ETIDIOH - NEW

Abstract The H5 Avian Influenza A virus infection has emerged as a global concern , particularly in the ASEAN region . This viral infection poses a significant threat to the poultry industry, public health, and regional economies . This region’s reliance on poultry production and the zoonotic potential of H5 subtypes, with documented transmission to various mammalian species and humans , necessitates proactive mitigation strategies. Over the years, comprehensive efforts such as surveillance, vaccination programs, biosecurity measures, and public health education have been implemented to keep outbreaks at bay. In this review, we provide a thorough overview of the H5 infections in the ASEAN region, focusing on the unique challenges and successes in this geographic area. We analyze epidemiological trends , including specific high-risk populations and transmission patterns, and assess the socioeconomic impact of H5 outbreaks on local communities. We also examine regional responses , highli...

Highlights •  Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) was circulating in Europe in 2023 •  Most EV-D68 cases were captured through clinical EV surveillance •  Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 region revealed a distinct B3-derived lineage •  The identified B3 lineage presented a previously undescribed residue change, D554E Abstract Background Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) causes respiratory disease ranging from mild to severe and in rare cases a paralytic syndrome, called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). Since the global EV-D68 outbreak in 2014, the virus has mainly circulated in biennial epidemic cycles with peaks detected during even years. However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the seasonal pattern of EV-D68 has been characterized by large yearly upsurges . Here, we describe the circulation of EV-D68 in Europe in 2023 and track its genetic evolution. Study design Data was compiled from members of the European Non-Polio Network (ENPEN). This included monthly data on the total number of...

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/giorgione/judith ____

Abstract The risk of a respiratory viral pandemic is significant , including from the now widespread panzootic H5N1 influenza virus , highlighting the need for effective, stable, and inexpensive vaccine technologies that elicit strongly protective immunity. Intranasal vaccines can stimulate local immune responses at the site of natural respiratory viral infection, a key characteristic that can not only reduce morbidity and mortality caused by respiratory viruses but also potentially reduce viral transmissibility to limit outbreaks. Nucleic acid vaccines are now a valuable tool in pandemic responses, with high potency and rapid adaptability to target circulating or emerging viral strains; however, data are limited on which vaccine attributes are needed for efficient transmucosal delivery and immune stimulation following intranasal delivery. To demonstrate proof of concept , here we have developed a replicon vaccine expressing an H5 influenza antigen that uses a nanostructured lipid carr...

Abstract H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) is endemic in poultry worldwide and increasingly zoonotic . Despite the long-term widespread use of inactivated vaccines , H9N2 AIVs remain dominant in chicken flocks. We demonstrated that inactivated vaccines did not prevent the replication of H9N2 AIVs in the upper airway of vaccinated chickens. Viral transmission was enhanced during sequential passage in vaccinated chickens, which was attributed to the restricted production of defective interfering particles and the introduction of stable mutations (NP-N417D, M1-V219I, and NS1-R140W) which enhanced viral replication. Notably, the genetic diversity of H9N2 AIVs was greater and included more potential mammal/human-adapted mutations after passage through vaccinated chickens than through naïve chickens, which might facilitate the emergence of mammal-adapted strains. By contrast, vaccines inducing cellular/mucosal immunity in the upper respiratory tract effectively limit H9N2 AIV. These findings ...

  Ann Intern Med DACSO CC Coadministration of RSV + influenza or COVID-19 vaccines was noninferior to separate administration for immune responses in adults aged >/=50 y. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00904. PubMed           Abstract available AMAN M, Jeevananthan A, Martinez-Cruz M, Namasingh N, et al Endocrinology: What You May Have Missed in 2024. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00990. PubMed           Abstract available HAMED HKA, Nachman A, Riopel N, Schuster M, et al Infectious Diseases: What You May Have Missed in 2024. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00925. PubMed           Abstract available CORONADO GD, Petrik AF, Thompson JH, Leo MC, et al Patient Navigation to Improve Colonoscopy Completion After an Abnormal Stool Test Result : A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 1. doi: ...

  Ann Intern Med DACSO CC Coadministration of RSV + influenza or COVID-19 vaccines was noninferior to separate administration for immune responses in adults aged >/=50 y. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00904. PubMed           Abstract available Antimicrob Agents Chemother PANG Y, Li H, Chen X, Cao Y, et al A phase I, single-center, randomized, open-label, three-period crossover study to evaluate the drug-drug interaction between ZSP1273 and oseltamivir in healthy Chinese subjects. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2025;69:e0172924. PubMed           Abstract available ZHAO L, Li C, Wang M, Zhou M, et al Potent antiviral activity of simnotrelvir against key epidemic SARS-CoV-2 variants with a high resistance barrier. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2025 Mar 10:e0155624. doi: 10.1128/aac.01556. PubMed           Abstract available Biochem Biophys Res Co...

{Auto translated} www.gob.mx/salud The Ministry of Health reports the detection of the first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) in Mexico .  The case occurred in a three-year-old girl residing in the state of Durango . On April 1 , the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) confirmed the result of influenza A ( H5N1 ). The patient initially received treatment with oseltamivir and is currently hospitalized in a tertiary care unit in the city of Torreón, where her condition is reported to be serious .  Once the case was confirmed , the following actions were immediately implemented:  -- Notification to the World Health Organization, in accordance with the protocol established for this purpose in the International Health Regulations.  Health -- Health personnel from the Durango and Coahuila Health Services were trained in relation to the National Guide for the preparation, prevention and response to a zoonotic influenza outbreak or event at the...

