Serologic Evidence of Recent Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5) Virus Among Dairy Workers - Michigan and Colorado, June-August 2024.

Since April 2024, sporadic infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses have been detected among dairy farm workers in the United States. To date, infections have mostly been detected through worker monitoring, and have been mild despite the possibility of more severe illness. During June-August 2024, CDC collaborated with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to implement cross-sectional serologic surveys to ascertain the prevalence of recent infection with HPAI A(H5) virus among dairy workers.

Meeting Report: Controlled Human Influenza Virus Infection Model Studies: Current Status and Future Directions for Innovation.

On November 13-14, 2023, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in partnership with the Task Force for Global Health, Flu Lab, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a meeting on controlled human influenza virus infection model (CHIVIM) studies to review the current research landscape of CHIVIM studies and to generate actionable next steps. Presentations and panel discussions highlighted CHIVIM use cases, regulatory and ethical considerations, innovations, networks and standardization, and the utility of using CHIVIM in vaccine development. This report summarizes the presentations, discussions, key takeaways, and future directions for innovations in CHIVIMs.

Reported Global Avian Influenza Detections Among Humans and Animals During 2013-2022: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Available Surveillance Data.

Background: Avian influenza (AI) virus detections occurred frequently in 2022 and continue to pose a health, economic, and food security risk. The most recent global analysis of official reports of animal outbreaks and human infections with all reportable AI viruses was published almost a decade ago. Increased or renewed reports of AI viruses, especially high pathogenicity H5N8 and H5N1 in birds and H5N1, H5N8, and H5N6 in humans globally, have established the need for a comprehensive review of current global AI virus surveillance data to assess the pandemic risk of AI viruses.

Leveraging International Influenza Surveillance Systems and Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A network of global respiratory disease surveillance systems and partnerships has been built over decades as a direct response to the persistent threat of seasonal, zoonotic, and pandemic influenza. These efforts have been spearheaded by the World Health Organization, country ministries of health, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nongovernmental organizations, academic groups, and others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked closely with ministries of health in partner countries and the World Health Organization to leverage influenza surveillance systems and programs to respond to SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support for influenza surveillance, 2013-2021.

Objective: To assess the stability of improvements in global respiratory virus surveillance in countries supported by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after reductions in CDC funding and with the stress of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: We assessed whether national influenza surveillance systems of CDC-funded countries: (i) continued to analyse as many specimens between 2013 and 2021; (ii) participated in activities of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System; (iii) tested enough specimens to detect rare events or signals of unusual activity; and (iv) demonstrated stability before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used CDC budget records and data from the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System.

Massively multiplexed nucleic acid detection with Cas13.

The great majority of globally circulating pathogens go undetected, undermining patient care and hindering outbreak preparedness and response. To enable routine surveillance and comprehensive diagnostic applications, there is a need for detection technologies that can scale to test many samples while simultaneously testing for many pathogens. Here, we develop Combinatorial Arrayed Reactions for Multiplexed Evaluation of Nucleic acids (CARMEN), a platform for scalable, multiplexed pathogen detection.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States and Worldwide, May 19-September 28, 2019, and Composition of the 2020 Southern Hemisphere Influenza Vaccine.

During May 19-September 28, 2019,* low levels of influenza activity were reported in the United States, with cocirculation of influenza A and influenza B viruses. In the Southern Hemisphere seasonal influenza viruses circulated widely, with influenza A(H3) predominating in many regions; however, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B viruses were predominant in some countries. In late September, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended components for the 2020 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine and included an update to the A(H3N2) and B/Victoria-lineage components.

Update: Influenza Activity in the United States During the 2018-19 Season and Composition of the 2019-20 Influenza Vaccine.

Influenza activity* in the United States during the 2018-19 season (September 30, 2018-May 18, 2019) was of moderate severity (1). Nationally, influenza-like illness (ILI) activity began increasing in November, peaked during mid-February, and returned to below baseline in mid-April; the season lasted 21 weeks, making it the longest season in 10 years. Illness attributed to influenza A viruses predominated, with very little influenza B activity.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States, September 30, 2018-February 2, 2019.

CDC collects, compiles, and analyzes data on influenza activity and viruses in the United States. During September 30, 2018-February 2, 2019,* influenza activity in the United States was low during October and November, increased in late December, and remained elevated through early February. As of February 2, 2019, this has been a low-severity influenza season (1), with a lower percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI), lower rates of hospitalization, and fewer deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza, compared with recent seasons.

Influenza Activity - United States, September 30-December 1, 2018.

