Transatlantic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wild birds from Europe to North America in 2021

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage (GsGd), which threaten the health of poultry, wildlife and humans, are spreading across Asia, Europe and Africa, but are currently absent from Oceania and the Americas. In December 2021, H5N1 HPAI viruses were detected in poultry and a free-living gull in St. John, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses were most closely related to HPAI GsGd viruses circulating in northwestern Europe in spring 2021. Analysis of wild bird migration suggested that these viruses may have been carried across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland/Arctic or pelagic routes. The here documented incursion of HPAI GsGd viruses into North America raises concern for further virus spread across the Americas by wild bird migration.

New Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Genotype Detected in Europe in 2021

Despite their widespread distribution, the clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses have so far only been known in a single genotype variant in Europe. In the study presented, we report the first detection of a new highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 genotype in geese and ducks from a backyard farm in the Czech Republic. Phylogenetic analysis has revealed that the Czech H5N1 virus retained the A/Eurasian_Wigeon/Netherlands/1/2020-like backbone with an altered PB2 segment from co-circulating low pathogenic avian influenza viruses.

Trust in government and compliance with health instructions during respiratory epidemics and pandemics: A systematic review protocol

Review question / Objective: We will use the Condition-Context-Population (CoCoPop) framework (Munn et al., 2015) in this review, which aims to explore the following question: Do the features of respiratory epidemics and pandemics (e.g., magnitude, duration) impact the associations between (types of) trust in government and compliance with health guidelines? Condition being studied: The association between trust in government and authorities and civic compliance with health guidelines during respiratory epidemics and pandemics. Eligibility criteria: 1. Studies that explore the relationship between trust in government and authorities and civic compliance or compliance intentions with real or simulated health guidelines, during respiratory epidemics and pandemics; 2. Studies that focus on the following pandemics: avian influenza (H5N1), swine influenza (H1N1), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19; 3. Studies on the general healthy population (excluding health care professionals) 4. Studies that were published since 2002 to present.

T cell mediated immunity against influenza H5N1 nucleoprotein, matrix and hemagglutinin derived epitopes in H5N1 survivors and non-H5N1 subjects

Background Protection against the influenza virus by a specific antibody is relatively strain specific; meanwhile broader immunity may be conferred by cell-mediated immune response to the conserved epitopes across influenza virus subtypes. A universal broad-spectrum influenza vaccine which confronts not only seasonal influenza virus, but also avian influenza H5N1 virus is promising. Methods This study determined the specific and cross-reactive T cell responses against the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in four survivors and 33 non-H5N1 subjects including 10 H3N2 patients and 23 healthy individuals. Ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpot assay using overlapping peptides spanning the entire nucleoprotein (NP), matrix (M) and hemagglutinin (HA) derived from A/Thailand/1(KAN-1)/2004 (H5N1) virus was employed in adjunct with flow cytometry for determining T cell functions. Microneutralization (microNT) assay was performed to determine the status of previous H5N1 virus infection. Results IFN-γ ELISpot assay demonstrated that survivors nos. 1 and 2 had markedly higher T cell responses against H5N1 NP, M and HA epitopes than survivors nos. 3 and 4; and the magnitude of T cell responses against NP were higher than that of M and HA. Durability of the immunoreactivity persisted for as long as four years after disease onset. Upon stimulation by NP in IFN-γ ELISpot assay, 60% of H3N2 patients and 39% of healthy subjects exhibited a cross-reactive T cell response. The higher frequency and magnitude of responses in H3N2 patients may be due to blood collection at the convalescent phase of the patients. In H5N1 survivors, the effector peptide-specific T cells generated from bulk culture PBMCs by in vitro stimulation displayed a polyfunction by simultaneously producing IFN-γ and TNF-α, together with upregulation of CD107a in recognition of the target cells pulsed with peptide or infected with rVac-NP virus as investigated by flow cytometry. Conclusions This study provides an insight into the better understanding on the homosubtypic and heterosubtypic T cell-mediated immune responses in H5N1 survivors and non-H5N1 subjects. NP is an immunodominant target of cross-recognition owing to its high conservancy. Therefore, the development of vaccine targeting the conserved NP may be a novel strategy for influenza vaccine design.

SEROPREVALENSI PENYAKIT AVIAN INFLUENZA SUBTIPE H5N1 PADA AYAM BURAS DI PASAR BERINGKIT DAN GALIRAN, BALI

Avian Influenza (AI) is a strategic communicable and zoonotic disease. The cause is a virus with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1. The poultry market has important roles in the preservation, propagation, and spreads of the Avian Influenza (AI) virus from poultry to other species and humans. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of seroprevalence of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in free-range chickens at the Beringkit and Galiran market. A total of 120 free-range chickens were used as a sample. They have taken 60 serum samples per market. Serum removal is made from 5 merchants under the provisions of 3 samples from merchants who sell 6 to 10 free-range chickens. The sampling period is carried out for 2 months every 2 weeks 4 times. Sample testing was performed at the Denpasar Veterinary Centre with Haemagglutination (HA) and Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) as barriers. The data titer of the antibodies obtained was analyzed by Non-Parametric Statistic Test Chi-Square (χ2) using IBM SPSS for windows. The results of the study showed that the AI subtype of the H5N1 subtype in both Beringkit Markets is 3.3% and Galiran Market is 6.7%, with seroprevalence in the two markets of 5.0% which is statistically not dissimilar (P<0.05). To prevent the transmissions of AI disease at the Beringkit Market and Galiran is recommended for vaccination and more attention to the market management and the free-range chicken maintenance system.