ETIDIOH - NEW

{Excerpt} The World Health Organization (WHO) had recently announced on May 12 , 2025, the reporting of nine new laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia [1]. This announcement is a sobering reminder that while the global community remains focused on emergent threats like avian influenza or post-pandemic resilience, endemic zoonotic diseases like MERS-CoV may continue to circulate, evolve, and exploit gaps in infection prevention. (...) Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health,  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44197-025-00426-6 ____

The samples collected in two (2) wild bird species : Red Shank (Tringa totanus) and Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis), that tested positive for Notifiable Avian Influenza Subtype H5N1 were part of the regular wildlife disease surveillance activity being conducted by the wetland park. In response, additional samples were collected from wild birds, and all tested negative for Avian Influenza. Comprehensive surveillance and sample collection efforts in the surrounding domestic poultry population also confirmed no presence of Avian Influenza. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6523 ____

HPAI H5N1 confirmed in backyard poultry farm with approx. 190 birds (laying hens). Susupicion date 27/05/2025 - some birds with neurological signs, one dead. Laboratory diagnosis confirmed at the Latvian National Reference Laboratory for avian influenza. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6528 ____

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/albrecht-durer/the-jabach-altarpiece-1504 ____

  Am J Respir Crit Care Med KRISHNAN JA, Cao B, Chotirmall SH, Ely EW, et al Using the 2024 NASEM Definition of Long COVID: Implications for Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025. PubMed          BMJ IBRAHIM S, Siemieniuk RAC, Oliveros MJ, Islam N, et al Drug treatments for mild or moderate covid-19: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. 2025;389:e081165. PubMed           Abstract available BOSAEED M, Alraddadi BM Navigating the complexities of mild and moderate covid-19 treatment. BMJ. 2025;389:r1016. PubMed          TANNE JH US no longer recommends covid-19 vaccinations for pregnant women or children. BMJ. 2025;389:r1104. PubMed          O'DOWD A, Iacobucci G Covid-19: Early call to test healthcare staff was ignored, inquiry hears. BMJ. 2025;389:r1092. PubMed       ...

  Arch Virol LIU X ACE2, a therapeutic target of COVID-19, needs to be treated with caution. Arch Virol. 2025;170:143. PubMed           Abstract available BMJ IBRAHIM S, Siemieniuk RAC, Oliveros MJ, Islam N, et al Drug treatments for mild or moderate covid-19: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. 2025;389:e081165. PubMed           Abstract available J Immunol DING C, Chen Q, Shi Y, Liu J, et al Impact of CD4+ T cell and TCR repertoires on SARS-CoV-2-Specific antibody responses in PLWH following COVID-19 vaccination. J Immunol. 2025 Apr 15:vkae040. doi: 10.1093. PubMed           Abstract available J Infect PETER RS, Sedelmaier L, Nieters A, Brockmann SO, et al Symptom burden and post-COVID-19 syndrome 24 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection: Longitudinal population-based study. J Infect. 2025;90:106500. PubMed        ...

  By Domenvadrouille - Flickr: les pieces de collections, CC BY 2.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17692704 Source: WikiPedia,  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FS_D.461 ____

Highlight Brazil’s first confirmed H5N1 outbreak in commercial poultry marks a critical shift in South America’s avian influenza landscape. The event calls for strengthened coordination between animal and human health sectors, improved border surveillance, and early-warning systems to reduce zoonotic risk in regions with growing poultry production and international connectivity. Source: Journal of Travel Medicine,  https://academic.oup.com/jtm/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jtm/taaf050/8153894?redirectedFrom=fulltext ____

Abstract We confirmed influenza A virus (IAV) by PCR in serum from 18 cows on 3 affected dairy farms in California, USA . Our findings indicate the presence of viremia and might help explain IAV transmission dynamics and shedding patterns in cows. An understanding of those dynamics could enable development of IAV mitigation strategies. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/7/25-0134_article ____

  {Excerpt} Time Period: May 18, 2025 - May 24, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  17 sites ( 5.0% ) - No Detection :  322 sites ( 95.0% ) - No samples in last week :  116 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

