ETIDIOH - NEW

Situation at a glance Between 17 May and 12 July 2025, the Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala informed through a series of official press releases about four confirmed cases , including two deaths , due to Nipah virus (NiV) infection in two districts of Kerala State.  NiV infection is a bat-borne disease transmitted to humans through infected animals (such as bats or pigs), contaminated food or, less commonly, through close contact with infected individuals.  Since 1998 NiV outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia , the Philippines , and Singapore .  In India, NiV infections have occurred multiple times since 2001 with outbreaks in West Bengal State in 2001 and 2007, and in Kerala State regularly since 2018.  Since 2018, Kerala has reported a total of nine NiV outbreaks . While the state has a strong healthcare system and improved infection control measures since 2023, it is advisable to maintain strong preparedness a...

  BMJ WISE J RFK Jr bans thiomersal from influenza vaccines in "safety" move. BMJ. 2025;390:r1576. PubMed          Epidemiol Infect KELLY GE, Petti S, Noah N Excess respiratory, circulatory, neoplasm, and other mortality rates during the Covid-19 pandemic in the EU and their implications. Epidemiol Infect. 2025;153:e86. PubMed           Abstract available Eur J Epidemiol ORTQVIST AK, Soderling J, Magnus MC, Urhoj SK, et al COVID-19 infection increases the risk of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Eur J Epidemiol. 2025;40:779-788. PubMed           Abstract available BAUMKOTTER R, Yilmaz S, Chalabi J, Ten Cate V, et al Risk tools for predicting long-term sequelae based on symptom profiles after known and undetected SARS-CoV-2 infections in the population. Eur J Epidemiol. 2025;40:789-801. PubMed         ...

  Am J Respir Crit Care Med MATTHAY MA, Zhou H, Sarma A, Alipanah-Lechner N, et al Treatment with Allogenic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Moderate to Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Multi-Center, Phase 2b Clinical Trial (STAT). Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025 Jul 29. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202411-2254. PubMed           Abstract available Ann Intern Med FELDMAN CH, Santacroce L, Bassett IV, Thaweethai T, et al Social Determinants of Health and Risk for Long COVID in the U.S. RECOVER-Adult Cohort. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Jul 29. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-01971. PubMed           Abstract available Antiviral Res PATEL D, De R, Azadi N, Lee S, et al Discovery of broad-spectrum antivirals targeting viral proteases using in silico structural modeling and cellular analysis. Antiviral Res. 2025;241:106245. PubMed           Abstract avai...

Abstract Background Dromedary camels are known carriers of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This study aimed to identify respiratory RNA viruses circulating in the nasal cavities of camels that could potentially cause disease in humans. Methods Shotgun metagenomic paired-end sequencing was performed on four pools of nasal swabs collected from 40 camels originating from Sudan and Djibouti, using the MiSeq platform. Results Alphacoronavirus 229E was commonly detected in the camel pools. MERS-CoV was found in both pools from Sudan and one from Djibouti . Camel parainfluenza virus 3 (PIV3) was detected in the male camel pool from Sudan . Furthermore, near-complete (99.9 %) metagenomic assembled genomes (MAGs) of alphacoronavirus 229E (SIAU MAG01) and MERS-CoV (SIAU MAG02) were retrieved from the female camel pool from Sudan . Another MAG of alphacoronavirus 229E (SIAU MAG03) was recovered from a male camel pool imported from Sudan . In the phylogenetic analysis, SIA...

Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus infections have caused substantial mortality events in marine mammals in recent years. We hypothesized that the high number of infections and disease severity could be related to cell tropism in respiratory tracts . Therefore, we examined the attachment pattern of an H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus (H52022) as a measure for cell tropism in the respiratory tracts of harbor seals, gray seals, harbor porpoises, and bottlenose dolphins and compared it with an H5N1 clade 2.1.3.2 virus (H52005) and a human seasonal H3N2 virus using virus histochemistry. Both H5 viruses attached abundantly to olfactory and respiratory mucosa in the upper respiratory tract of both seal species. H52022 attached more abundantly than H52005 to epithelial cells in the lower respiratory tract of all species. The observed attachment possibly explains the susceptibility of marine mammal species for recent H5N1 viruses and the observed development of se...

