Category: Flu Virus

A baby goat in Minnesota tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, marking the first time the virus has been found in a domestic ruminant in the U.S.

Earlier this month, a farm owner in Stevens County reported that newborn goats had mysteriously died following the removal of a poultry flock in February due to HPAI, according to theMinnesota Board of Animal Health.

The board noted that since the goats and poultry shared the same area and water supply on the farm, they took one of the dead goats for testing, which then came back positive for influenza A, and later confirmed as H5N1.

This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher-risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species, Minnesota state veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs said in a press release. Thankfully, research to date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means theyre unlikely to spread HPAI further."

The H5N1 outbreak was first reportedin Feb. 2022, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the strain on a Midwest poultry farm.

Since then, the USDA reports that over 82 million birds in the U.S. have been impacted across 48 states.

While it does mostly affect birds, the virus has alsospread to over 200 mammalsacross the U.S., such as foxes, skunks, mountain lions, bears, squirrels and sea lions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventioncautions the publicto be on alert if their domestic animals come into contact with an infected bird, potentially exposing them to the virus.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

Excerpt from:

US reports its first case of bird flu in a domestic baby goat - KSBY News

By Caitlin Tilley, Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com 21:31 21 Mar 2024, updated 21:36 21 Mar 2024

A goat in Minnesota has tested positive for bird flu, in the first case of bird flu in domestic livestock in US history.

The baby goat, who tested positive forhighly pathogenic avian influenzastrain H5N1, the strain of bird flu that has been spreading since 2022, was from a farm in Stevens County in the west of the state.

Officials suspect the goat caught the flu from the infected bird because the animals shared the same space and had access to a shared water source.

Dr Thomas Moore, an infectious diseases doctor at the University of Kansas, say it marks a 'worrisome development' because it shows the virus is edging closer to infecting other mammals and even humans.

It is rare for mammals to get bird flu because they have fewer of the receptors in their upper airways which the virus binds to.

All animals have been quarantined and there is an 'extremely low' risk to the public, with only those who have been in direct contact to the animals at risk, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

While there doesn't appear to be any mutation this time, experts told DailyMail.com the longer the virus is around in mammals undetected, the more chance it has to mutate.

The farm already had a an outbreak of H5N1 in poultry in February, and the birds had been quarantined in an attempt to stop the spread.

Health officials are still investigating how the virus was transmitted, and the board said it has quarantined all other species on the farm.

'Thankfully, research to-date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means theyre unlikely to spread HPAI further.'

Animals with weakened immune systems, such as baby goats in this case, are at higher risk of contracting disease in general.

But Dr Moore told DailyMail.com that it was reminder that at any point, bird flu could acquire a mutation that makes it transmissible to humans.

He said: 'It's obviously a worrisome development. Because you don't know, where it ends? ...The virus is constantly replicating and we don't really know where it's going to end.

'I think it's reasonable to assume this is the only goat that's infected. Particularly if you have documented infection and poultry nearby.'

He added: 'The thing is that make it makes you worry a little bit is whether it's transmissible to wild birds in the area who can then transport it. You can do all the quarantine you want to goats and domestic poultry but if you think you have wild birds acting as a vector, then it can spread widely.'

Dr Brian Hoefs, the state veterinarian, said: 'This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species.'

No one has become ill after being in contact with mammals infected with bird flu.

In August 2023, two people in Michiganwere diagnosed with swine flu after being exposed to infected pigs at county fairs.

The current bird flu outbreak has been raging for almost two years, touching every corner of the world including Antarctica for the first time.

Experts have warned that increasing cases in mammals could lead to a recombination event when two viruses, such as avian flu and seasonal flu, switch genetic material to make a new hybrid.

A similar process is thought to have caused the global 2009 swine flu crisis that infected millions across the planet.

For decades, scientists have warned that bird flu is the most likely contender for triggering the next pandemic.

This could see a deadly strain of bird flu merge with a transmissible seasonal flu.