Influenza activity in the United States was low during October 2018, and, although it increased slowly during November, activity remains low across most of the country.* During the week ending December 1, 2018, the percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was equal to the national baseline (Figure) and was at or slightly above the region-specific baseline in four of the 10 U.S.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States and Worldwide, May 20-October 13, 2018.

During May 20-October 13, 2018,* low levels of influenza activity were reported in the United States, with a mix of influenza A and B viruses circulating. Seasonal influenza activity in the Southern Hemisphere was low overall, with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 predominating in many regions. Antigenic testing of available influenza A and B viruses indicated that no significant antigenic drift in circulating viruses had emerged.

Author Correction: Direct RNA Sequencing of the Coding Complete Influenza A Virus Genome.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Direct RNA Sequencing of the Coding Complete Influenza A Virus Genome.

For the first time, a coding complete genome of an RNA virus has been sequenced in its original form. Previously, RNA was sequenced by the chemical degradation of radiolabeled RNA, a difficult method that produced only short sequences. Instead, RNA has usually been sequenced indirectly by copying it into cDNA, which is often amplified to dsDNA by PCR and subsequently analyzed using a variety of DNA sequencing methods.

Monoclonal antibody against N2 neuraminidase of cold adapted A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2N2) enables efficient generation of live attenuated influenza vaccines.

Cold adapted influenza virus A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2N2) is a reliable master donor virus (Len/17-MDV) for preparing live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV). LAIVs are 6:2 reasortants that contain 6 segments of Len/17-MDV and the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of contemporary circulating influenza A viruses. The problem with the classical reassortment procedure used to generate LAIVs is that there is limited selection pressure against NA of the Len/17-MDV resulting in 7:1 reassortants with desired HA only, which are not suitable LAIVs.

Update: Influenza Activity in the United States During the 2017-18 Season and Composition of the 2018-19 Influenza Vaccine.

The United States 2017-18 influenza season (October 1, 2017-May 19, 2018) was a high severity season with high levels of outpatient clinic and emergency department visits for influenza-like illness (ILI), high influenza-related hospitalization rates, and elevated and geographically widespread influenza activity across the country for an extended period. Nationally, ILI activity began increasing in November, reaching an extended period of high activity during January-February, and remaining elevated through March. Influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominated through February and were predominant overall for the season; influenza B viruses predominated from March onward.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States, October 1, 2017-February 3, 2018.

Influenza activity in the United States began to increase in early November 2017 and rose sharply from December through February 3, 2018; elevated influenza activity is expected to continue for several more weeks. Influenza A viruses have been most commonly identified, with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating, but influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B viruses were also reported. This report summarizes U.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States, October 1-November 25, 2017.

Influenza activity in the United States was low during October 2017, but has been increasing since the beginning of November. Influenza A viruses have been most commonly identified, with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating. Several influenza activity indicators were higher than is typically seen for this time of year.

Update: Influenza Activity - United States and Worldwide, May 21-September 23, 2017.

During May 21-September 23, 2017,* the United States experienced low-level seasonal influenza virus activity; however, beginning in early September, CDC received reports of a small number of localized influenza outbreaks caused by influenza A(H3N2) viruses. In addition to influenza A(H3N2) viruses, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B viruses were detected during May-September worldwide and in the United States. Influenza B viruses predominated in the United States from late May through late June, and influenza A viruses predominated beginning in early July.

The NIH Extracellular RNA Communication Consortium.

The Extracellular RNA (exRNA) Communication Consortium, funded as an initiative of the NIH Common Fund, represents a consortium of investigators assembled to address the critical issues in the exRNA research arena. The overarching goal is to generate a multi-component community resource for sharing fundamental scientific discoveries, protocols, and innovative tools and technologies. The key initiatives include (a) generating a reference catalogue of exRNAs present in body fluids of normal healthy individuals that would facilitate disease diagnosis and therapies, (b) defining the fundamental principles of exRNA biogenesis, distribution, uptake, and function, as well as development of molecular tools, technologies, and imaging modalities to enable these studies,

Spread and persistence of influenza A viruses in waterfowl hosts in the North American Mississippi migratory flyway.

Unlabelled: While geographic distance often restricts the spread of pathogens via hosts, this barrier may be compromised when host species are mobile. Migratory waterfowl in the order Anseriformes are important reservoir hosts for diverse populations of avian-origin influenza A viruses (AIVs) and are assumed to spread AIVs during their annual continental-scale migrations. However, support for this hypothesis is limited, and it is rarely tested using data from comprehensive surveillance efforts incorporating both the temporal and spatial aspects of host migratory patterns.