ETIDIOH - NEW

  ABSTRACT SARS-CoV-2 is under strong evolutionary selection to acquire mutations in its spike protein that reduce neutralization by human polyclonal antibodies. Here, we use pseudovirus-based deep mutational scanning to measure how mutations to the spike from the recent KP.3.1.1 SARS-CoV-2 strain affect cell entry, binding to the ACE2 receptor, RBD up/down motion, and neutralization by human sera and clinically relevant antibodies. The spike mutations that most affect serum antibody neutralization sometimes differ between sera collected before versus after recent vaccination or infection, indicating that these exposures shift the neutralization immunodominance hierarchy. The sites where mutations cause the greatest reduction in neutralization by post-vaccination or infection sera include receptor-binding domain (RBD) sites 475, 478, and 487, all of which have mutated in recent SARS-CoV-2 variants . Multiple mutations outside the RBD affect sera neutralization as strongly as any RB...

  A poultry farm in Hauts-de-France Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6875 ____

  A poultry farm in Brandenburg Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6878 ____

  {By © Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77548177 } ___ On 12 October, the owner informed the State Food and Veterinary Service that the birds had fallen ill and mass mortality had begun in one of the four poultry houses. On Sunday, around 2,000 of the 5,380 turkeys in one poultry house suddenly died. On 13 October 2025, official veterinarians visited the farm and collected samples from all the turkey houses for passive surveillance of avian influenza. These samples were sent to the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute (National Reference Laboratory) for avian influenza testing. Temporary restrictions were imposed on the farm immediately until the laboratory results were available. On 14 October 2025, highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in all samples. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6885 ____

  {By Alexis Lours - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138694692 } ___ A wild yellow legged gull in Madeira. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6888 ____

  In Nineveh Province, in the city of Bashiqa, Shalalat Mashrae through routine examination of broiler poultry fields, 35 samples were found to be positive by rapid kit examination. This result was confirmed by PCR examination on 12th of October 2025, and it was H5N1. Nineveh veterinary hospital made a zone and applied all plans of HPAI Strategy of the law of animal health. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6887 ____

  New human cases {1,2}:  -- From 26 August to 29 September 2025 , based on reporting date, the detection of influenza A(H5) in one human , influenza A(H5N1) in one human , influenza A(H9N2) in eight humans and an influenza A(H1N1) variant ((H1N1)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 animal species 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 this risk assessment update , the overall public health risk from currently known influenza A viruses d...

  {Excerpt} Influenza A H9N2 -- Hunan Province : - 1) A two-year-old boy with onset on September 28, 2025.  -- Jiangxi Province : - 2) A 70-year-old woman with onset on September 23, 2025.  (...) Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR,  https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/2025_avian_influenza_report_vol21_wk41.pdf ____

  The Official Veterinary Service was informed of dead birds and signs consistent with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard in the province of Buenos Aires. On the same day, the suspicion was dealt with and samples were taken for testing. The samples were tested by the official laboratory and were positive for HPAI H5. On 6th October 2025 , the Official Veterinary Service was informed of two birds dead in a backyard at Azcuénaga, province of Buenos Aires . The suspicion was dealt with and samples were taken for testing. The samples were sent to the official SENASA laboratory on 7th October 2025 and on the same day, positive results were obtained for HPAI H5 clade 2.3.4.4 ; all the birds were killed and disposed of, and the premises was cleaned and disinfected. The affected backyard is less than 2 kilometers from the Giles River, so contact with wild birds is suspected. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6855 ____

  A geese for fattening farm in Bayern Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6879 ____

  Backyard flock - sudden death, apathy, torticollis, ataxia, cyanosis, haemorrhagia of inner organs Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6874 ____

{Several poultry farms in Uttar Pradesh State.} HPAI (H5N1) was detected in a Live Bird Market from the environmental sample. Hence no cases were observed. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6730 ____

{Northern Ireland} Over 23k 26-week-old grandparent and parent broiler breeders' premises. Positive test for HPAI H5N1. Clinical signs presented prior to testing. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6872 ____

  Public Domain. Source: WikiArt,  https://www.wikiart.org/en/eugene-delacroix/death-of-sardanapalus-1827-1 ____

  Abstract The antigenic relationship between Eurasian avian-like H1N1 swine influenza viruses (EA H1N1) and human pandemic 2009 H1N1 viruses (2009/H1N1) remains a critical question for influenza surveillance and vaccine efficacy . This study systematically investigated the antigenic differences between strains A/swine/Tianjin/312/2016 (TJ312, EA H1N1) and A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (GD1536, 2009/H1N1). Cross-hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays revealed a significant antigenic disparity, with a 16-fold reduction in heterologous versus homologous HI titers . Comparative sequence analysis identified 22 amino acid differences across the five major antigenic sites (Sa, Sb, Ca1, Ca2, and Cb) of the HA1 subunit. Using reverse genetics , a panel of mutant viruses was generated. This study revealed that a single histidine (H)-to-asparagine (N) substitution at residue 128 (H3 numbering) in the Sa antigenic site acts as a primary determinant of antigenic variation , sufficient to ca...

  Antiviral Res SCHRELL L, Scheibner D, Dickmanns A, Stegmann KM, et al Inhibitors of pyrimidine synthesis synergize with N4-hydroxycytidine to diminish influenza virus replication. Antiviral Res. 2025 Oct 3:106286. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106286. PubMed           Abstract available BMJ WISE J Covid-19: Excluding doctors from vaccination programme puts patients at risk, clinicians warn. BMJ. 2025;391:r2141. PubMed          Clin Infect Dis ATMAR RL, Abate G, Deming ME, George SL, et al Emerging and Pandemic Pathogens: Lessons Learned From a Clinical Research Network. Clin Infect Dis. 2025;81. PubMed           Abstract available JANO K, Babu TM, Kottkamp AC, Rebolledo PA, et al Historical Advances in Clinical Trial Design and Expanding Representation as the New Frontier for Innovation. Clin Infect Dis. 2025;81. PubMed         ...

  Ann Intern Med LE VU M, Matthes KL, Schneider EB, Moerlen A, et al Maternal Influenza-Like Illness and Neonatal Health During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic in a Swiss City. Ann Intern Med. 2025 Oct 7. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-03796. PubMed           Abstract available Antiviral Res SCHRELL L, Scheibner D, Dickmanns A, Stegmann KM, et al Inhibitors of pyrimidine synthesis synergize with N4-hydroxycytidine to diminish influenza virus replication. Antiviral Res. 2025 Oct 3:106286. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106286. PubMed           Abstract available Epidemiol Infect VAN DER ROEST B, Fischer EAJ, Klinkenberg D, Bootsma MCJ, et al Phylodynamic inference suggests introductions as main driver of Mpox Clade II outbreak in 2022 in Slovenia. Epidemiol Infect. 2025;153:e115. PubMed           Abstract available WOLDEGIORGIS M, Bloomfield L, Korda R, Cadby G, et al Factors a...