Bean Narong, 11, died after catching Type A HN5 in her Cambodia village in February 2023.

In the UK, a December report showed four samples from the infected otters and foxes 'show the presence of a mutation which is associated with potential advantages for mammalian infection'.

The UKHSA warned that the 'rapid and consistent acquisition of the mutation in mammals may imply this virus has a propensity to cause zoonotic infections' meaning it could potentially spread to humans.

Yuko Sato, a poultry extension veterinarian and diagnostician from Iowa State University, told DailyMail.com that there appears to be no mutation between the virus received from the goat and the virus received from the chicken.

'Thankfully, it seems like there's it's just a horizontal spread,' she said.

But she added: 'The biggest risk is probably just having the virus just being around in different groups of animals undetected.

'The longer the virus is around it, the more ability it has to mutate. As soon as there's something wrong, I think it was great that [the farmers in Minnesota] had it diagnosed really quickly and investigated, because the longer it festers, the more problems there's going to be.'

On whether it raises the risk of human spillover, she said: 'I don't know yet.But this virus seems to be more likely to have that potential compared to the past virus in 2015.'

The last case of bird flu in a commercial flock of birds in America was in June 2015.

An outbreak of bird flu occurred between December 2014 and June 2015, with more than 200 cases of bird flu in both backyard poultry and wild birds.

Bird flu led to the slaughter of five million birds in the US in 2023 in an attempt to prevent an outbreak.

Last year,Dr Sylvie Briand, the WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention,said: 'The global H5N1 situation is worrying given the wide spread of the virus in birds around the world and the increasing reports of cases in mammals including humans.'

H5N1 was first detected in chickens in Scotland in 1959, and again in China and Hong Kong in 1996. It first was detected in humans in 1997.

Human-to-human transmission of H5N1 is incredibly rare, but not impossible. In 1997, officials confirmed 18 H5N1 cases in Hong Kong, some of which were acquired through human-to-human transmission. The outbreak stayed relatively small, though. And did not spiral into a massive issue at either the local or global level.

This recent outbreak has caused particular concern. More than 15million domesticated birds, and countless wild animals, have been struck down by the virus.

There is nothing to be done that can prevent the spread among wild birds, but officials are working to keep domesticated populations away from them. In the UK, all farmed chickens are now required to stay indoors.

See original here:

Goat in Minnesota tests positive for H5N1 bird flu strain that's on the WHO's pandemic watchlist in first ever - Daily Mail

(Stevens County, MN)-- Officials say a goat in western Minnesota has tested positive for avian flu. The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed the case on Wednesday, saying the young goat was on a farm in Stevens County with a poultry flock that had the same virus. The case was discovered after the owner of the farm told state officials about the deaths of some baby goats and a carcass was taken to the University of Minnesota, where it tested positive for avian flu.

Health officials say this is the first domestic ruminant in the U.S. to test positive for avian flu.

Read the rest here:

Goat in Stevens County has tested positive for avian flu - Voice Of Alexandria

New research reveals the adaptation of the H5N1 avian influenza virus to spread among birds and marine mammals, marking a significant threat to wildlife conservation and highlighting the viruss ability to affect multiple species across South America. The research underscores the viruss potential for human concern, driven by its rapid spread and high mortality rates among affected wildlife, including its deadly impact on marine mammals and birds across the continent.

A study from the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina reveals that the highly contagious H5N1 avian influenza virus has evolved to transmit among birds and marine mammals, presenting a direct risk to wildlife conservation efforts.

The study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, is the first genomic characterization of H5N1 in marine wildlife on the Atlantic shore of South America.

For the study, scientists collected brain samples from four sea lions, one fur seal, and a tern found dead at the most affected sea lion rookery in Argentina. All tested positive for H5N1.

Genome sequencing revealed that the virus was nearly identical in each of the samples. The samples shared the same mammal adaptation mutations that were previously detected in a few sea lions in Peru and Chile, and in a human case in Chile. Of note, the scientists found all these mutations also in the tern, the first such finding.

