Publications by authors named "Richard J Webby"

Development of an efficacious universal influenza vaccines remains a long-sought goal. Current vaccines have shortfalls such as mid/low efficacy and needing yearly strain revisions to account for viral drift/shift. Horses undergo bi-annual vaccines for the H3N8 equine influenza virus, and surveillance of sera from vaccinees demonstrated very broad reactivity and neutralization to many influenza strains.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Avian influenza active surveillance was conducted in Bangladesh from January 2022 to November 2023 in live-poultry markets (LPMs) and Tanguar Haor wetlands. The predominant viruses circulating in LPMs were low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H9N2) and clade 2.3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis using deep mutational scanning to evaluate how all possible amino-acid mutations in the H5 HA protein influence key traits, like cell entry and vaccine effectiveness.
  • * The study identified mutations that improve HA's ability to bind human receptors and highlighted significant antigenic changes that could impact vaccine efficacy, allowing for better monitoring of viral evolution in real-time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Influenza pandemics emerge when animal viruses adapt to infect humans, and the study focuses on the role of the protein IFITM3 in this process.
  • Researchers found that mice and human cells lacking IFITM3 can be infected by low doses of avian influenza viruses that normally cannot infect them, highlighting IFITM3's importance in controlling virus infection thresholds.
  • The study suggests that deficiencies in IFITM3 may make humans more susceptible to new pandemic influenza viruses, as these deficiencies facilitate virus adaptation during interspecies transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The rapid production of influenza vaccines is crucial to meet increasing pandemic response demands. Here, we developed plant-made vaccines comprising centralized consensus influenza hemagglutinin (HA-con) proteins (H1 and H3 subtypes) conjugated to a modified plant virus, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) nanoparticle (TMV-HA-con).

Methods: We compared immune responses and protective efficacy against historical H1 or H3 influenza A virus infections among TMV-HA-con, HA-con protein combined with AddaVax™ adjuvant, and whole-inactivated virus vaccine (Fluzone).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A systematic risk assessment approach is essential for evaluating the relative risk of influenza A viruses (IAVs) with pandemic potential. To achieve this, the Tool for Influenza Pandemic Risk Assessment (TIPRA) was developed under the Global Influenza Programme of WHO. Since its release in 2016 and update in 2020, TIPRA has been used to assess the pandemic risk of 11 zoonotic IAVs across ten evaluation rounds.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus, clade 2.3.4.4b, has been spreading among birds and causing outbreaks in various animal species since 2021.
  • In 2024, this strain was found in dairy cattle, leading to a significant outbreak and high levels of the virus in raw cow milk.
  • Human infections from this virus can range from mild symptoms to severe illnesses, highlighting the need for improved global surveillance and rapid data sharing to address the evolving threat to public health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Multiple genetic variants of H1 and H3 influenza A viruses (IAVs) circulate concurrently in US swine farms. Understanding the spatial transmission patterns of IAVs among these farms is crucial for developing effective control strategies and mitigating the emergence of novel IAVs. In this study, we analysed 1909 IAV genomic sequences from 785 US swine farms, representing 33 farming systems across 12 states, primarily in the Midwest from 2004 to 2023.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We detected highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in wild rats collected from a rural area in Giza, Egypt, near poultry farms, markets, and backyard flocks. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the virus from the rats belonged to clade 2.3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Outbreaks in the US of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in dairy cows have been occurring for months creating new possibilities for direct contact between the virus and humans. Eisfeld examined the pathogenicity and transmissibility of a bovine HPAI H5N1 virus isolated from New Mexico in a series of and assays. They found the virus has a dual human- and avian virus-like receptor-binding specificity as measured in a solid phase glycan binding assay.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

An outbreak of influenza A (H5N1) virus was detected in dairy cows in the United States. We detected influenza A virus sialic acid -α2,3/α2,6-galactose host receptors in bovine mammary glands by lectin histochemistry. Our results provide a rationale for the high levels of H5N1 virus in milk from infected cows.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In Bangladesh, free-range duck farms provide opportunities for the generation of novel influenza A viruses as evidenced by the emergence of an unusual A(H1N7) virus in 2023. Continued surveillance of such environments for the potential emergence of influenza A viruses with novel properties remains a priority.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Studies have reported that repeated annual vaccination may influence influenza vaccination effectiveness in the current season.

Methods: We established a 5-year randomized placebo-controlled trial of repeated influenza vaccination (Flublok; Sanofi Pasteur) in adults 18-45 years of age. In the first 2 years, participants were randomized to receive vaccine or saline placebo as follows: placebo-placebo (P-P), placebo-vaccine (P-V), or vaccine-vaccine (V-V).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In recent years, Vietnam has suffered multiple epizootics of influenza in poultry.

Methods: From 10 January 2019 to 26 April 2021, we employed a One Health influenza surveillance approach at live bird markets (LBMs) and swine farms in Northern Vietnam. When the COVID-19 pandemic permitted, each month, field teams collected oral secretion samples from poultry and pigs, animal facility bioaerosol and fecal samples, and animal worker nasal washes at 4 LBMs and 5 swine farms across 5 sites.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have spread at an unprecedented scale, leading to mass mortalities in birds and mammals. In 2023, a transatlantic incursion of HPAI A(H5N5) viruses into North America was detected, followed shortly thereafter by a mammalian detection. As these A(H5N5) viruses were similar to contemporary viruses described in Eurasia, the transatlantic spread of A(H5N5) viruses was most likely facilitated by pelagic seabirds.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The influenza virus poses a global health burden. Currently, an annual vaccine is used to reduce influenza virus-associated morbidity and mortality. Most influenza vaccines have been developed to elicit neutralizing Abs against influenza virus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human cases of avian influenza virus (AIV) infections are associated with an age-specific disease burden. As the influenza virus N2 neuraminidase (NA) gene was introduced from avian sources during the 1957 pandemic, we investigate the reactivity of N2 antibodies against A(H9N2) AIVs. Serosurvey of healthy individuals reveal the highest rates of AIV N2 antibodies in individuals aged ≥65 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: This study sought to detect and characterize influenza A (IAV) and influenza D (IDV) viruses circulating among commercial birds and shop owners in Pakistan's live bird markets.

Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs (n = 600; n = 300 pools) collected from poultry and nasopharyngeal swabs (n = 240) collected from poultry workers were studied for molecular evidence of IAV and IDV using real-time and conventional real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction protocols.

Results: Nineteen (6.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) viruses in Southeast Asia in 2004 prompted the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries to expand its avian influenza surveillance in wild birds. A total of 18,693 birds were sampled between 2004 and 2020, including migratory shorebirds (in 2004-2009), other coastal species (in 2009-2010), and resident waterfowl (in 2004-2020). No avian influenza viruses (AIVs) were isolated from cloacal or oropharyngeal samples from migratory shorebirds or resident coastal species.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

H5 influenza is a potential pandemic threat. Previous studies have identified molecular phenotypes of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein that contribute to pandemic risk, including cell entry, receptor preference, HA stability, and reduced neutralization by polyclonal sera. Here we use pseudovirus deep mutational scanning to measure how all mutations to a clade 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Studies have reported that repeated annual vaccination may influence the effectiveness of the influenza vaccination in the current season. The mechanisms underlying these differences are unclear but might include "focusing" of the adaptive immune response to older strains.

Methods: We established a 5-year randomized placebo-controlled trial of repeated influenza vaccination (Flublok, Sanofi Pasteur) in adults 18-45 years of age.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF