ETIDIOH - NEW

  Abstract The Goose/Guandong lineage of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus [A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1)] is the progenitor of the currently circulating Eurasian-lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b and has been the most consequential highly pathogenic avian influenza lineage globally. Despite increased reports of infections, the extent of exposure and role of wild mammals in the ecology and transmission dynamics of the virus remains poorly understood. We surveyed wild mammals in Ohio, United States to investigate the potential spillover of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b. While no active infections —defined as positive results indicative of viral replication and potential propagation—were detected by swab-based molecular tests, serological assays revealed antibodies against multiple avian influenza virus antigens in raccoons and opossums . Specifically, antibodies to avian influenza virus nucleoprotein were detected in 54.9% (...

  Highlights --  We conducted surveillance for influenza A viruses at live bird markets in northern Vietnam. --  Six different subtypes of influenza A virus were found co-circulating in the markets. --  Notable genetic mutations were found across many genes. --  These markets have great potential to generate new pandemic influenza A virus strains. Abstract Objectives Live bird markets (LBMs) in Asia have often been the source of human infections with avian influenza virus (AIV). Methods From July 2021 to August 2023, we employed a One Health approach in conducting periodic surveillance for novel influenza A viruses in five LBMs in northern Vietnam. Specimens were studied with egg culture, molecular assays, Sanger sequencing, and next-generation sequencing. Results We studied a total of 688 human, avian, and bioaerosol specimens . Among these, 118 ( 17.2% ) were found to have molecular evidence of AIVs . Next-generation sequencing of 92 isolates revealed multiple...

  {Excerpt} Phnom Penh (ANTARA) - A 3-year-old girl from Kampong Speu Province, western Cambodia, has been confirmed to have contracted H5N1 bird flu , bringing the number of cases to 16 so far this year, the Cambodian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Thursday (16/10) evening local time. Laboratory results from Cambodia's National Institute of Public Health on October 15 showed the girl tested positive for the H5N1 virus, the statement said. The patient had symptoms of fever, diarrhea, cough, and abdominal pain , and is currently undergoing intensive care with a team of doctors, the statement added. The girl is a resident of Chek Village, Basedth District. Investigations found that chickens and ducks had contracted the disease and died at the girl's home and at her neighbor's about a week before she fell ill, the statement said. (...) Source: Antara,  https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5181569/balita-di-kamboja-barat-jadi-korban-flu-burung-ke-16-pada-2025 ____

  By Henschel & Sohn Cassel - https://orka.bibliothek.uni-kassel.de/viewer/image/1583329169073/11/#topDocAnchor , Public Domain,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=164351448 Source: Wikipedia,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_%26_Son ____

  AJR Am J Roentgenol LITTLE BP Imaging and Reporting of Post-COVID-19 Lung Abnormalities at CT: International Panel of Experts Provides Welcome Guidance. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2025 Oct 15. doi: 10.2214/AJR.25.33999. PubMed          Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol ELHAISSOUNI N, Arthur A, Prochaska EC, Colantuoni E, et al Association of pandemic precautions and Staphylococcus aureus in the NICU. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2025 Oct 13:1-3. doi: 10.1017/ice.2025.10319. PubMed           Abstract available Int J Infect Dis OPPONG AE, Coelewij L, Hutchinson M, Carpenter B, et al Simple hyperinflammation scores predict mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and offer a personalised medicine approach to dexamethasone intervention. Int J Infect Dis. 2025 Oct 13:108119. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108119. PubMed           Abstract available J Infect TANG X, Ma T, Yao Z,...

  Antiviral Res PATEL MC, Nguyen HT, Mishin VP, Pascua PNQ, et al Antiviral susceptibility monitoring: testing algorithm, methods, and findings for influenza season, 2023-2024. Antiviral Res. 2025 Oct 11:106299. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106299. PubMed           Abstract available ZHU C, Wang Z, Pan Z, Mai X, et al DMBT1 promotes SARS-CoV-2 infection and its SRCR-derived peptide inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antiviral Res. 2025 Sep 3:106269. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106269. PubMed           Abstract available TASHIMA R, Kuroda T, Nobori H, Miyagawa S, et al Ensitrelvir suppresses prolonged olfactory abnormalities derived from SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters. Antiviral Res. 2025 Sep 2:106270. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106270. PubMed           Abstract available BMC Pediatr WU LE, Wei JY, Lin ZH, Li HC, et al Clinical characteristics of children with ...

