Early transmission patterns of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in travellers from Wuhan to Thailand, January 2020.

We report two cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in travellers from Wuhan, China to Thailand. Both were independent introductions on separate flights, discovered with thermoscanners and confirmed with RT-PCR and genome sequencing. Both cases do not seem directly linked to the Huanan Seafood Market in Hubei but the viral genomes are identical to four other sequences from Wuhan, suggesting early spread within the city already in the first week of January.

Viral etiologies of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections in Thailand.

Background: Information on the burden, characteristics and seasonality of non-influenza respiratory viruses is limited in tropical countries.

Objectives: Describe the epidemiology of selected non-influenza respiratory viruses in Thailand between June 2010 and May 2014 using a sentinel surveillance platform established for influenza.

Methods: Patients with influenza-like illness (ILI; history of fever or documented temperature ≥38°C, cough, not requiring hospitalization) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI; history of fever or documented temperature ≥38°C, cough, onset <10 days, requiring hospitalization) were enrolled from 10 sites.

The acceptability and validity of self-collected nasal swabs for detection of influenza virus infection among older adults in Thailand.

Background: Self-collection of nasal swabs could improve the timeliness of influenza virus detection in older adults.

Objectives: Measure the acceptability, adequacy, timeliness, and validity of self-collected nasal swabs among adults >65 years in Thailand.

Methods: Our evaluation consisted of two parts: a one-month study among randomly selected, community-dwelling older adults to simulate community-based surveillance for acute respiratory infections (ARI); and a clinic study of older adults with ARI to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of self-collected nasal swabs for influenza virus infection compared with healthcare worker (HCW)-collected nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs.

Global, regional, and national disease burden estimates of acute lower respiratory infections due to respiratory syncytial virus in young children in 2015: a systematic review and modelling study.

Background: We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of all episodes of (severe) acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) resulting in 55 000 to 199 000 deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2005. In the past 5 years, major research activity on RSV has yielded substantial new data from developing countries. With a considerably expanded dataset from a large international collaboration, we aimed to estimate the global incidence, hospital admission rate, and mortality from RSV-ALRI episodes in young children in 2015.

A human monoclonal antibody derived from a vaccinated volunteer recognizes heterosubtypically a novel epitope on the hemagglutinin globular head of H1 and H9 influenza A viruses.

Most neutralizing antibodies elicited during influenza virus infection or by vaccination have a narrow spectrum because they usually target variable epitopes in the globular head region of hemagglutinin (HA). In this study, we describe a human monoclonal antibody (HuMAb), 5D7, that was prepared from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of a vaccinated volunteer using the fusion method. The HuMAb heterosubtypically neutralizes group 1 influenza A viruses, including seasonal H1N1, 2009 pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm) and avian H9N2, with a strong hemagglutinin inhibition activity.

Influenza viruses in Thailand: 7 years of sentinel surveillance data, 2004-2010.

Background: The re-emergence of avian influenza A (H5N1) in 2004 and the pandemic of influenza A (H1N1) in 2009 highlight the need for routine surveillance systems to monitor influenza viruses, particularly in Southeast Asia where H5N1 is endemic in poultry. In 2004, the Thai National Institute of Health, in collaboration with the U.S.

Characterization of H5N1 influenza viruses isolated from humans in vitro.

Since December 1997, highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 viruses have swept through poultry populations across Asian countries and been transmitted into African and European countries. We characterized 6 avian influenza H5N1 viruses isolated from humans in 2004 in Thailand. A highly pathogenic (HP) KAN353 strain showed faster replication and higher virulence in embryonated eggs compared to other strains, especially compared to the low pathogenic (LP) SP83 strain.

Influenza viruses circulating in Thailand in 2004 and 2005.

Determining the local circulating strain of influenza is essential to prevent and control epidemics. In the years 2004 and 2005, the National Influenza Center of Thailand received 3,854 and 3,834 specimens, respectively, from patients throughout the country, including submissions from 4 established influenza surveillance sentinel sites. In 2004, of 539 influenza-positive specimens, 461 were positive for influenza A and 78 were positive for influenza B by isolation.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses elicit an attenuated type i interferon response in polarized human bronchial epithelial cells.

The unparalleled spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 viruses has resulted in devastating outbreaks in domestic poultry and sporadic human infections with a high fatality rate. To better understand the mechanism(s) of H5N1 virus pathogenesis and host responses in humans, we utilized a polarized human bronchial epithelial cell model that expresses both avian alpha-2,3- and human alpha-2,6-linked sialic acid receptors on the apical surface and supports productive replication of both H5N1 and H3N2 viruses. Using this model, we compared the abilities of selected 2004 HPAI H5N1 viruses isolated from humans and a recent human H3N2 virus to trigger the type I interferon (IFN) response.

Avian influenza (H5N1) viruses isolated from humans in Asia in 2004 exhibit increased virulence in mammals.

The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses across Asia in 2003 and 2004 devastated domestic poultry populations and resulted in the largest and most lethal H5N1 virus outbreak in humans to date. To better understand the potential of H5N1 viruses isolated during this epizootic event to cause disease in mammals, we used the mouse and ferret models to evaluate the relative virulence of selected 2003 and 2004 H5N1 viruses representing multiple genetic and geographical groups and compared them to earlier H5N1 strains isolated from humans. Four of five human isolates tested were highly lethal for both mice and ferrets and exhibited a substantially greater level of virulence in ferrets than other H5N1 viruses isolated from humans since 1997.

Development and evaluation of a latex agglutination test for the rapid diagnosis of scrub typhus.

The purpose of this research was to develop a simple and rapid diagnostic test for scrub typhus using a latex agglutination test (LAT) to detect antibodies against Orientia tsutsugamushi. Five strains of O. tsutsugamushi were propagated in L929 cells.

Seroprevalence of anti-H5 antibody among Thai health care workers after exposure to avian influenza (H5N1) in a tertiary care center.

After the initial atypical presentation of a patient with avian influenza (H5N1) infection, paired acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples obtained from 25 health care workers (HCWs) who were exposed to the patient were compared with paired serum samples obtained from 24 HCWs who worked at different units in the same hospital and were not exposed to the patient. There was no serologic evidence of anti-H5 antibody reactivity or subclinical infection in either of the groups.

Atypical avian influenza (H5N1).

We report the first case of avian influenza in a patient with fever and diarrhea but no respiratory symptoms. Avian influenza should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients with predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly if they have a history of exposure to poultry.

Isolation and identification of influenza virus strains circulating in Thailand in 2001.

Local influenza surveillance plays an important role in preparing for, and responding to, epidemics and pandemics. Between January and December 2001, the National Institute of Health of Thailand collected a total of 711 throat swab specimens from outpatients affected with acute respiratory symptoms from several centers throughout Thailand, of which 374 were virus-positive. Of these, 338 (90.