Abstract The zoonotic transmission of bat coronaviruses poses a threat to human health. However, the diversity of bat-borne coronaviruses remains poorly characterized in many geographical areas. Here, we recovered eight coronavirus genomes by performing a metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from hundreds of individual bats captured in Spain , a country with high bat diversity. Three of these genomes corresponded to potentially novel coronavirus species belonging to the alphacoronavirus genus . Phylogenetic analyses revealed that some of these viruses are closely related to coronaviruses previously described in bats from other countries, suggesting a shared viral reservoir worldwide. Using viral pseudotypes, we investigated the receptor usage of the identified viruses and found that one of them can use human ACE2 , albeit with lower affinity than SARS-CoV-2. However, the receptor usage of the other viruses remains unknown. This study broadens our understanding of coronavirus diversity...

  On 30th July 2025 HPAI H5N1 was confirmed in a young chicken in a backyard flock in Co Donegal . The bird was submitted to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory and virological testing confirmed HPAI at the CVRL. Control measures were put in place following detection on 30th July 2025. The 7 remaining birds of the backyard flock were euthanised and have tested negative for AI PCR. Further results to follow. Update: report updated to reflect the control measures applied (stamping out applied) as per the above report. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6691 ____

{Scotland, Aberdeenshire} Commercial layer flock with approx. 88,000 laying hens. Increased mortality and other clinical signs reported. Samples taken were found positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6695 ____

Abstract Background :  The Liao ning virus (LNV), belonging to the genus Seadornavirus within the family Sedoreoviridae , is a mosquito-borne virus . It was originally isolated from Aedes dorsalis mosquitoes in China . The original LNV strain, LNVS-NE97-31, was reported to infect several mammalian cell lines and cause hemorrhagic symptoms in mice . Subsequently, another LNV strain, LNV NSW B115745, was isolated from Australian mosquitoes ; it was reported to exhibit insect-specific infection. Materials and Methods :  Virus isolation was performed on mosquitoes collected in northern Hokkaido, Japan, in 2022 . The isolated virus was subjected to genomic and growth kinetics analyses. Results :  A LNV strain was isolated from Aedes vexans mosquitoes . Genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed the new strain as 22WN03, and it formed a robust clade with the original Chinese strain, LNVS-NE97-31. Growth kinetics analysis did not reveal any mammalian or avian cell lin...

ABSTRACT Seasonal influenza causes 290,000–650,000 deaths annually, with vaccination efficacy ranging from 10 to 60%. The emergence of drug-resistant and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses underscores the urgent need for novel protective strategies . Epidemiological observations have long suggested that certain vaccines, such as Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), can provide protection against diverse pathogens (S. Biering-Sørensen, P. Aaby, N. Lund, et al., Clin Infect Dis 65:1183–1190, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cix525 ; M.-L. Garly, C. L. Martins, C. Balé, et al., Vaccine 21:2782–2790, 2003, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00181-6 ; C. A. G. Timmermann, S. Biering‐Sørensen, P. Aaby, et al., Trop Med Int Health 20:1733–1744, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12614 ). While the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying such protection remain incompletely understood, emerging research offers critical insights into innate immune system modulation (B. Cirovic, L. C. J...

Abstract Effective and reliable treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections are a key part of global COVID-19 management . Based on vitro studies, niclosamide has been considered as a potential drug candidate for SARS-CoV-2, but its clinical development has been limited due to poor solubility and bioavailability. Here we report results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 300 patients (Clinical Trial Registration Number: KCT0007307) that assessed the efficacy and safety of the niclosamide nanohybrid CP-COV03 at two different doses. Oral CP-COV03 was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported in any treatment group. The primary endpoints demonstrated that CP-COV03 significantly alleviated all 12 FDA-recommended COVID-19 symptoms , with symptom improvement sustained for more than 48 h. Additionally, CP-COV03 reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral load by 56.7% within 16 h of the initial dose compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints, including time to sust...