Abstract Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and low-pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) H9N2 are commonly identified in poultry , individually or in association with other pathogens. This study monitored 183 broiler farms affected by respiratory diseases across seven regions of Morocco from January 2021 to December 2023. Among these farms, 87.98% were vaccinated against IBV, while 57.92% were against AI H9N2 . Abnormally high mortality rates were observed in 44.26% of the farms, with 24.69% of cases attributed to IBV, 50.62% to LPAI H9N2, and 13.58% due to coinfection with both IBV and H9N2 . RT-PCR analysis of tissue samples and cloacal and tracheal swabs collected from 183 broiler farms revealed that 33.33% were positive for IBV and 34.97% for H9N2. Coinfection by IBV and H9N2 was detected in 12.57% of cases , peaking at 17% in 2022. Co-infected flocks exhibited severe clinical signs and lesions, such as reduced food consumption, diarrhea, and renal issues. The predominant lesion...

  {Summary} Situation at a glance In early May 2025, the International Health Regulations National Focal Point (IHR NFP) for Thailand notified WHO of four cases of cutaneous anthrax .  One of the affected individuals died as a result of disease complications, while the remaining three cases were hospitalized and received appropriate medical care .  All reported cases had direct contact with cattle suspected to be infected with anthrax.  A rapid field investigation and response was conducted by the national health authorities.  All potentially exposed individuals were identified, and all high-risk contacts received post-exposure prophylaxis .  On 28 May, an additional case was announced who was associated with the slaughtering of cattle .  Disease control measures , including animal quarantine, and vaccination campaign targeting cattle withing five km radius, public awareness campaigns, and enhanced surveillance, were implemented in the affected area....

  Summary -- What is already known about this topic? - Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic virus transmitted sporadically from camels to humans , with limited subsequent human-to-human transmission . Most reported human cases of MERS have occurred in or near the Arabian Peninsula . Standardized clinical and epidemiologic criteria are used to determine who in the United States should be tested for MERS-CoV. In the United States , the last identified and confirmed MERS cases occurred in 2014 . -- What is added by this report? - Global reported MERS cases have declined substantially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Numbers of travelers entering the United States from in or near the Arabian Peninsula declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now have returned to prepandemic levels. U.S. MERS-CoV testing declined during 2017–2023 and remains low relative to prepandemic years. Clinical and epidemiologic criteria to guide U.S. testing were updated in ...

Highlights •  Different immune responses in mice vaccinated with influenza A(H5N1) than with other subtypes. •  Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1)-vaccinated mice had altered germinal center responses. •  A(H5N1)-vaccinated mice had fewer dLN germinal centers and more extrafollicular B cells. •  A(H5N1)-vaccinated mice had more dLN follicular helper and regulatory T cells. •  Our study represents a timely assessment of A(H5N1) risk to human health. Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus vaccines typically yield lower neutralizing antibody titers in animals than influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines derived from other viral subtypes. To understand these differences, we compared the cellular immune responses in the draining lymph nodes (dLNs) of mice vaccinated with an inactivated whole H5N1 vaccine to those in mice vaccinated with seasonal H1N1pdm09, H7N9, or H9N2 IAV vaccines . H5N1-vaccinated mice exhibited reduced serum neutralizing ant...

Abstract In late 2023, H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAIV) started circulating in dairy cattle in the USA . High viral titres were detected in milk from infected cows , raising concerns about onwards human infections . Although pasteurisation was shown to effectively inactivate influenza viruses in milk, unpasteurised milk still poses a risk of infection, both from occupational exposure in dairies and from the consumption of raw milk. We therefore assessed how long influenza viruses could remain infectious for in milk without heat inactivation. We examined the stability of a panel of influenza viruses in milk , including a contemporary H5N1 HPAIV and a variety of other influenza A and D viruses. We incubated viruses in cows' milk under laboratory conditions : at room temperature to simulate exposure in dairies and at 4°C to simulate exposure to refrigerated raw milk. Following an isolated report of H5N1 viral RNA being detected in milk from a sheep in the UK , we also c...

