed in Guinea Fowl in Jharkhand State. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6376 ____

House Crows in Bihar State. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6391 _____

Abstract In recent years, the influenza viruses have posed an increasingly severe threat to public health . It is essential to analyze the virulence and pathogenesis of influenza viruses to prevent and control them, as well as create antiviral drugs . Previous studies have revealed that influenza virus segment 3 codes for not only the PA protein but also a novel protein, PA-X . PA protein is one subunit of the polymerase of influenza viruses and plays a critical role in its life cycle. PA presented endonuclease activity , the transcription and replication of the viral genome , viral virulence , protein degradation , and host immune response by interacting with viral proteins, including PB2, PB1, and host factors, including ANP32A, CHD6, HAX1, hCLE, HDAC6, MCM complex. PA mutations were involved in the viral replication, pathogenicity, and transmission of influenza viruses in poultry, mammals, and humans . PA-X is an open reading frame generated by +1 ribosomal code shift at the N-termi...

Abstract Avian influenza A(H5N1) poses a public health risk due to its pandemic potential should the virus mutate to become human-to-human transmissible. To date, reported influenza A(H5N1) human cases have typically occurred in the lower respiratory tract with a high case fatality rate. There is prior evidence of some influenza A(H5N1) strains being a small number of amino acid mutations away from achieving droplet transmissibility , possibly allowing them to be spread between humans. We present a mechanistic within-host influenza A(H5N1) infection model, novel for its explicit consideration of the biological differences between the upper and lower respiratory tracts. We then estimate a distribution of viral lifespans and effective replication rates in human H5N1 influenza cases. By combining our within-host model with a viral mutation model, we determine the probability of an infected individual generating a droplet transmissible strain of influenza A(H5N1) through mutation. For thre...

Abstract The unprecedented 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) outbreak in dairy cattle, poultry, and spillover to humans in the United States (US) poses a major public health threat . Population immunity is a critical component of influenza pandemic risk assessment. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the population immunity to 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses and analyzed 1794 sera from 723 people (0.5-88 yrs) in multiple US geographic regions during 2021-2024. Low pre-existing neutralizing and hemagglutinin (HA) head binding antibodies and substantial cross reactive binding antibodies to N1 neuraminidase (NA) of 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) were detected in US population. Antibodies to group 1 HA stalk were also prevalent with an age-related pattern. A( H1N1 )pdm09 infection and influenza vaccination did not induce neutralizing antibodies but induced significant rise of NA inhibition (NAI) antibodies to N1 of 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1), and group 1 HA stalk antibodies. Understanding population susceptibility to novel influe...

 A poultry farm in Sachsen-Anhalt Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6378 ____

Backyard and Farmed Poultry in Karnataka State. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6366 ____

Influenza at the human-animal interface Summary and risk assessment, from 21 January to 19 March 2025 {1}  New human cases {2}:  From 21 January to 19 March 2025, based on reporting date , the detection of influenza A( H5N1 ) in five humans, influenza A( H9N2 ) virus in four humans, influenza A( H1N1 ) variant ((H1N1)v) virus in one human, and influenza A( H1N2 )v virus in one human were reported officially.  • Circulation of influenza viruses with zoonotic potential in animals:  -- High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) events in poultry and non-poultry continue to be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).{3}  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also provides a global update on avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential.{4}  • Risk assessment {5}:  -- Sustained human to human transmission has not been reported from these events. Based on information available at the time of the risk assessmen...

Abstract A multistate outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 in dairy cows was first reported on March 25, 2024, in the United States (US), marking the first discovery of HPAIV H5N1 in cattle. Soon after, a dairy worker on an affected dairy farm became the first human case linked directly to this outbreak. Studies with influenza A virus (IAV) require secondary methods to detect the virus in infected cells or animal models of infection. We modified the non-structural (NS) genome segment of the human A/Texas/37/2024 (HPhTX) H5N1 virus to create a recombinant virus expressing nanoluciferase (HPhTX NSs-Nluc), enabling the tracking of virus in cultured cells and mice via in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo imaging systems (IVIS). In vitro, HPhTX NSs-Nluc showed growth and plaque characteristics similar to its wild-type (WT) counterpart. In vivo, HPhTX NSs-Nluc allowed tracking viral infection in the entire animals and in the organs of infected animals using in vivo and ...

