ETIDIOH - NEW

  Antiviral Res LIU Q, Tang B, Xuan X, Wang H, et al The potential of leritrelvir repositioning for the treatment of coxsackievirus B4 and common enterovirus infections. Antiviral Res. 2026 Feb 16:106367. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2026.106367. PubMed           Abstract available Emerg Infect Dis KASAI M, Sakuma H, Suzuki M, Nishiyama M, et al Life-Threatening SARS-CoV-2-Associated Encephalopathy and Multiorgan Failure in Children, Asia and Oceania, 2022-2024. Emerg Infect Dis. 2026;32:169-179. PubMed           Abstract available Int J Infect Dis MA Q, Yao L, Ding H, Tian W, et al SARS-CoV-2 Variant Specific Protective Immunity and Long-term Immune Recovery in People Living With HIV: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Int J Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 16:108491. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2026.108491. PubMed           Abstract available J Med Virol EXPRESSION OF CONCERN: Resistance-As...

  Antiviral Res WRONSKI S, Obernolte H, Schaudien D, Braun A, et al Prophylactic intranasal administration of bacterial lysate OM-85 mitigates human rhinovirus (RV-A1b) lung infection and inflammation in mice. Antiviral Res. 2026;247:106362. PubMed           Abstract available HEDSKOG C, Rodriguez L, Hu Y, Li J, et al SARS-CoV-2 Resistance Analyses From the Phase 3 BIRCH Study of Obeldesivir in High-Risk Nonhospitalized Participants With COVID-19. Antiviral Res. 2026 Jan 19:106351. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2026.106351. PubMed           Abstract available 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 Arch Virol LIM KS, Selvan ME, Ea CK...

  ABSTRACT Dogs are considered mixing vessels for influenza viruses , posing a pandemic potential via viral reassortment . Our previous studies indicated that the avian-origin H3N2 canine influenza virus (A/canine/Zhejiang/1/2010, abbreviated C1) is virulent in canine and mice . Furthermore, we found that the HA and NA genes of C1 share a close genetic relationship with an H3N2 avian influenza virus (A/duck/Shanghai/06/2009, abbreviated D6), but they exhibit distinct pathogenicity . However, the understanding mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we explored the genetic determinants that contribute to the different pathogenicity between the C1 and D6. By using the reverse genetics approaches, we rescued several single-gene and position-substituted reassortant viruses based on the C1. The replication in Madin–Darby canine kidney cells and pathogenic trial in mice showed that the neuraminidase (NA) gene played a critical role in C1 virulence. Further analysis demonstrated ...

By Union Pacific Railroad - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22868545 Source:  Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-turbine_locomotive ____

  {Excerpt} Time Period: February 08, 2026 - February 14, 2026 -- H5 Detection :  9 site(s) ( 1.9% ) -- No Detection :  466 site(s) ( 98.1% ) -- No samples in last week :  171 site(s) The H5 detections at sewershed IDs 809 and 912 in Michigan are false detections resulting from a data error. These will be corrected in the next update. (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html ____

  Poultry farms in Andhra Pradesh State. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7268 ____

{By Pkspks - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=162556362 } ___ More than 300 House Crows in Bihar: Darbhanga, Patna, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Pashchim Champaran Regions.  Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7269 ____

  Abstract Intercontinental spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses poses significant pandemic risks and necessitates strong protective countermeasures . We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir , the polymerase inhibitors baloxavir and favipiravir , and an ion-channel blocker amantadine , against severe influenza A( H5N1 ) virus infection in female BALB/c mice . Baloxavir (≥10 mg/kg, 1 dose) fully protected mice from death , significantly reduced virus respiratory replication, and prevented neuroinvasion . Oseltamivir (≥100 mg/kg/day for 5 days) provided limited survival benefits , reduced lung titers but failed to prevent viral neuroinvasion . Favipiravir (≥100 mg/kg/day for 5 days) provided partial protection , although did not reduce viral titers in lungs and brain . Amantadine provided no benefits . Although all drugs inhibited A(H5N1) viruses in vitro, in vivo correlations did not extend beyond baloxavir . Our result...

  Highlights •  Global Health Impact : Improved influenza vaccines have the potential to avert between 6.6 and 18 billion additional influenza cases, prevent 2.3 to 6.2 million additional deaths, and save 21 to 57 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally beyond those averted by current seasonal influenza vaccines •  Cost-Effectiveness : Depending on the price, coverage, and vaccine characteristics, improved influenza vaccines could be cost-effective in 9 to 48 % of countries, offering substantial global economic value under most scenarios •  Financial Viability : The development and commercialization of improved influenza vaccines present a robust financial value proposition, with positive net present value (NPV) across all vaccine profiles •  Policy and Decision Making : Vaccine efficacy, duration of protection, and breadth of protection are key factors influencing the adoption of improved influenza vaccines in national immunization programs •...

  ABSTRACT Swine influenza A virus (swIAV) is an important pathogen with regard to both the swine industry and public health . The pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 outbreak was caused by the swine-origin pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 [A(H1N1)pdm09] virus. Several reports have shown that several amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin (HA) antigenic sites can alter HA antigenicity. However, the impact of the amino acid deletion at position 155 on HA antigenicity remains unknown. In this study, we have isolated 11 samples of swIAVs from seven pig farms in Japan and found an amino acid deletion at position 155 of the HA region in one of the isolates of the H1N2 subtype . To examine the impact of this amino acid deletion on viral replication and HA antigenicity, we generated recombinant influenza A viruses possessing the H1 HA gene encoding either an artificial insertion or deletion of glycine at position 155. The growth kinetics of these recombinant viruses in two different cell lines demonstrated...

