ETIDIOH - NEW

{Automatic translation} The Ministry of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities and Public Health France have been informed of two cases of MERS-CoV in France .  These two cases were confirmed following suggestive symptoms and a history of shared travel to the Arabian Peninsula .  Management measures have been implemented to limit the risk of virus transmission. Stéphanie Rist, Minister of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities, confirms: “These patients are being monitored in hospital as a precautionary measure and their condition is stable . All management measures have been put in place to limit the risk of transmission of the virus to the patients' contacts and healthcare staff: contact tracing to offer them follow-up, barrier gestures, testing, isolation and procedures to follow in case of the appearance of symptoms, even mild ones.” These two cases occurred in individuals who had participated in the same trip , but no secondary transmis...

  {Excerpt} To the Editor : In March 2024, public health agencies in the United States reported highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus of subtype A( H5N1 ) in dairy cattle , with virus detected in milk samples from symptomatic animals. Viral genetic fragments were subsequently found in pasteurized retail dairy products , which aroused concern about potential exposure through the human food supply . Heat treatment has been shown to reduce or eliminate infectious virus from both milk from infected cows and milk spiked with HPAI A(H5N1) virus. However, whether HPAI A(H5N1) virus in spiked milk from healthy cows replicates the properties of virus in milk from infected cows is unclear. We directly compared the stability of HPAI A(H5N1) virus in infected cows’ milk with that in spiked milk at 4°C (refrigeration temperature) and after heat treatment at 63°C (low-temperature, longer-duration pasteurization) or 72°C (high-temperature, shorter-duration pasteurization). (...) (...) So...

{Excerpt} Several cats in Neuruppin have been infected with avian influenza , according to the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district administration . They have been taken into the care of the Office for Consumer Protection and Agriculture, the district announced. A cat infected with the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus was found dead in a wooded area near the town. Several media outlets have reported on this.  (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/vogelgrippe-in-brandenburg-katzen-mit-geflugelpest-infiziert--warnung-vom-kreis-15014940.html ____

  Abstract Importance Since the early 2000s, companion animals emerged as unexpected players in influenza A virus ecology . Canine influenza viruses and the increasing detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in cats have raised concerns about their potential role as intermediate hosts for pandemic emergence . Their unique position at human-animal interface creates unprecedented opportunities for viral evolution and bidirectional transmission between humans and animals. Observations This review examined the transmission pathways and molecular adaptations of influenza A virus in companion animals. Cats primarily acquire infections through alimentary routes , including consumption of raw poultry and unpasteurized milk , as well as environmental exposure through hunting. Dogs transmit influenza viruses via respiratory droplets in high-density settings such as shelters and kennels . Canine influenza viruses demonstrate successful mammalian adaptation through accumulated m...

{Summary} Context   Over five years since the detection of the first COVID-19 cases , SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate globally, causing acute illness, hospitalization, and death , alongside prolonged negative impacts on individuals, health systems , and economies , including post-COVID-19 condition (PCC or Long COVID).  While global population-level immunity has increased significantly through both infection and vaccination, the virus continues to evolve, challenging control efforts and underscoring the need for long-term, sustainable disease management .  Confirming earlier warnings from MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1 , SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the pandemic potential of coronaviruses , which remain one of the most consequential infectious disease threats of our time .  Purpose of the strategic plan   This plan sets out WHO’s strategic framework to support Member States in the sustained, integrated, evidence-based management of coronavirus disease threats , includ...

  Fattening birds suddenly dead. No biosecurity measures or vaccination plan. San Marcos Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7064 ____

  Within the epidemiological surveillance carried out by the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) aimed at the early detection of clinical signs consistent with avian influenza, an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in the village of Las Mercedes , in the municipality of Guaranda , in the department of Sucre . The event concerns non-poultry in a backyard , where respiratory and neurological signs were observed. The National Veterinary System activated epidemiological tracing and follow-up actions in the area of origin of the affected birds. As a control measure, the stamping out of the birds in the epidemiological unit was carried out and, as a complementary measure, epidemiological surveillance was strengthened in the surrounding area to identify other possible cases and prevent the spread of the disease. The affected population is composed of birds in a backyard not considered to be poultry which tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influe...

Farmed and  Backyard poultry in Uttarakhand State. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6804 ____

  Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) represents a threat to animal and human health, with the ongoing H5N1 outbreak within the H5 2.3.4.4b clade being one of the largest on record . However, it remains unclear what factors have contributed to its intercontinental spread . We use Bayesian additive regression trees , a machine learning method designed for probabilistic modelling of complex nonlinear phenomena , to construct species distribution models (SDMs) for HPAI clade 2.3.4.4b presence. We identify factors driving geospatial patterns of infection and project risk distributions across Europe . Our models are time-stratified to capture both seasonal changes in risk and shifts in epidemiology associated with the succession of H5N6/H5N8 by H5N1 within the clade . While previous studies aimed to model HPAI presence from physical geography, we explicitly consider wild bird ecology by including estimates of bird species richness, abundance of specific taxa, and “abundanc...

  The Hague, December 2 (Xinhua)  Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Safety and Nature, Femke Wilsma, reported on December 1 that the country had confirmed its first death from the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus . In a letter to the House of Representatives that day, Wilsma stated that the Institute of Biological Veterinary Medicine at Wageningen University had recently reported that a kitten at a goat farm tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus .  The kitten was found dead by its owner.  The remaining seven kittens from the same litter also died after being given to other new owners, suggesting that they may have also been infected with the avian influenza virus, but the specific route of infection is still uncertain. The letter stated that, according to the cat owner, the mother cat had brought back a dead wild bird , which was suspected to have carried the avian influenza virus, and the kittens were infected ...

