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Natural #H5N1 #immunity in dairy #cows is durable and cross-protective but non-sterilizing

  Abstract Ongoing transmission of influenza A virus (H5N1) in U.S. dairy cattle threatens both animal and human health , underscoring the need to understand the durability of host immunity against reinfection with evolving genotypes . We challenged naive and convalescent cows , infected one year prior with H5N1 genotype B3.13, with either homologous B3.13 or heterologous D1.1 genotype virus . Homologous rechallenge resulted in complete clinical protection with no infectious viral shedding . Conversely, heterologous rechallenge led to transient clinical disease and limited infectious viral shedding . Convalescent cows experienced significantly milder disease than naive cows, which developed severe illness with high viral shedding and required early euthanasia , regardless of the strain. These findings indicate that naturally acquired immunity offers strong protection against severe illness but may allow silent transmission of divergent strains . Therefore, natural herd immunity alo...

#mRNA-delivered neutralizing #antibodies confer protection against #SARS-CoV-2 in animal #models

  ABSTRACT Monoclonal antibodies represent potent biological countermeasures against a wide range of human diseases ; however, their clinical application and widespread use are limited by the high cost and complexity of antibody production and manufacturing. The mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) platform offers a versatile strategy for vaccine development and protein-replacement therapies. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)- neutralizing antibodies have been identified, with several granted emergency use authorization for patients. Here, we report the design and generation of mRNA-LNPs encoding two SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies , 76E1 and LY1404, which, respectively, target the spike protein’s fusion peptide (FP) and receptor-binding domain (RBD). We demonstrated that a single intramuscular administration of these mRNA-LNPs in mice resulted in robust antibody production that sustained in circulation for 7–14 d...

Intrahost HA #polymorphisms and culture #adaptation shape antigenic profiles of #H3N2 #influenza viruses

  ABSTRACT Accurate antigenic characterization of influenza viruses is critical for vaccine strain selection but is often confounded by intrahost genetic diversity and culture-induced adaptations . We analyzed 60 A(H3N2)-positive nasopharyngeal specimens collected during the 2017–2018 influenza season to determine how virus propagation in MDCK cells affects viral genetic and antigenic properties . Deep sequencing revealed frequent genome-wide intrahost polymorphisms , including amino acid variants within major hemagglutinin (HA) antibody-binding sites . Virus propagation imposed rapid purifying selection, markedly reducing intrahost genetic diversity . Serological analyses demonstrated that these selective events altered antigenic properties, indicating that culture adaptation can alter antigenic profiles . To assess the functional impact of HA polymorphisms, we generated mixed viral populations containing defined ratios of HA-160K, HA-160T, and HA-160I variants identified in clini...

#UK [#Scotland] - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (Inf. with) (#poultry) - Immediate notification

  {Scotland} A small commercial poultry premise. Samples taken were positive for HPAI H5N1. Birds presented clinical signs prior to testing. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7173 ____

#Influenza hemagglutinin subtypes have different #sequence constraints despite sharing extremely similar #structures

  Abstract Hemagglutinins (HA) from different influenza A virus subtypes share as little as ~40% amino acid identity , yet their protein structure and cell entry function are highly conserved . Here we examine the extent that sequence constraints on HA differ across three subtypes . To do this, we first use pseudovirus deep mutational scanning to measure how all amino-acid mutations to an H7 HA affect its cell entry function. We then compare these new measurements to previously described measurements of how all mutations to H3 and H5 HAs affect cell entry function . We find that ~50% of HA sites display substantially diverged preferences for different amino acids across the HA subtypes. The sites with the most divergent amino-acid preferences tend to be buried and have biochemically distinct wildtype amino acids in the different HA subtypes. We provide an example of how rewiring the interactions among contacting residues has dramatically shifted which amino acids are tolerated at s...