  Abstract Since March 2024, HPAI H5N1 virus has infected dairy cattle in the U.S., prompting concern about novel transmission routes . During an outbreak in California , HPAI H5N1 RNA was detected in an asymptomatic bull's semen . Although infectious virus was not isolated , questions remain about semen-associated transmission risks and biosecurity practices. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Source: BioRxIV,  https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.16.682947v1 ____

  {[ Common Raven ] By Accipiter (R. Altenkamp, Berlin) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6806927 } ___ Note 16/10/2025 : The case reported in this event was confirmed to be H5 but was negative for N1 and N5. Therefore, it is assumed that a new serotype has been detected in the country. The raven was found sick with a broken wing, emaciated and with diarrhea. It was euthanized. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6868 ____

  {[ Mallard duck ] By This picture was realized by Richard Bartz by using a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6449086 } {[ Common Teal ] By Shantanu Kuveskar - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78923110 } ___ A wild mallard in Veneto Region. A wild common teal in Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6896 ____

  Summary Background For more than three decades, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) has provided a framework to quantify health loss due to diseases, injuries, and associated risk factors . This paper presents GBD 2023 findings on disease and injury burden and risk-attributable health loss, offering a global audit of the state of world health to inform public health priorities. This work captures the evolving landscape of health metrics across age groups, sexes, and locations, while reflecting on the remaining post-COVID-19 challenges to achieving our collective global health ambitions. Methods The GBD 2023 combined analysis estimated years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 375 diseases and injuries , and risk-attributable burden associated with 88 modifiable risk factors. Of the more than 310 000 total data sources used for all GBD 2023 (about 30% of which were new to this est...

  Abstract The SARS outbreak and influenza A(H5N1) infections (2003–2004) prompted WHO to establish a global influenza antiviral stockpile , enabling rapid distribution to 72 countries during the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic. To improve access in low- and middle-income countries, WHO added antivirals to the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and included them in the Prequalification Programme . The 2011 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework refined strategies for equitable access and rapid response. Lessons from COVID-19 led to a new WHO-led mechanism—the Interim Medical Countermeasures Network (i-MCM-net)— which supports integrated supply chains, real-time data sharing, research and development, and equitable access. WHO continues to emphasise equity and global solidarity , highlighting the need for accessible, effective, and affordable antivirals alongside vaccines to protect vulnerable populations and mitigate the impact of future pandemics. Source: Journal of Infectious Disease...

  Abstract This supplement contains 17 articles addressing various aspects of advances in influenza therapeutics and related strategies (e.g., diagnostics, rapid access strategies , and resistance monitoring ) for preventing and treating seasonal, zoonotic, and pandemic influenza . In addition to briefly introducing each article, we highlight shortcomings in current use, knowledge gaps requiring further study, and therapeutics of interest entering or advancing in clinical development. Source: Journal of Infectious Diseases,  https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/232/Supplement_3/S169/8287899?login=false ____

  Abstract Influenza antivirals play an important role in the prevention and control of influenza. We reviewed data on the effectiveness of influenza antivirals for reducing influenza transmission . We found that antiviral prophylaxis , whether given pre- or postexposure , has been shown to reduce the risk of symptomatic influenza in a variety of settings and populations . During pandemic responses, antiviral prophylaxis could play an important role, as demonstrated by the use of amantadine in the 1968–1969 influenza A(H3N2) pandemic and oseltamivir during the 2009–2010 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic. Antiviral treatment reduces symptom severity, prevents complications, and can reduce onward transmission of infection. However, resistance, accessibility, and timing pose challenges. Future research directions include innovative therapies and combination treatments. Continued research and stewardship are crucial to optimize antiviral impact. Source: Journal of Infectious Diseases,...

  Abstract SARS-like betacoronaviruses (sarbecoviruses) endemic in bats pose a significant zoonotic threat to humans . Genetic pathways associated with spillover of bat sarbecoviruses into humans are incompletely understood. We previously showed that the wild-type spike of the rhinolophid bat coronavirus SHC014-CoV has poor entry activity and uncovered two distinct genetic pathways outside the receptor-binding domain (RBD) that increased spike opening, ACE2 binding , and cell entry. Herein, we show that the widely studied bat sarbecovirus WIV1-CoV is likely a cell culture-adapted variant whose progenitor bears a spike resembling that of Rs3367-CoV, which was sequenced from the same population of rhinolophid bats as SHC014-CoV. Our findings suggest that the acquisition of a single amino-acid substitution in the ‘630-loop’ of the S1 subunit was the key spike adaptation event during the successful isolation of WIV1-CoV, and that it enhances spike opening, virus-receptor recognition, a...

  Abstract Wastewater surveillance of respiratory pathogens can provide timely estimates of viral activity and disease trends in a population . Indoor air surveillance could be used similarly with some advantages but remains largely unvalidated at the community-scale. Here, an indoor air surveillance program was employed as part of public health environmental surveillance in Chicago, Illinois , USA. Ten air samplers were placed in healthcare and congregate living settings across the city. Weekly air samples were evaluated for influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus, and SARS-CoV- 2 over two respiratory virus seasons. Citywide, aggregated air sample positivity and viral load were closely correlated with local clinical case and wastewater surveillance data across all respiratory viruses. Virus trends in air data often preceded clinical and wastewater, although this varied across pathogens and respiratory virus seasons. Further, whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 show...

  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...