ETIDIOH - NEW

  Di B.Zsolt - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0 , source: WikiPedia. ____

  Antiviral Res MARTIN HJ, Hossain MA, Wellnitz J, Kelestemur E, et al Chemical arsenal for helicase Hunters: Striking the toughest targets in antiviral research. Antiviral Res. 2025;239:106184. PubMed           Abstract available Int J Infect Dis BANHOLZER N, Middelkoop K, Schmutz R, Leukes J, et al Infection prevention and control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and airborne tuberculosis transmission during primary care visits in South Africa. Int J Infect Dis. 2025 May 6:107921. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107921. PubMed           Abstract available J Infect RIEDMANN U, Chalupka A, Richter L, Werber D, et al Underlying health biases in previously-infected SARS-CoV-2 vaccination recipients: a cohort study. J Infect. 2025 Apr 30:106497. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2025.106497. PubMed           Abstract available J Med Virol MAZZOTTA V, Lepri AC, Del Borgo C, Lanini S,...

  Ann Intern Med CLEMENTS CM, Carpenter CR In nonsevere influenza, antiviral drugs do not reduce mortality or hospital admissions; some shorten symptom duration. Ann Intern Med. 2025 May 6. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-01324. PubMed           Abstract available Antiviral Res FAGE C, Loison S, Zwygart AC, Poli R, et al Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Resistance to Baloxavir, Oseltamivir and Sialic Acid Mimetics in Single and Dual therapies: Insights from Human Airway Epithelia and Murine Models. Antiviral Res. 2025 May 3:106174. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106174. PubMed           Abstract available TAKASHITA E, Yasui Y, Ikegaya A, Saka K, et al Impact of the Polymerase Acidic Protein E199K Substitution in Influenza A Viruses on Baloxavir Susceptibility. Antiviral Res. 2025 May 3:106173. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106173. PubMed           Abstract available Biochem Bio...

Abstract Background The prevalence and transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the live poultry market (LPM) is a serious public health concern . This study was to investigate the prevalence of different subtypes of avian influenza viruses in environment of LPM, and to analyze the differences and seasonality of the nucleic acid positive rate (NAPR) of A type, H5, H7, and H9 subtypes in feces, sewage, drinking water, breeding cages, and chopping boards . Methods Feces, breeding cages swabs, drinking water, sewage and chopping boards swabs were collected from live poultry market during 2019–2023 from southern and northern China . Real-time PCR was used to screen for virus subtypes. Viruses were isolated, and deep sequencing was performed to obtain whole-genome sequences. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis of categorical variable, GraphPad Prism software were used to construct graphs. Results A total of 64,599 environmental samples were collected from live poultry...

ABSTRACT Since 2020, the clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses have caused unprecedented outbreaks in wild birds and domestic poultry globally , resulting in significant ecological damage and economic losses due to the disease and enforced stamp-out control. In addition to the avian hosts, the H5N1 viruses have expanded their host range to infect many mammalian species , potentially increasing the zoonotic risk . Here, we review the current knowns and unknowns of clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1 viruses, and we highlight common challenges in prevention. By integrating our knowledge of viral evolution and ecology, we aim to identify discrepancies and knowledge gaps for a more comprehensive understanding of the virus. Ultimately, this review will serve as a theoretical foundation for researchers involved in related avian influenza virus studies, aiding in improved control and prevention of H5N1 viruses. Source: Journal of Virology,  https://journals.asm.org/doi...

{Excerpt} Time Period: April 27, 2025 - May 03, 2025 - H5 Detection :  8 sites ( 2.0% ) - No Detection :  402 sites ( 98.0% ) - No samples in last week :  67 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

Summary Background Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, is a serious public health threat in Africa , especially in DR Congo . Previously limited to endemic areas with clade 1a, monkeypox virus has recently spread to non-endemic regions, where clade 1b has emerged . This study provides a clinical comparison of mpox cases in DR Congo regions where clade 1a and clade 1b are prevalent. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study , analysing PCR-confirmed mpox cases reported from sentinel health zones in seven provinces between Oct 1, 2023, and Sept 31, 2024. Cases from the newly affected provinces (South-Kivu and Kinshasa) were described along with those from four endemic provinces (Mai-Ndombe, Tshuapa, Tshopo, South-Ubangi, and Équateur). Surveillance data, including type of exposure, demographic details, clinical presentation, complications, and outcomes were collected from national surveillance systems and local health facilities, with laboratory confirmation using quantit...