#Hungary - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (Inf. with) (#poultry) - Immediate notification

  A fattening turkey holding in Csongrád-Csanád Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7172 ____

#Adaptation differences and mechanisms of #influenza viruses to ANP32 #proteins across #species

  ABSTRACT Avian influenza virus cross-species infection in humans poses a major threat to global public health . Species-specific differences between avian ANP32A and mammalian ANP32 proteins create a natural barrier against viral cross-species infection by directly impairing the functional interaction between the avian-origin viral RNA polymerase and mammalian ANP32 proteins , thereby restricting viral genome replication . The key to overcoming this barrier lies in the adaptation of viral RNA polymerase to host ANP32 family proteins . This mini-review summarizes the mechanisms and variations in influenza virus adaptation to ANP32 proteins across different species. Influenza viruses adapt to species-specific ANP32 proteins through various mutations and display distinct preferences for specific ANP32 family members within the same host. Additionally, alternative splicing variants of ANP32A within a single species further modulate viral RNA polymerase adaptability. Despite this dive...

Case Report: #CJD and #diagnosis #challenges: case report and evidence synthesis

  Abstract Introduction Prion diseases are mortal neurodegenerative disorders , which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Due to its heterogenous clinical presentation diagnosis uncertainties are common. In this paper we explore CJD diagnostic challenges focusing on differential diagnosis and diagnostic delays. Methods We report a case of a patient who was misclassified and evaluated by several medical specialties before the CJD suspicion . A systematic review of the literature of the CJD case reports focused on the timely and differential diagnosis was carried out in Medline and Embase until May 2023. Results Patient with diagnosis was made due to the form of presentation and clinical evolution , neuroimaging and the presence of protein 14-3-3 . In systematic review, fifteen articles were selected, who reported 31 cases of CJD with problems in the timely diagnosis and incorrect initial diagnosis , the main initial differential diagnoses were psychiatry exacerbation, myelopath...

#Israel - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (Inf. with) (#poultry) - Immediate notification

  Reproductive ducks. 41 months old. Drop in lay and reduction of water consumption. Gastrointestinal symptoms. HaZafon Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7168 ____

#Lithuania - #Influenza A #H5N1 viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Immediate notification

  A wild mute swan in Kauno Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7166 ____

Development of a multi-species #luciferase-based double #antigen #ELISA for the detection of #antibodies against #Influenza A virus #H5 clade 2.3.4.4b

  Abstract The highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of subtype H5N1 represent a major threat to animal and public health . The current panzootic with H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has caused numerous, widespread outbreaks in various domestic and wild avian species with high mortalities, massive losses and a high frequency of spillover events to unexpected novel mammalian hosts such as dairy cows . The global H5N1 situation raises serious concerns about zoonotic risks due to effective mammal-to-mammal transmission . Therefore, it is critical to increase surveillance intensity of a broadened species range, particularly at the human-animal interface . For this purpose, reliable and cost-effective serological tools that are easy to perform and suitable for high-throughput screenings are critically needed. The newly developed double antigen ELISA format employing a luminescence-based detection technology has demonstrated to comply with such prerequisites. The assay allowed the detectio...

T cell #immunity to seasonal #Influenza A and #H5N1 viruses in #laboratory #workers receiving annual seasonal Influenza #vaccines

  {Abstract} Background :  Emerging threats such as highly pathogenic influenza strains like H5N1 emphasize the need for vaccines that induce cross-reactive immunity against conserved epitopes. Existing influenza vaccines primarily elicit strain-specific responses , leaving gaps in protection against pandemic subtypes. This study aimed to evaluate T cell responses to seasonal influenza A and H5N1 and compare them to SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell responses to understand differences shaped by distinct exposure histories and vaccination strategies. Methods :  T cell responses were assessed in 41 laboratory workers who received annual seasonal influenza vaccines using ELISpot to quantify responses to peptide pools derived from influenza ( H1N1 hemagglutinin [HA], H3N2 HA, H5N1 HA, matrix protein 1 [MP1], nucleoprotein [NP]) and SARS-CoV-2 (spike [S2S], nucleocapsid [S2N]). Ten-day expansion assays were used to evaluate functional cross-reactivity between H1, H3, and H5 HA. Intra...