Elephant seals lie dead on a beach in Argentina following an outbreak of avian influenza in the region in 2023. Credit: Maxi Jonas

This confirms that while the virus may have adapted to marine mammals, it still has the ability to infect birds, said first author Agustina Rimondi, a virologist from INTA. It is a multi-species outbreak.

We know this because the virus sequence in the tern retained all mammal-adaptation mutations. Such mutations suggest a potential for transmission between marine mammals.

This virus is still a relatively low risk for humans, said senior author Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicines One Health Institute and director of its Latin America Program within the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Institute. As long as the virus continues to replicate in mammals, it may make it a higher concern for humans. Thats why its so important to conduct surveillance and provide early warning.

Uhart calls clade 2.3.4.4b the current variant of H5N1 this new monster. It emerged in 2020, while the human world was reeling from a different pandemic, COVID-19. Avian influenza began killing tens of thousands of sea birds in Europe before moving to South Africa. In 2022, it entered the U.S. and Canada, threatening poultry and wild birds. It migrated to Peru and Chile in late 2022.

Then, almost exactly a year ago, in February 2023, highly pathogenic avian influenza entered Argentina for the first time. But it was not until August 2023 when the virus was first found in sea lions at the tip of South America on the Atlantic coastline of Tierra del Fuego that the virus unleashed its fatal potential in the region. From there, it moved swiftly northward, with deadly results, first for marine mammals and later for seabirds.

A recent paper Uhart co-authored showed a large outbreak killed 70% of elephant seal pups born in the 2023 breeding season. Mortality rates reached at least 96% by early November 2023 in the surveyed areas of Pennsula Valds in Argentina.

When it first came to Argentina, we didnt know if it would affect elephant seals, Uhart said. We never imagined the magnitude of what was to come.

Since 2022, H5N1 in South America has killed at least 600,000 wild birds and 50,000 mammals, including elephant seals and sea lions in Argentina, Chile, and Peru, and thousands of albatrosses in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.

The virus is now heading southward from South America, and scientists are deeply concerned about its potential impact on penguins and other wildlife in Antarctica.

Uhart and Ralph Vanstreels, her colleagues at UC Davis Latin America Program in the School of Veterinary Medicine, are conducting wildlife surveillance for H5N1 in Antarctica this month.

We need to keep an eye on the ability of this virus to reach species that have never been exposed to an H5N1 infection before, Rimondi said. The consequences in those species can be very severe.

The concept of One Health honors the interconnectivity among humans, domestic animals, wildlife, and the environment. Interspecies disease outbreaks are unsettling examples of such connections and require global collaboration among public, wildlife, agricultural, health, and other sectors.

We are trying to be at the forefront of documenting, recording, and providing early warning, Uhart said. Weve been in this area for 30 years. We know these species. We work with scientists who have 30 years of data on these populations, so we can know what will be important for the future. We have to give voice to these poor creatures. Nobodys taking note of how big this is.

Reference: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses from Multispecies Outbreak, Argentina, August 2023 by Agustina Rimondi, Ralph E.T. Vanstreels, Valeria Olivera, Agustina Donini, Martina Miqueo Lauriente and Marcela M. Uhart, April 2024, Emerging Infectious Diseases. DOI: 10.3201/eid3004.231725

Read the original here:

Concerning Bird Flu Has Evolved To Spread to Marine Mammals - SciTechDaily

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News

The Kentucky Department for Public Health still considers hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses high and says flu activity remains elevated.

Health officials say the best way to protect yourself from these viruses is to stay up to date with your vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months old and older get the annual flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 vaccines, especially children younger than 5 or anyone at high risk for complications.

Vaccines for respiratory syncitial virus are recommended for some infants and young children, pregnant women and adults 60 and older. At some places and times, there has been a shortage of these vaccines.

This years flu vaccines have worked, substantially reducing the risk of flu-related medical visits and hospitalizations across all age groups, with some estimates higher than have been previously observed, even during well-matched seasons, said a CDC report released on Feb. 29.

