ETIDIOH - NEW

  ALBANY, N.Y. (October 14, 2025) — The New York State Department of Health today announced that a case of locally acquired chikungunya has been confirmed in New York State . Laboratory testing at the Department's Wadsworth Center confirmed the case in Nassau County on Long Island . This marks the first locally acquired case of chikungunya reported in New York State . No locally acquired cases have been reported in the U.S. states and territories since 2019. An investigation suggests that the individual likely contracted the virus following a bite from an infected mosquito . While the case is classified as locally acquired based on current information, the precise source of exposure is not known. The Aedes albopictus mosquito , known to transmit chikungunya, is present in parts of downstate New York. Local transmission can occur when an A. albopictus mosquito bites an infected traveler, becomes infected and bites another person. The disease cannot be spread directly from one person...

  Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) viruses globally impact wild and domestic birds, and have caused severe infections in mammals, including humans , underscoring their pandemic potential . The antigenic evolution of the A(H5) haemagglutinin (HA) poses challenges for pandemic preparedness and vaccine design . Here the global antigenic evolution of the A(H5) HA was captured in a high-resolution antigenic map . The map was used to design immunogenic and antigenically central vaccine HA antigens, eliciting antibody responses that broadly cover the A(H5) antigenic space. In ferrets , a central antigen protected as well as homologous vaccines against heterologous infection with two antigenically distinct viruses. This work showcases the rational design of subtype-wide influenza A(H5) pre-pandemic vaccines and demonstrates the value of antigenic maps for the evaluation of vaccine-induced immune responses through antibody profiles. Source: Nature,  https://www.nature.c...

  {By Charles J. Sharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography.co.uk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=144193067 } ___ Two wild  black swans in Karpoš Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6891 ____

  A poultry farm in Niedersachsen Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6892 ____

Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses are an emerging threat for global health, especially clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus which causes panzootic infections . Here we describe the isolation and characterization of broadly cross-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against diverse H5Nx viruses from individuals who received a monovalent H5N1 vaccine 15 years ago . By screening over 500 mAbs, we identified 5 mAbs that neutralized the majority of H5 clades including 2.3.4.4b and target three distinct conserved epitopes within the HA globular head. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of these mAbs in complex with HA, deep mutational scanning and neutralization escape studies define the sites of vulnerability of H5 HA. These mAbs mediated stronger prophylactic protection against clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 infection in mice than the best-in-class mAb targeting the HA stem. Our study identified several highly potent broadly neutralizing H5 mAbs from humans that either alone or in com...

  Abstract Avian influenza A viruses pose ongoing threats to human and animal health, with H7 subtypes causing outbreaks globally . In Mexico , highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses have circulated in poultry since 2012, causing sporadic human infections . Here we analyzed genetic markers in hemagglutinin sequences from Mexican H7N3 isolates and conducted serological assays on human populations with poultry exposure . Our results show conserved avian-like receptor binding sites , thus limiting human adaptation , alongside antigenic drift and acquisition of glycosylation sites likely driven by vaccination. Serological testing of 1103 individuals revealed no detectable antibodies against H7N3, indicating a naïve population . Phylogenetic analyses revealed multiple virus clades circulating regionally. These findings suggest that while current H7N3 viruses have limited capacity for sustained human transmission, the lack of population immunity underscores the importance of continued surveillan...

  Abstract Biodiversity loss is one of the greatest challenges facing Earth today. The most direct information on species losses comes from recent extinctions . However, our understanding of these recent, human-related extinctions is incomplete across life, especially their causes and their rates and patterns among clades, across habitats and over time. Furthermore, prominent studies have extrapolated from these extinctions to suggest a current mass extinction event . Such extrapolations assume that recent extinctions predict current extinction risk and are homogeneous among groups, over time and among environments. Here, we analyse rates and patterns of recent extinctions (last 500 years). Surprisingly, past extinctions did not strongly predict current risk among groups. Extinctions varied strongly among groups , and were most frequent among molluscs and some tetrapods , and relatively rare in plants and arthropods . Extinction rates have increased over the last five centuries , b...

  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 ____