  Abstract Objective The H7N9 avian influenza virus, identified in China in 2013, has posed a significant threat to public health due to its high mortality rate . This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics and mortality risk factors of H7N9 patients. Methods English and Chinese databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang) were searched for studies on laboratory-confirmed H7N9 cases with available data on symptom onset, diagnosis time, clinical features, oseltamivir administration, and outcomes . Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the pooled case data to assess the relationship between clinical factors and mortality risk. Results A total of 166 studies including 237 H7N9 cases were analyzed , with an overall mortality rate of 41.77%. Univariate analysis showed higher mortality in patients with advanced age ≥ 66 years (62.50%), those with underlying diseases (60.20%), those who received oseltamivir ≥ 8 days after symptom...

  Abstract B etween 2022 and 2025, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of clade 2.3.4.4b, including four distinct H5 Eurasian (EA) genotypes , were detected in wild birds and mammals in the Svalbard Archipelago and on the island of Jan Mayen . We describe their epidemiology and genomic characteristics to improve understanding of HPAIV occurrence and transmission in the High Arctic . The initial cases in 2022 occurred during summer and involved a glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) and great skuas (Stercorarius skua) on Svalbard and Jan Mayen , representing the first detections of HPAIVs in the High Arctic . Three HPAIV genotypes were identified: EA-2020-C (H5N1), EA-2021-AB (H5N1), and EA-2021-I ( H5N5 ). In 2023 , HPAIVs were detected in a broader range of bird species, and retrospectively in an Atlantic walrus reported by another research group (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus). Genotypes identified in 2023 were EA-2020-C (H5N1), EA-2021-I ( H5N5 ), and EA-2022-BB (H5N1)....

  {Excerpt} Overall Global Risk Statement    -- This global rapid risk assessment (RRA) aims to assess the current public health risk associated with the 2024 upsurge of mpox in in Africa , in the context of the continuing global reporting of mpox cases in other regions since 2022, with a focus on updates since the previous RRA in September 2025.     Global overview   -- As of 28 January 2026, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continues to spread globally, causing both localized and extended mpox outbreaks driven by various MPXV clades (Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb) in diverse settings.  -- Furthermore, recombination of MPXV clades has been documented, with two cases of a recombinant clade Ib/IIb MPXV strain reported in recent months.   -- Globally, from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025 (latest global data available), 143 countries and territories across all WHO regions have reported 177 848 confirmed cases, including 477 deaths (case fatality ratio ...

  Highlights •  Concern over H5N1 bird flu testing and detection in the Netherlands is increasing. •  50 human laboratories in the Netherlands, Aruba, Bonaire , and Curacao were assessed. •  The laboratories detected animal influenza viruses with high performance. •  Few laboratories identified the animal subtype of detected influenza A viruses. •  National reference laboratory capacity to identify the animal subtype is critical. Abstract Background Since 2022, highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza A virus clade 2.3.4.4b has caused global outbreaks among wild birds and poultry , with increasing mammalian and sporadic human infections . This elevates concerns about zoonotic transmission and pandemic risk , highlighting the need for accurate detection and identification of animal influenza A viruses by human clinical diagnostic laboratories (hCDL). Methods To evaluate routine diagnostic performance , an External Quality Assessment (EQA) panel containing inactivate...

  By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46772024 ___ Samples were taken from dead wild animals during a research voyage to Heard Island, an Australian sub-Antarctic external territory. HPAI was detected from samples taken from two gentoo penguins . This follows initial detections in southern elephant seals on an earlier voyage in October 2025. There was no further evidence of ongoing mass mortality detected during the second voyage in January 2026. Further sequencing and phylogenetic analysis is being undertaken. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7261 ____

  Backyard poultry in Chhukha Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7263 ____

  Abstract Despite Antarcticas geographic isolation, the first incursion of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was detected in the 2023/24 austral summer . Surveillance for HPAI H5N1 in Antarctica remains patchy due to logistical, financial, and infrastructure challenges , with many suspected cases remaining unconfirmed , and few viral genomes sequences available to date. Through the 2024/25 austral summer we undertook five sampling expeditions to the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula facilitated by cruise ships/operators. Across more than 500 faecal environmental samples collected from apparently healthy penguins and marine mammals , we found no detectable evidence of HPAI H5N1 . However, HPAI H5N1 was detected in all but one of the skua carcasses sampled , which, in most cases, were found within meters of penguin sub-colonies . All HPAI H5N1 viral genomes sequences from skuas on the Antarctic Peninsula fell within a single lineage, which included those ge...

{Excerpt} Avian Influenza Report - Reporting period: February 8, 2026 – February 14, 2026 (Week 7)   (...) - Date of report: 14/02/2026 - Country: Cambodia - Province / Region: Kampot province - District / City: Tuek Chhou district - Sex: M - Age: 30 - Condition at time of reporting: Recovered - Subtype of virus: H5N1 (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/2026_avian_influenza_report_vol22_wk07.pdf ____

  Backyard poultry in Zhemgang Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7262 ____

  Abstract FluSurvey is a participatory surveillance system used to monitor trends in influenza and other respiratory viruses through weekly symptom surveys among the UK population. We aimed to characterise the wider impact of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) among FluSurvey participants and assess correlations of ILI with other established influenza surveillance systems . We included data reported by FluSurvey participants over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 winter seasons . Using weekly symptoms surveys, we derived ILI episodes and estimated the proportion reporting healthcare service use , medication use, impact on daily life, absenteeism and use of tests. We applied existing data methods (omitting first report and weighting to the age-sex structure of England) and assessed cross-correlations of weekly FluSurvey ILI rates with the national surveillance of GP ILI consultations , influenza hospital admissions, and influenza PCR test positivity at time lags of up to +/-2 weeks. There were 3...