Specifically, flu vaccination has reduced the risk of flu medical visits by about two-thirds and flu-related hospitalization by about half for vaccinated children and flu medical visits by half and hospitalization by about 40% for vaccinated adults.

Even though flu season usually peaks around January, it lasts until May. Health experts say that if there is any flu activity occurring, its not too late to get vaccinated.

What the numbers say

Emergency-department visits for respiratory illness in Kentucky have stayed about the same for the last two weeks, with 3,607 visits reported in the week ended Feb. 24.

Hospitalizations for respiratory disease in that week stayed about the same as the week prior, with 491 hospitalizations reported in the week ended Feb. 24.

Kentucky had 20 counties with Covid-19 hospitalizations between 10 and 19.9 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, a rate that the CDC considers medium.

Those counties are Adair, Green, Russell, Taylor, Clinton, Cumberland, Lewis, Elliott, Menifee, Morgan, Rowan, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, Monroe, Bath, Montgomery, Floyd, Johnson and Magoffin.

Overall, there was little change in the three respiratory viruses tracked by the state health department: COVID-19, influenza and RSV, with flu continuing to drive ED visits and hospital admissions.

The state reported 3,857 laboratory confirmed cases of the flu in the week ended Feb. 24 and 2,246 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19. This reflected a slight drop in flu cases and a nearly 9% drop in COVID cases.

Among children, ED visits for respiratory disease increased 12% in children four and younger, to 671, compared to the prior week, and hospitalizations for children 5 to 17 increased 50%, to 18. The increase in ED visits for younger children was driven by the flu, and hospitalizations for the older children were driven by an increase in both flu and COVID-19.

Since the respiratory-illness season began the first week in October, 384 Kentuckians have died from Covid-19, and 51 from flu, according to the health department. One COVID-19 victim and one flu victim have been children.

Link:

Flu shots limit infection rates, which are still elevated in Kentucky; reduce your risk - NKyTribune - User-generated content

PAINESVILLE, Ohio (WJW) Ohio has been hit hard with the flu this season, according to data from state and federal officials.

And recently, the Painesville Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) has found clues in its wastewater system that further hits the point home.

WPCP announced Monday theyve found higher levels of Influenza A virus in their untreated wastewater than average. Three tests in a row showed the same results, according to the WPCP.

Detection of influenza virus in wastewater can indicate higher transmission within a community, said Maya Scullin, MPH, Epidemiologist with the Ohio Department of Health.

In an interactive map, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) showed that Ohio is continuing to sit at very high in its Outpatient Respiratory Illness Activity.

In the U.S., about 200,000 people are estimated to be hospitalized with the illness each year, leading health officials to continue to advocate for flu vaccines for anyone six months and older.

Northeast Ohio has especially been hit hard with flu-related hospitalizations this season, as seen in this Ohio Department of Health graphic below:

The average flu season typically continues through March. Find out how to get a vaccine righthere.

Original post:

Elevated levels of flu found in local citys wastewater, as virus continues to hit Ohio hard - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland

The emergence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in marine environments, a pathogen capable of crossing species barriers, has raised significant concerns within the wildlife conservation community.

A recent collaborative study by the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina has shed light on the viruss adaptation and its implications for both marine and bird populations along the Atlantic coast of South America.

Researchers focused their investigation on a collection of brain samples from deceased sea lions, a fur seal, and a tern found in Argentinas most affected sea lion rookery.

The analysis confirmed H5N1 infection in all specimens, revealing a near-identical virus sequence across the samples.

This uniformity included specific mutations known for mammalian adaptation, previously identified in marine mammals and a human case across Peru and Chile, and, notably, in a tern for the first time.

Agustina Rimondi, a virologist from INTA and the studys first author, emphasized, This confirms that while the virus may have adapted to marine mammals, it still has the ability to infect birds. It is a multi-species outbreak.

The presence of mammal-adaptation mutations in the terns virus sequence highlights the potential for transmission between marine mammals.