Abstract Influenza viruses present a significant public health risk , causing substantial illness and death in humans each year. Seasonal flu vaccines must be updated regularly, and their effectiveness often decreases due to mismatches with circulating strains. Furthermore, inactivated vaccines do not provide protection against shifted influenza viruses that have the potential to cause a pandemic. The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b is prevalent among wild birds worldwide and is causing a multi-state outbreak affecting poultry and dairy cows in the United States (US) since March 2024. In this study, we have generated a NS1 deficient mutant of a low pathogenic version of the cattle-origin human influenza A/Texas/37/2024 H5N1 , namely LPhTXdNS1, and validated its safety, immunogenicity, and protection efficacy in a prime vaccination regimen against wild-type (WT) A/Texas/37/2024 H5N1 . The attenuation of LPhTXdNS1 in vitro was confirmed by its reduced replication in...

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/pieter-de-hooch/couple-with-parrot-1668 ____

  Ann Intern Med GRANWEHR BP CBT and rehabilitation improved long COVID symptoms. Ann Intern Med. 2025;178:JC28. PubMed           Abstract available BMJ WISE J Covid-19: Inquiry hears of doctors' lack of confidence in PPE as ministers defend VIP lane. BMJ. 2025;388:r584. PubMed          Clin Infect Dis ALLAN-BLITZ LT, Klausner JD Shifting the Focus in Acute SARS-CoV-2 Management to Include Prevention of Long-COVID. Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Mar 26:ciaf158. doi: 10.1093. PubMed          Emerg Infect Dis SANDER B, Mishra S, Swayze S, Sahakyan Y, et al Population-Based Matched Cohort Study of COVID-19 Healthcare Costs, Ontario, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2025;31:710-719. PubMed           Abstract available Intensive Care Med BIHLMAIER K, Willam C, Herbst L, Hackstein H, et al Rapid clinical effects of convalescent plasma therapy in severe COV...

  Ann Intern Med GRANWEHR BP CBT and rehabilitation improved long COVID symptoms. Ann Intern Med. 2025;178:JC28. PubMed           Abstract available IOANNOU GN, Berry K, Rajeevan N, Li Y, et al Effectiveness of the 2023-to-2024 XBB.1.5 COVID-19 Vaccines Over Long-Term Follow-up : A Target Trial Emulation. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Feb 4. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-01015. PubMed           Abstract available Antiviral Res KUO YS, Chiang PC, Kuo CY, Huang CG, et al Inhibition of influenza A virus proliferation in mice via universal RNA interference. Antiviral Res. 2025 Mar 25:106149. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106149. PubMed           Abstract available Arch Virol YE QY, Jiang ZT, Jiang Y, Cai JW, et al Effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine against symptom severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients infected with the Omicron variant. Arch Virol. 2025;170:88. PubMed ...

Abstract We modeled the impact of initiating one-dose influenza vaccination at 3 months vs 6 months after declaration of a pandemic over a 1-year timeframe in the US population. Three vaccine effectiveness (VE) and two pandemic severity levels were considered, using an epidemic curve based on typical seasonal influenza epidemics. Vaccination from 3 months with a high, moderate, or low effectiveness vaccine would prevent ~95%, 84%, or 38% deaths post-vaccination, respectively, compared with 21%, 18%, and 8%, respectively following vaccination at 6 months, irrespective of pandemic severity. While the pandemic curve would not be flattened from vaccination from 6 months , a moderate/high effectiveness vaccine could flatten the curve if administered from 3 months. Overall, speed of initiating a vaccination campaign is more important than VE in reducing the health impacts of an influenza pandemic. Preparedness strategies may be able to minimize future pandemic impacts by prioritizing rapid v...