ABSTRACT As companion animals, dogs are susceptible to various subtypes of influenza A virus (IAV), with the H3N2 and H3N8 subtypes of canine influenza virus (CIV) stably circulating among canines . Compared to the H3N8 CIV, the H3N2 CIV is more widely prevalent in canine populations and demonstrates increased adaptability to mammals , potentially facilitating cross-species transmission . Therefore, a comprehensive elucidation of the mechanisms underlying H3N2 CIV adaptation to mammals is imperative. In this study, we serially passaged the GD14-WT strain in murine lungs , successfully establishing a lethal H3N2 CIV infection model . From this model, we isolated the lethal strain GD14-MA and identified the key lethal mutations PA(S184N) and PB2(E627K). Moreover, the GD14-ma[PA(S184N)+PB2(E627K)] strain exhibited markedly enhanced pathogenicity in dogs . Viral titers in lung tissues from infected dogs and mice showed that GD14-ma[PA(S184N)+PB2(E627K)] does not increase its pathogenicity ...

  {Excerpt} Time Period: March 23, 2025 - March 29, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  9 sites ( 2.2% ) -- No Detection :  400 sites ( 97.8% ) -- No samples in last week :  228 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

{England} Backyard flock of 40 chickens. Increased mortality and other clinical signs were reported. Samples tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6401 ____

Summary Background The substantial burden of post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) underscores the need for effective pharmacological interventions. Given that viral persistence has been hypothesised as a potential cause of long COVID, antiviral therapy might offer a promising approach to alleviating long COVID symptoms. We therefore investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir for treating long COVID. Methods In this phase 2, decentralised, double-blind, randomised controlled trial , adults (aged ≥18 years) from the 48 states across the contiguous USA, with previous documented SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID symptoms starting within 4 weeks of initial infection and persisting for at least 12 weeks, were eligible for inclusion. Key exclusion criteria were use of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir within the previous 2 months, CYP3A4-dependent medications, or strong CYP3A4 inducers; acute medical illness such as SARS-CoV-2 infection within the past ...

Abstract Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus carrying an I38N substitution was detected in an untreated teenager in Japan . The I38N mutant virus exhibited reduced susceptibility to baloxavir but remained susceptible to neuraminidase inhibitors and showed reduced growth capability . Monitoring antiviral drug susceptibility of influenza viruses is necessary to aid public health planning and clinical recommendations. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/5/24-1123_article ____

Abstract In February 2023, the government of Equatorial Guinea declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease . We describe the response structure and epidemiologic characteristics , including case-patient demographics, clinical manifestations, risk factors , and the serial interval and timing of symptom onset, treatment seeking, and recovery or death . We identified 16 laboratory-confirmed and 23 probable cases of Marburg virus disease in 5 districts and noted several unlinked chains of transmission and a case-fatality ratio of 90% (35/39 cases). Transmission was concentrated in family clusters and healthcare settings . The median serial interval was 18.5 days ; most transmission occurred during late-stage disease . Rapid isolation of symptomatic case-patients is critical in preventing transmission and improving patient outcomes; community engagement and surveillance strengthening should be prioritized in emerging outbreaks. Further analysis of this outbreak and a One Health surveillan...

Highlights •  Phylogenetic analysis of genotype B3.13 and D1.1 across the species. •  Mutations on the receptor binding sites related to receptor preferring. •  Host adaptability differences between B3.13 and D1.1. •  Antivirals resistance mutations emergence of genotype B3.13 and D1.1. Abstract The recent report of the first fatality associated with infection by influenza virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, identified as genotype D1.1, which is distinct from the B3.13 genotype, has sparked fears of a potential human pandemic . However, the genetic relationships between B3.13 and D1.1, as well as their origins, host adaptability, and antiviral resistance, remain poorly understood . Here we conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic and comparative analysis of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b across multiple species , in order to identify the molecular characteristics and frequency of resistance mutations in these two genotypes, elucidate their evolutionary trajectories , and assess their impl...

Abstract Zoonotic diseases have received significantly more attention over the last few decades , emerging with increasing frequency and causing the majority of notable disease outbreaks in this century, including the COVID-19 pandemic . As human activities and shifting climate patterns induce changes in the environment that alter habitat and range of reservoir species , the potential for human and animal interactions will increase and enhance the opportunity for spillover . Thus, any emergency response preparedness planning must take into account the function and coordination of agencies across the sectors of human, animal and environmental health. Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a table-top exercise was performed to evaluate a multi-agency response during a hypothetical zoonotic disease investigation. The exercise was evaluated by the participants to gain feedback on the overall process and lessons learned. Here, we describe the tabletop exercise scenario and the insights gai...

One red fox in Sachsen and one in Nordrhein-Westfalen States. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6398 ____

Since near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 was first discovered in December 2024 , NASA and the worldwide planetary defense community have continued to observe the asteroid, which was ruled out as a significant impact risk to Earth . New infrared observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have decreased the uncertainty of the asteroid’s size and 2024 YR4 is now estimated to be 174-220 feet (53-67 meters), about the size of a 10-story building. The previous size estimate of 131-295 feet (40-90 meters) was derived from visible light measurements from ground-based telescopes.   (...) Experts at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have updated 2024 YR4’s chance of impacting the Moon on Dec. 22, 2032 from 1.7% as of late February to 3.8% based on the Webb data and observations from ground-based telescopes. There is still a 96.2% chance that the asteroid will miss the Moon. In the small chance that the asteroid were to impact, it would n...

{Excerpt} (...) Samples of a two-year-old girl from Palnadu district’s Narasaraopeta , who died of multi-organ failure at AIIMS-Mangalagiri on March 16, tested positive for H5N1 virus. The confirmation from National Institute of Virology (NIV-Pune) came on March 31. (...) Source: The Hindu,  https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ap-reports-first-human-death-owing-to-h5n1-virus/article69403347.ece ____

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...