Despite these findings, Marcela Uhart, a senior author and wildlife veterinarian at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, reassures that the virus currently poses a relatively low risk to humans.

However, she warns of the potential for increased concern if the virus continues to replicate in mammals. Uhart underscores the importance of ongoing surveillance and early warning efforts to mitigate this risk.

Labelled as this new monster by Uhart, the clade 2.3.4.4b variant of H5N1 emerged in 2020 amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, initially impacting sea birds in Europe before spreading to South Africa, and then to the Americas, threatening poultry and wild bird populations.

By February 2023, the virus had reached Argentina, demonstrating its lethal potential by August 2023 among sea lions at Tierra del Fuegos Atlantic coastline, and then moving northward with devastating effects on marine mammals and seabirds alike.

A staggering toll has been observed, with at least 600,000 wild birds and 50,000 mammals, including elephant seals and sea lions across Argentina, Chile, and Peru, as well as thousands of albatrosses in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands, succumbing to the virus.

A significant outbreak documented by Uhart and her team resulted in a 70% mortality rate among newborn elephant seal pups during the 2023 breeding season in Argentinas Pennsula Valds.

The viruss southward trajectory towards Antarctica has prompted urgent wildlife surveillance efforts by Uhart and her colleague Ralph Vanstreels, aimed at assessing the risk to previously unexposed species.

The potential consequences of such exposure could be dire, necessitating a vigilant approach to monitoring and prevention.

The study embodies the One Health concept, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, domestic animal, wildlife, and environmental health. It calls for a unified response from public, wildlife, agricultural, and health sectors worldwide to address the challenges posed by interspecies disease outbreaks.

In concluding remarks, Uhart reflects on the necessity of giving a voice to affected wildlife populations, highlighting the importance of long-term observational data and global collaboration in preparing for future challenges.

We are trying to be at the forefront of documenting, recording, and providing early warning, she states, emphasizing the critical role of scientific and conservation efforts in addressing the sprawling impact of the H5N1 virus.

In summary, this disturbing study by the University of California, Davis has illuminated a critical shift in the behavior of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, revealing its newfound ability to infect and spread among marine mammals, alongside its traditional avian hosts.

Their research underscores the viruss escalating threat to global wildlife conservation while highlighting the imperative for heightened surveillance and international collaboration to mitigate its spread.

By tracing the genomic footprints of H5N1 across species and continents, scientists offer a clarion call to action, urging a unified approach to safeguard the health of our planets diverse ecosystems against this formidable viral foe.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus, commonly known as bird flu, represents a significant threat to both avian and human populations worldwide.

Identified initially in 1959 during an outbreak in Scottish chickens, H5N1 has since evolved into a highly pathogenic strain that inflicts severe respiratory disease in birds and poses a zoonotic risk to humans.

H5N1 primarily affects birds, both wild and domestic, with waterfowl and poultry being particularly susceptible. The virus transmits through direct contact with infected animals, their secretions, or contaminated environments. Notably, migratory birds play a crucial role in spreading the virus across continents, facilitating outbreaks that can decimate poultry industries and threaten food security.

Human cases of H5N1 infection are rare but have occurred, primarily among individuals with close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments. Human-to-human transmission remains extremely limited, but the potential for the virus to evolve and gain this capability is a source of global concern.

In birds, H5N1 causes severe respiratory problems, leading to high mortality rates. Symptoms in infected birds include sudden death, uncoordinated movement, and decreased egg production.

In humans, H5N1 infection can cause severe respiratory illness, including pneumonia. Symptoms often begin as typical flu-like symptoms but can rapidly progress to severe respiratory distress and other complications. Treatment typically involves antiviral medications, and early intervention is crucial for improving outcomes.

Preventing H5N1 spread involves rigorous biosecurity measures, including surveillance of poultry farms, culling infected animals, and vaccinating poultry.

Public health initiatives focus on reducing human exposure to infected birds, improving hygiene practices, and preparing for potential pandemics through vaccine development and strategic planning.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus remains a potent threat to global health and economy, necessitating ongoing vigilance, research, and cooperation among nations to mitigate its impact.