{Source: Wikipedia,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_tailed_eagle_raftsund_square_crop.jpg  - Under CC: Christoph Müller (http://www.christophmueller.org), CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons} A White tailed eagle was found dead . It was sent to the Swedish Veterinary Agency (formerly National Veterinary Institute) for laboratory analysis as part of the national surveillance program for avian influenza. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6466?reportId=174166&fromPage=event-dashboard-url ____

ABSTRACT Sporadic human infections of avian influenza virus (AIV) raise significant public health concerns . A critical factor limiting the transmission of AIVs is the shift in receptor-binding preference from Siaα2,3 to Siaα2,6. To reveal the adaptive selection dynamics during the host adaptation process of AIVs, this study generated a viral library with random mutations in the HA gene of the H9N2 strain . Upon passaging the viral library in chickens and mice , the predominantly selected variants exhibited a preference for Siaα2,3 receptors . Notably, the wild-type strain remained dominant in both inoculated and direct-contact chickens, while variants with the ΔL226/R229I substitutions were preferentially selected in mice. Ferrets have a predominance of Siaα2,6 in their respiratory tract. As expected, the variant harboring the N289D mutation, which prefers Siaα2,6 binding, was enriched during in vivo passaging in ferrets . The mice-adapted variant with the ΔL226/R229I mutations causes...

Abstract Low pathogenic H9N2 avian influenza viruses have become widespread in wild birds and poultry worldwide, raising concerns about their potential to spark pandemics or their role in enhancing the virulence and infectivity of H5Nx viruses through genetic reassortment . Therefore, influenza monitoring studies, including those of H9N2 viruses, are crucial for understanding, evaluating, and mitigating the risks associated with avian infections, and have broader implications for global public health. Although H9N2 viruses are not considered enzootic in Kazakhstan , they have been repeatedly detected in wild waterfowls and domestic poultry . In this study, all eight gene segments of influenza A/H9N2 viruses isolated in various regions of Kazakhstan between 2014 and 2020 were sequenced and analyzed. Molecular characterization revealed the presence of genetic markers associated with mammalian infectivity and disease potential . Furthermore, their predicted receptor binding site sequences...

Influenza at the human-animal interface Summary and risk assessment, from 20 March to 22 April 2025 {1}  • New human cases {2}:  From 20 March to 22 April 2025 , based on reporting date, the detection of influenza A( H5N1 ) in four humans and influenza A( H9N2 ) virus in three humans 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 assessment, the overall public health risk from currently known influenza viruses circulating at the human-animal inter...

Abstract The 1889 Russian (also called ‘Asiatic’) Flu epidemic can be described as one of the first modern pandemics . The development of extensive railroad and shipping networks during and prior to this period facilitated the previously unprecedented movement of goods and people around the world. It additionally propagated the process of shrinking the barriers between the countryside and major metropolises. While the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lockdown measures nearly worldwide and prompted widespread social, economic, and cultural disruptions, the Russian Flu was not accompanied by such drastic changes. In this article, it is argued that the blunted historical consciousness of this epidemic were a result of a combination of factors , including the nascent state of scientific research and understanding of infectious diseases, the circumscribed reach of media, implicit comparisons to other contemporary epidemics, temporal closeness to the Spanish Flu and suppression of memory , and ...