{Al-Anbar Region} During routine inspections of poultry houses by veterinarians, several cases were detected by rapid tests. Samples were then sent to the central laboratory for confirmation of infection. All disease control protocols were implemented, including restricting movement, culling both healthy and infected poultry, and disinfecting the premises. A follow-up report will be submitted. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7067 ____

  {Summary} Time Period: November 16, 2025 - November 22, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  6 site(s) ( 1.4% ) -- No Detection :  410 site(s) ( 98.6% ) -- No samples in last week :  50 site(s) (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html ____

  {Summary} Situation at a glance On 1 December 2025, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared the end of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak which had been declared on 4 September 2025.  The end was declared after two consecutive incubation periods (a total of 42 days) since the last person confirmed with EVD tested negative for the virus and was discharged on 19 October 2025.  A total of 64 cases (53 confirmed, 11 probable), including 45 deaths (CFR 70.3%), were reported from six health areas in Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province .  WHO and partners provided technical, operational and financial support to the government to contain the outbreak.  This is the country’s 16th outbreak of Ebola.  Although the outbreak has been declared over , health authorities are maintaining surveillance to rapidly identify and respond to any re-emergence.  Risk communication and community engagement activities will continue...

  Description of the Event Date when the trigger was met :  12-11-2025 What happened, where and when? -- On 14 November 2025 , the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), in collaboration with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), issued a press release declaring an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the South Region of Ethiopia .  -- As of 26 November 2025, 78 laboratory tests have been conducted, of which twelve confirmed cases , including seven confirmed deaths , have been reported, three cases remain probable .  -- Of the twelve confirmed cases, five are currently alive , three on treatment , and two discharged .  -- More than 300 contacts have been identified and are under active follow-up.  -- Given the high fatality potential and rapid transmissibility of Marburg, (MVD) an immediate and coordinated public health response is essential.  - Early detection, isolation, contact tracing , and community sensitization are critical to prevent furthe...

  Public Domain. Source:  Link:  https://www.wikiart.org/en/jean-baptiste-greuze/the-village-bride-1761 ____

By Abdelrhman 1990 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=130430126 Henschel locomotive on Egyptian National Railways Source:  Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_%26_Son ____

  Abstract This study assessed the epidemiological and microbiological invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) changes that occurred before and after the emergence of COVID-19 in Italy . All IPD cases reported through the nationwide surveillance system during 2018–2023 were included. IPD incidence and serotype distributions were analyzed by age group. IPD incidence in 2020–2021 declined in all age groups compared with 2018–2019 , especially in children less than 2 years of age and elderly people aged > 64 years. A resurgence of IPD cases was observed from late 2022 onwards , with values in children exceeding those seen before the pandemic. The post COVID-19 increase in children was mainly driven by some PCV13 serotypes , such as 3, 19A, and 19F , but also non-vaccine serotypes, including 10A, 8, and 24F , while in the elderly population , a predominance of serotypes 3 and 8 was observed . In conclusion, a steep drop in IPD incidence was observed during the peak of the COVID-19 pande...

  Abstract The global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses poses a serious pandemic threat . While sustained human-to-human transmission has not occurred, widespread circulation in birds , increased detection in mammals , and occasional human spillovers underscore the need for safe and effective vaccines . We evaluated an H5 mRNA vaccine candidate in ferrets using recent clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) human isolates. Vaccination elicited strong neutralizing antibodies , conferred robust protection against lethal challenge , and significantly reduced viral titers . In a direct contact transmission model , mRNA vaccination decreased virus shedding in inoculated ferrets and reduced onward transmission ; it also protected vaccinated contact ferrets from infection following exposure to virus-shedding, unvaccinated ferrets. Additionally, sera from vaccinated animals cross-neutralized clade 2.3.2.1e human viruses to varying degrees, depending on the strain. These findings d...

  Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 viruses have recently been documented in mammals including humans , posing a major threat to global public health . To prevent a potential H5 pandemic , it is critical to elucidate the antigenic evolutionary pattern and identify key drivers underlying its evolution . In this work, we construct a comprehensive antigenic map of H5 influenza viruses spanning their evolutionary history and classified three antigenic clusters with no cross-neutralization . The first corresponds to ancestral clades, the second to 2.3.4.4* clades being predominant since 2010, and the third to 2.3.4.4 h clade. Despite the gradually increasing genetic distances from ancestral to 2.3.4.4* to 2.3.4.4 h, their antigenic evolution does not follow the same progressive pattern: the antigenic distance between 2.3.4.4 h and ancestral is smaller than that between 2.3.4.4* and ancestral . This divergence is associated with two distinct mutation patterns at six ke...

  Abstract Laridae birds, such as gulls, are known reservoirs of H13 and H16 low pathogenic avian influenza subtypes . However, during the recent outbreaks linked to the reemergence of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b of the Goose/Guangdong lineage, European populations of those birds suffered significant losses. HPAI cases were registered not only along the coastlines but also inland areas , particularly in France and Central Europe . During a diagnostic investigation of a group of Laridae birds , part of a HPAIV outbreak registered in the South of France in 2023, larval stages of Ornithodoros maritimus , a nidicolous soft tick parasitizing seabirds, were recovered from a slender-billed gull (Chroicocephalus genei). Affected birds exhibited gross and histopathological lesions consistent with systemic HPAI infection . Immunohistochemistry revealed marked neurotropism , oculotropism and multicentric epitheliotropism . Viral isolation and sequencin...