While primarily an avian disease, its potential to evolve and spread among humans underscores the importance of preparedness and response strategies to protect public health.

The full study was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Avian influenza is spreading globally from birds to marine mammals - Earth.com

News Release

Friday, March 1, 2024

NIH researchers explore hidden, vulnerable region of influenza neuraminidase.

WHAT:

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored dark side of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among many influenza viruses, including H3N2 subtype viruses, and could be a new target for countermeasures. The research, led by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center, part of NIH, was published today in Immunity.

Influenza, or flu, sickens millions of people across the globe each year and can lead to severe illness and death. While vaccination against influenza reduces the burden of the disease, updated vaccines are needed each season to provide protection against the many strains and subtypes of the rapidly evolving virus. Vaccines that provide protection against a broad range of influenza viruses could prevent outbreaks of new and reemerging flu viruses without the need for yearly vaccine reformulation or vaccinations.

One way to improve influenza vaccines and other countermeasures is to identify new targets on the viruss surface proteins in conserved regionsportions that tend to be relatively unchanged between different strains of the virus. Influenza NA is a surface protein containing a globular head portion and a narrow stalk portion. The underside of the NA head contains a highly conserved region with targets for antibodiesknown as epitopesthat make it vulnerable to antibody binding and inhibition of the virus, as well as not being impacted by mutations common in drug-resistant strains. This region is termed the dark side due to its partially hidden location and relatively unexplored characteristics.

The researchers isolated human antibodies that target the NA dark side from the blood of two people who had recovered from influenza type A subtype H3N2, a major subtype of seasonal flu viruses. In lab tests, the antibodies inhibited propagation of viruses from subtype H2N2, the subtype that caused pandemic influenza in 1957-58, and H3N2 viruses from humans, swine, and birds. The antibodies also protected mice from lethal infection by a subtype H3N2 virus when given to the animals either one day before or two days after infection, showing that the antibody may treat and prevent influenza in this model.

The scientists analyzed the structure of two of the antibodies while bound to NA using advanced microscopy techniques known as cryogenic electron microscopy. Each antibody targeted different, nonoverlapping regions of the dark side, demonstrating that this region has multiple areas that may be useful to explore for countermeasure development.

These findings show that the NA dark side has unique, previously untapped epitopes that could be applied to the development of new vaccine and therapeutic strategies. They suggest that antibodies targeting the NA dark side could be useful in combination with antivirals or other types of antibodies for interventions against influenza, as they are effective against influenza viruses with drug-resistant mutations. The researchers also note that NA dark side targets could be included in the next generation of broadly protective vaccines against influenza.

REFERENCE:

Lederhofer, J. et al. Protective human monoclonal antibodies target conserved sites of vulnerability on the underside of influenza virus neuraminidase. Immunity. DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.02.003 (2024).

WHO:

Masaru Kanekiyo, D.V.M., Ph.D., Chief of the Molecular ImmunoEngineering Section at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center, is available to discuss this research.

NIAID conducts and supports researchat NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

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Here is the original post:

New antibodies target dark side of influenza virus protein - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov)

FRIDAY, March 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Bird flu has mutated to spread more easily between birds and marine mammals, increasing the potential risk to humans, a new study warns.

Four sea lions, one fur seal and a tern found dead in Argentina all tested positive for the avian influenza virus H5N1, researchers report.

Further, genetic analysis revealed that the virus was nearly identical in all the animals, and shared adaptations were previously detected in a human case in Chile as well as in sea lions in Peru and Chile.

The fact that the same virus was found in the tern indicates a multi-species outbreak, researchers noted.

This confirms that while the virus may have adapted to marine mammals, it still has the ability to infect birds, said lead researcher Agustina Rimondi, a virologist from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology in Argentina.

The current variant of H5N1 -- clade 2.3.4.4b -- is considered a new monster by senior researcher Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the University of California, Davis.