Abstract Seasonal influenza continues to be a global health problem . Current existing vaccines and antivirals against influenza have limited effectiveness, and typically do not stay ahead of the viral evolutionary curve. Broad-spectrum antiviral agents that are effective therapeutically and prophylactically are much needed. We have created a promising new broad-spectrum anti-influenza agent using molecular engineering of a lectin from bananas , H84T, which is well-tolerated and protective in small animal models . However, the potency and effect of H84T on human immune cells and influenza-specific immune responses are undetermined. We found that H84T efficiently inhibited influenza A virus (IAV) replication in primary human dendritic cells (DCs) isolated from blood and tonsil, preserved DC viability and allowed acquisition and presentation of viral antigen. Excitingly, H84T-treated DCs subsequently initiated effective expansion of IAV-specific CD8 T cells. Furthermore, H84T preserved t...

Abstract Background .  Influenza A virus (IAV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally , causing seasonal influenza in humans and infecting birds and some mammals. In 2024, IAV H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United States moved into cattle. While the outbreak is currently of low risk to the general public, there is an urgent need to monitor the disease and prevent spread.  Methods .  We conducted a nationwide study evaluating the relationship between H5 hemagglutinin gene RNA concentrations in wastewater and reported outbreaks of IAV H5N1 in animals and humans . We utilized an H5-specific droplet digital RT-PCR test to quantify H5 RNA in wastewater in 40 states across the United States, and 1) examined the temporal association between outbreaks and wastewater detections and 2) utilized linear mixed models (LMM) to determine the relationship between measurements in wastewater and outbreak-related factors in the local area.  Results ....

Abstract The GreVac vaccine technology was created as a fast and flexible plug-and-play vaccine platform based on a 4th generation architecture of fully deleted (fd) helper virus independent (hi) adenoviral (Ad) vectors. For the initial proof-of-principle studies , we at Greffex had engineered an avian influenza vaccine , which delivered a transgene expression cassette for an avian influenza virus H5 hemagglutinin and N1 neuraminidase genes in a capsid of the common human Ad serotype 5 (Ad5). This vaccine proved highly immunogenic and protective in mice . These studies revealed that intramuscular (i.m.) delivery proved more efficient than subcutaneous (s.c.) or intranasal (i.n.) routes. In the human population, pre-exposure to the Ad5 virus is common. To minimize interference by pre-existing anti-Ad5 immunities, we created a new GreVac-based avian influenza vaccine, in which the fd Ad genome was packaged into a capsid of the rare human Ad serotype 6 (Ad6). We now report that at very lo...

Abstract Recently, Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus has been widely prevalent globally. Although no outbreaks of Avian Influenza have occurred in poultry in China recently, Clade 2.3.4.4b H5 virus can still be isolated from wild birds , live poultry markets and environment , indicating the ongoing co-circulation of H5N1 and H5N6 viruses. In this study, phylogenetic analysis of global Clade 2.3.4.4b viruses and 20 laboratory-isolated H5 strains revealed that Chinese H5N1 and H5N6 viruses since 2021 cluster into two distinct groups , G-I and G-II. Bayesian phylodynamic analysis reveals that G-I H5N6 virus has become an endemic virus in China . In contrast, G-II H5N1 virus, with South China as its main epicentre, has been disseminated in China and its surrounding countries, with its transmission more reliant on the connections of wild birds and waterfowl . Reassortment analysis indicates that since 2023, Clade 2.3.4.4b H5 viruses isolated in China have formed seven genotypes . The genome of H5 v...

Abstract The Sudan virus (SUDV) outbreaks in Uganda in 2022 and 2025 created public health concerns in-country and the entire East African region. There are currently no licensed countermeasures against SUDV . We developed a SUDV vaccine candidate based on a nanocarrier (LIONTM) complexed with an alphavirus-based replicon RNA . Here, we compare the protective efficacy of the LION-SUDV vaccine either encoding the SUDV glycoprotein (GP) alone or in combination with the Ebola virus (EBOV) GP (LION-Combination). A LION-EBOV vaccine which is protective against EBOV was also included to determine the potential for cross-protection against SUDV infection . Single-dose vaccinations were conducted three weeks before challenge with a lethal dose of guinea pig-adapted SUDV using a female guinea pig disease model. We demonstrate 100% survival and protection with the LION-SUDV and the LION-Combination vaccines, while the LION-EBOV vaccine achieved 50% protection. Antigen-specific humoral responses ...