Abstract Avian influenza H9N2 viruses cause significant economic losses to the poultry industry and pose a public health risk due to their potential to reassort with other avian influenza viruses, generating strains with zoonotic and pandemic potential . Two major H9N2 lineages dominate globally: the G1 lineage (genotype G1-B), prevalent in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent , and the BJ/94 lineage (predominantly genotype G57), dominant in China, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Far East . We investigated replication, transmission, and pathogenicity of representatives of these two lineages, linking genotype to phenotype. The G57 strain A/Ck/Vietnam/H7F-14-BN4-315/2014 (Vietnam/315) was more lethal to chicken embryos than the G1-B strain A/chicken/Pakistan/UDL-01/2008 (Pakistan/UDL-01). Vietnam/315 exhibited higher replication in both directly infected and contact chickens, with increased virus shedding from the oropharynx and cloaca. In contrast, Pakistan/UDL-0...

Highlights •  Large study on the contribution of HCoV to childhood deaths •  Supports vigilance or further investigations into HCoV pathogenesis •  Potential information for the role Covid-19 will play during severe childhood disease •  Highlights the importance of polymicrobial infection during severe disease episodes Abstract Background Endemic human coronaviruses (HCoV-229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43) are common causes of mild or asymptomatic respiratory infections in children but are considered rare causes of death. Methods We evaluated paediatric deaths from January 2017 through December 2022 . A panel of experts determined the cause of death (CoD) by reviewing available data, including pathological and molecular findings from minimally invasive tissue sampling (lung tissues, blood, CSF, and nasopharyngeal swabs), clinical records, and verbal autopsies. Results Endemic HCoV were detected in the respiratory samples of 3% (n=86/3357) of enrolled decedents: 1% (n=12/204...

ABSTRACT The eight-segmented RNA genome of influenza A virus (IAV) is transcribed and spliced into 10 major viral mRNAs in the nucleus of infected cells. Both transcription and splicing are facilitated by the host RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery via interactions between the viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complex and various host factors. In this study, we demonstrate that IAV vRNPs recruit species-specific heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein M (hnRNPM) to support their replication in human and avian cells through distinct mechanisms. In A549 cells, human hnRNPM specifically facilitates the efficient transcription of HA, NA, M, and NS segments of WSN virus in a gene coding sequence-dependent manner. In contrast, in DF-1 cells, chicken hnRNPM restricts excessive splicing of M segment mRNA to ensure proper M2 protein production. Notably, human hnRNPM, with 34 additional amino acids compared with its chicken counterpart, fails to inhibit the M2 expression in DF-1 cells, whereas bo...

Abstract In this report, we document and analyze a case in which the Irkut virus (IRKV) (Mononegavirales: Rhabdoviridae) caused a fatal human case following a bat bite in June 2021. Unfortunately, the available data did not permit a detailed taxonomic classification of the carrier bat ( Chiroptera ). The event occurred in the southwestern part of the Sikhote-Alin mountain region (Russian Far East) covered by the Ussuri taiga forest . The symptoms of the illness began with the following: fever ; pronounced psychomotor and motor agitation ; tremor of the lower jaw and tongue ; aphasia; dyslexia; and dysphagia . These rapidly developed, leading to a severe and fatal encephalitis . The patient was not vaccinated for rabies and did not receive rabies immunoglobulin. Using brain sections prepared from the deceased, molecular diagnostics were performed: immunofluorescence (polyclonal anti-rabies immunoglobulin) indicating the presence of the lyssavirus antigen ; and RT-PCR indicating traces o...

  Situation at a glance Since mid-February 2025, according to data available from sentinel sites, global SARS-CoV-2 activity has been increasing, with the test positivity rate reaching 11%, levels that have not been observed since July 2024.  This rise is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific regions .  Since early 2025 , global SARS-CoV-2 variant trends have slightly shifted. Circulation of LP.8.1 has been declining, and reporting of NB.1.8.1, a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM), is increasing , reaching 10.7% of global sequences reported as of mid-May.  Recent increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity are broadly consistent with levels observed during the same period last year, however, there still lacks a clear seasonality in SARS-CoV-2 circulation, and surveillance is limited.  Continued monitoring is essential . WHO advises all Member States to continue applying a risk-based, integrated approach to managing C...