This virus is still relatively low risk for humans, Uhart said in a university news release.

However, as long as the virus continues to replicate in mammals, it may make it a higher concern for humans," he added. "Thats why its so important to conduct surveillance and provide early warning.

The new variant emerged in 2020, during the pandemic, and began killing tens of thousands of sea birds in Europe before moving to South Africa.

In 2022, the variant entered the United States and Canada before migrating to Peru and Chile and entering Argentina in February 2023.

Six months later, in August 2023, the variant was first found in sea lions at the tip of South America, on the Atlantic coastline of Tierra del Fuego. It then moved swiftly northward, sickening and killing first marine mammals and later seabirds.

A recent paper co-authored by Uhart reported a large outbreak that killed 70% of elephant seal pups during the 2023 breeding season, with mortality rates reaching at least 96% in surveyed regions of Argentina.

When it first came to Argentina, we didnt know if it would affect elephant seals, Uhart said. We never imagined the magnitude of what was to come.

Since 2022, the H5N1 bird flu has killed at least 600,000 wild birds and 50,000 mammals in South America. The deaths included elephant seals and sea lions in Argentina, Chile and Peru, and thousands of albatrosses in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.

The virus is also headed southward from South America, and researchers are worried about a potential outbreak among penguins and other wildlife in Antarctica.

The new study was published Feb. 27 in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

We need to keep an eye on the ability of this virus to reach species that have never been exposed to an H5N1 infection before, Rimondi said. The consequences in those species can be very severe.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about H5N1 bird flu.

SOURCE: University of California, Davis, news release, Feb. 28, 2024

Continued here:

Bird Flu Found in Sea Mammals, Upping Risk to Humans - HealthDay

Elephant seals lie dead on a beach in Argentina following an outbreak of avian influenza in the region in 2023. Credit: Maxi Jonas

Key points:

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, posing an immediate threat to wildlife conservation, according to researchers from the University of California, Davis.

For the study, scientists collected brain samples from four sea lions, one fur seal and a tern found dead at the most-affected sea lion rookery in Argentina. All tested positive for H5N1.

Genome sequencing revealed that the virus was nearly identical in each of the samples. The samples shared the same mammal adaptation mutations that were previously detected in a few sea lions in Peru and Chile, and in a human case in Chile. Of note, the scientists found all these mutations also in the tern, the first such finding.

This confirms that while the virus may have adapted to marine mammals, it still has the ability to infect birds, said first author Agustina Rimondi, a virologist from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina. It is a multi-species outbreak.

We know this because the virus sequence in the tern retained all mammal-adaptation mutations. Such mutations suggest a potential for transmission between marine mammals.

This virus is still relatively low risk for humans, said senior author Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicines One Health Institute. As long as the virus continues to replicate in mammals, it may make it a higher concern for humans. Thats why its so important to conduct surveillance and provide early warning.

In 2020, avian influenza began killing tens of thousands of sea birds in Europe before moving to South Africa. In 2022, it entered the U.S. and Canada, threatening poultry and wild birds. It migrated to Peru and Chile in late 2022. Then, in February 2023, highly pathogenic avian influenza entered Argentina for the first time. In August 2023, the virus was found in sea lions at the tip of South America on the Atlantic coastline of Tierra del Fuego for the first time. From there, it moved swiftly northward with deadly results, first for marine mammals and later for seabirds.

Since 2022, H5N1 in South America has killed at least 600,000 wild birds and 50,000 mammals, including elephant seals and sea lions in Argentina, Chile and Peru, and thousands of albatrosses in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands. Recent studies also show a large outbreak killed 70% of elephant seal pups born in the 2023 breeding season. Mortality rates reached at least 96% by early November 2023 in the surveyed areas of Pennsula Valds in Argentina.

The virus is now heading southward from South America, and scientists are concerned about its potential impact on penguins and other wildlife in Antarctica.

Visit link:

Avian Flu Virus is Adapting to Spread to Marine Mammals - Laboratory Equipment