{England, Norfolk} Commercial indoor unit with 59562 turkeys. Increased mortality and other clinical signs were reported. Samples were taken and were tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6693 ____

By Diliff - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1385555 ___ Two wild Greylag Geese in Győr-Moson-Sopron Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6687?reportId=175652&fromPage=event-dashboard-url ____

Abstract Mycoplasma pneumonia pneumonia(MPP) is a common respiratory disease that often occurs in children . The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics of children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, the first outbreak after the prevalence of COVID-19 epidemic . Meanwhile, this study also analyzed the predictive value of serum protein indicators and coagulation parameters in the MPP group, as well as the correlation between these indicators. Children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae admitted to the pediatric ward of Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital from May 2023 to March 2024 were selected. After screening, 411 children who met the research criteria were selected as the study subjects. All of the blood samples were tested for coagulation function , procalcitonin, serum protein and glucose among MPP group and control group. All data were processed for statistical analysis using GraphPad Prism 10.2.3. Comparison of the serum proteins and coagulation function between...

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/titian/venus-anadyomene _____

Abstract The global burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an immune-mediated neuropathy, remains poorly characterized during the COVID-19 pandemic . We analyzed age-standardized years lived with disability (YLD) for GBS from 1990 to 2021 using GBD 2021 data and COVID-19 vaccination coverage from Our World in Data, focusing on 2020–2021. During the pandemic, GBS YLD rates rose dramatically , with greater increases seen in low-SDI regions, females and individuals aged 15–29 years. Higher vaccination coverage was inversely associated with GBS disability burden , exhibiting a non-linear protective effect at moderate to high coverage levels. Causal mediation analysis indicated that 44.6% of this association was mediated by reductions in COVID-19 incidence, highlighting both direct and indirect neuroprotective benefits of vaccination programs . These results underscore the importance of sustaining and expanding the vaccine rollout to mitigate the secondary neurological burden associated w...

Abstract Transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza from H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has expanded in recent years to infect large populations of birds and mammals , heightening the risk of a human pandemic . Influenza viruses adapted to transmission in birds and some other animals tend to have a less stable hemagglutinin (HA) than seasonal influenza viruses , enabling membrane fusion at comparatively high pH levels. Here, we combine five mutations within H5 HA that dramatically increase its melting temperature and promote stable closure of the HA trimer . Structural analysis by cryo-electron microscopy revealed that the stabilizing mutations create several new hydrophobic interactions , while maintaining local HA structure. We found that vaccinating mice with stabilized H5 HA immunogens resulted in higher hemagglutination inhibition and neutralization titers than non-stabilized comparators. Epitope mapping of vaccine-elicited polyclonal antibody responses using negative stain electron mic...

  Di PetrS. - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12034659 Source: Wikipedia,  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotiva_FS_E.636 ____

  {Excerpt} Time Period: July 20, 2025 - July 26, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  4 sites ( 1.0% ) -- No Detection :  391 sites ( 99.0% ) -- No samples in last week :  38 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html ____

Abstract Transmission routes of highly pathogenic H5N1 between cows or to humans remain unclear due to limited data from affected dairy farms. We performed extensive air, farm wastewater, and milk sampling on 14 H5N1 positive dairy farms across two different California regions. Virus was detected in the air in milking parlors and from exhaled breath of cows . Infectious H5N1 virus was detected in the air and water streams ; sequence analysis revealed viral variants on a farm in these locations. Longitudinal analysis of milk from the individual quarters of cows revealed a high prevalence of subclinical H5N1 positive cows and a heterogeneous distribution of infected quarters that maintained a consistent pattern over time. Our data highlight potential modes of H5N1 transmission on dairy farms. Competing Interest Statement SSL and LCM receive funds from Flu Lab and NIH. ASL receives funds from Flu Lab, NIH, and CDC. ASL receives consulting fees and research support from Roche, outside of t...