Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2017.

In 2017, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) virus was detected in poultry in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Whole-genome phylogeny showed the virus clustered with H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4B strains from birds in central and southern Asia. Emergence of this virus in central Africa represents a threat for animal health and food security.

Reassortant Avian Influenza A(H9N2) viruses in chickens in retail poultry shops, Pakistan, 2009-2010.

Phylogenetic analysis of influenza viruses collected during December 2009-February 2010 from chickens in live poultry retail shops in Lahore, Pakistan, showed influenza A(H9N2) lineage polymerase and nonstructural genes generate through inter- and intrasubtypic reassortments. Many amino acid signatures observed were characteristic of human isolates; hence, their circulation could enhance inter- or intrasubtypic reassortment.

COVID19 pandemic and people with opioid use disorder: innovation to reduce risk.

The Covid-19 pandemic is creating a vast and growing number of challenges for all. People with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) also may be exposed to additional risks. Piedmont one of the areas most severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with large numbers of people infected and related mortality. In the region, specialists responsible for OUD care identified the risk that the existing care system exposed patients to. Teams designed and implemented innovation approaches to enable continuation of care and reduce the inherent system risk to patients with OUD.

Development and validation of a one-step real-time PCR assay for simultaneous detection of subtype H5, H7, and H9 avian influenza viruses.

Among the different hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes of avian influenza (AI) viruses, H5, H7, and H9 are of major interest because of the serious consequences for the poultry industry and the increasing frequency of direct transmission of these viruses to humans. The availability of new tools to rapidly detect and subtype the influenza viruses can enable the immediate application of measures to prevent the widespread transmission of the infection. In this study, a novel one-step real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RRT-PCR) was developed to detect simultaneously the H5, H7, and H9 subtypes of AI viruses from clinical samples of avian origin. The sensitivity of the RRT-PCR assay was determined by using in vitro-transcribed RNA and 10-fold serial dilutions of titrated AI viruses. High sensitivity levels were obtained, with limits of detection ranging from 10(1) to 10(3) RNA copies and from 10(1) 50% egg infectious dose (EID(50))/100 microl to 10(2.74) EID(50)/100 microl with titrated viruses. Excellent results were achieved in the intra- and interassay variability tests. The comparison of the results with those obtained from the analysis of 725 avian samples by means of the reference method (virus isolation [VI]) showed a high level of agreement. To date, this is the first real-time PCR protocol available for the simultaneous detection of AI viruses belonging to subtypes H5, H7, and H9, and the results obtained indicate that this method is suitable as a routine laboratory test for the rapid detection and differentiation of the three most-important AI virus subtypes in samples of avian origin.

Influenza virus surveillance in wild birds in Italy: results of laboratory investigations in 2003-2005.

Following the avian influenza (AI) epidemics occurring in different areas of the world, a surveillance program funded by the Italian Ministry of Health was implemented. In the framework of this program, an investigation of wild birds was carried out to assess the circulation of AI viruses in their natural reservoir. More than 3000 samples, mainly cloacal swabs, were collected from migratory wild birds belonging to the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. Samples were screened by means of a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR), then processed for attempted virus isolation in embryonated fowl's specific pathogen-free eggs. Approximately 5% of the samples were positive for type A influenza viruses by RRT-PCR, and from 14 of those samples AI viruses were isolated and fully characterized. The isolates, belonging to 8 different avian influenza virus subtype combinations (H10N4, H1N1, H4N6, H7N7, H7N4, H5N1, H5N2, and H5N3), were obtained from migratory Anseriformes.