#USA, #Wastewater Data for Avian #Influenza #H5 (#CDC, Jan. 5 '26)

  {Excerpt} Time Period: December 21, 2025 - December 27, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  4 site(s) ( 1.1% ) -- No Detection :  359 site(s) (98.9%) -- No samples in last week :  168 site(s) (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html ____

High pathogenicity avian #influenza virus #H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in #Antarctica: Multiple Introductions and the First Confirmed Infection of Ice-Dependent #Seals

  Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b has expanded rapidly across the Southern Ocean since 2023 , causing extensive mortality in sub-Antarctic wildlife . Yet its penetration into Antarctica and impacts on ice-dependent species remain poorly resolved primarily due to surveillance constraints . We report the first confirmed H5N1 infection in an Antarctic ice-dependent seal (crabeater seal; Lobodon carcinophaga) and document mortality of crabeater seals across the northern Weddell Sea during November-December 2024 . Combining genomic, serological and observational data across nine species, we detected H5N1 RNA in a crabeater seal and a kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), and recovered complete HA, NA and M2 gene sequences from both. Phylogenetic analyses allowed us to identify at least two independent introductions of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b into the northern Antarctic Peninsula region. Serology provided strong evidence of prior exposure in scavenging bir...

#Poland - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (Inf. with) (#poultry) - Immediate notification

  A poultry farm in Lubelskie Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7162 ____

#India - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (Inf. with) (#poultry) - Immediate notification

  {Kerala} 1) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 2) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 3) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 4) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 5) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 6) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 7) The outbreak was detected in ducks within an integrated rice–duck farming system. 8, 9 & 10) Poultry farms. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7161 ____

History of Mass Transportation: Four Motor tram 497 at Milton in 1949, Brisbane, Australia

  By Unknown author - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using CommonsHelper. Original uploader was Paddington62 at en.wikipedia, Public Domain,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10541855 Source:  Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Brisbane ____

Red Friend, Lan Ying (Ming Dynasty)

  Public Domain. Source:  Link:  https://www.wikiart.org/en/lan-ying/red-friend ____

#Enterovirus D68 #Sequence #Variations and #Pathogenicity: A Review

Abstract Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a neurotropic respiratory pathogen, poses a considerable clinical threat through its link to pediatric acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) and severe respiratory illness . The possibility of recurrent epidemics , evidenced since the 2014 outbreak, remains a major concern . Genomic determinants of virulence are central to this threat. Sequence variations that affect host–receptor interactions , immune evasion, and replication efficiency serve as critical modifiers of pathogenicity. This article systematically reviews the evidence for specific genomic sites that enhance EV-D68 virulence , focusing on three critical regions: the VP1 receptor-binding site , the 2Apro/TRAF3 cleavage site, and the 3Cpro immunoregulatory region . Mutations in the VP1 receptor-binding site can alter affinity for host receptors such as sialic acid, heparan sulfate, and MFSD6 , thereby shaping viral entry and tissue tropism . Alterations in the 2Apro/TRAF3 cleavage site may impair pro...

#Coronavirus Disease Research #References (by AMEDEO, Jan. 3 '26)

  Antiviral Res RODRIGUEZ L, Hu Y, Li J, Han D, et al SARS-CoV-2 Resistance Analyses From the Phase 3 OAKTREE Study of Obeldesivir in Low-Risk Nonhospitalized Participants With COVID-19. Antiviral Res. 2025 Dec 29:106339. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2025.106339. PubMed           Abstract available Eur J Radiol YAO J, Zhang L, Huang S, Cao S, et al Changes in the cerebral glymphatic system after rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients: A five-year follow-up study. Eur J Radiol. 2025;195:112615. PubMed           Abstract available Int J Infect Dis DAVIDO B, Mamona C, Gault E, Annane D, et al "Three of a Kind?" Unmasking the Clinical Burden of Human Metapneumovirus and Parainfluenza Virus Compared to Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Adults: A Pre-COVID-19 Multicenter Cohort Study. Int J Infect Dis. 2025 Dec 26:108353. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108353. PubMed         ...