Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus-Induced Mass Death of Wild Birds, Caspian Sea, Russia, 2022.

In May 2022, we observed a substantial die-off of wild migratory waterbirds on Maliy Zhemchuzhniy Island in the Caspian Sea, Russia. The deaths were caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4.b virus. Continued surveillance of influenza viruses in wild bird populations is needed to predict virus spread over long distances.

Intratumoral Virotherapy with Wild-Type Newcastle Disease Virus in Carcinoma Krebs-2 Cancer Model.

The results of experimental and clinical trials of the agents based on oncolytic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains provided hope for the development of virotherapy as a promising method for treating human tumors. However, the mechanism of the antitumor effect of NDV and realization of its cytotoxic potential in a cancer cell remains to be elucidated. In the current work, we have studied the antitumor effect of NDV in a syngeneic model of mouse Krebs-2 carcinoma treated with intratumoral injections of a wild-type strain NDV/Altai/pigeon/770/2011. Virological methods were used for preparation of a virus-containing sample. Colorimetric MTS assay was used to assess the viability of Krebs-2 tumor cells infected with a viral strain in vitro. In vivo virotherapy was performed in eight-week-old male BALB/c mice treated with serial intratumoral injections of NDV in an experimental model of Krebs-2 solid carcinoma. Changes in the tumor nodes of Krebs-2 carcinoma after virotherapy were visualized by MRI and immunohistological staining. Light microscopy examination, immunohistochemical and morphometric analyses have shown that intratumoral viral injections contribute to the inhibition of tumor growth, appearance of necrosis-like changes in the tumor tissue and the antiangiogenic effect of the virus. It has been established that a course of intratumoral virotherapy with NDV/Altai/pigeon/770/2011 strain in a mouse Krebs-2 carcinoma resulted in increased destructive changes in the tumor tissue, in the volume density of necrotic foci and numerical density of endothelial cells expressing CD34 and VEGFR. These results indicate that intratumoral NDV injection reduces tumor progression of an aggressive tumor.

Data mining and model-predicting a global disease reservoir for low-pathogenic Avian Influenza (A) in the wider pacific rim using big data sets.

Avian Influenza (AI) is a complex but still poorly understood disease; specifically when it comes to reservoirs, co-infections, connectedness and wider landscape perspectives. Low pathogenic (Low-path LP) AI in chickens caused by less virulent strains of AI viruses (AIVs)-when compared with highly pathogenic AIVs (HPAIVs)-are not even well-described yet or known how they contribute to wider AI and immune system issues. Co-circulation of LPAIVs with HPAIVs suggests their interactions in their ecological aspects. Here we show for the Pacific Rim an international approach how to data mine and model-predict LP AI and its ecological niche with machine learning and open access data sets and geographic information systems (GIS) on a 5 km pixel size for best-possible inference. This is based on the best-available data on the issue (~ 40,827 records of lab-analyzed field data from Japan, Russia, Vietnam, Mongolia, Alaska and Influenza Research Database (IRD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) database sets, as well as 19 GIS data layers). We sampled 157 hosts and 110 low-path AIVs with 32 species as drivers. The prevalence across low-path AIV subtypes is dominated by Muscovy ducks, Mallards, Whistling Swans and gulls also emphasizing industrial impacts for the human-dominated wildlife contact zone. This investigation sets a good precedent for the study of reservoirs, big data mining, predictions and subsequent outbreaks of HPAI and other pandemics.

Nearly Complete Genome Sequence of a Newcastle Disease Virus Strain Isolated from a Wild Garganey (Spatula querquedula) in Russia.

This work describes the nearly complete genome sequence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain NDV/Novosibirsk/garganey/27/2014, which was isolated from a wild garganey in western Siberia, Russia. The NDV strain was classified as belonging to class II of genotype I and was identified as having recent common ancestry with isolates from wild and domestic birds in China and South Korea.

Complete Genome Sequences of Two Newcastle Disease Virus Strains Isolated from a Wild Duck and a Pigeon in Russia.

Here, we report the complete genome sequences of two Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates, Adygea/duck/12/2008, from a wild duck in Russia, and Altai/pigeon/777/2010, from a pigeon in Russia. Based on comparative sequence analysis of the F gene, these strains were classified as NDV class II, genotypes VIId and VIb/2, respectively.

Characterization of avian paramyxovirus type 6 isolated from a Eurasian teal in the intersection of migratory flyways in Russia.

The complete genome sequence was determined for avian paramyxovirus (APMV-6) serotype 6 strain teal/Chany/455/2009, isolated from a teal (Anas crecca) in Siberia. Siberia is crossed by four major migration flyways and represents the major breeding area for many wild bird species in the Palearctic. Strain teal/Chany/455/2009 is genetically closely related to Kazakh and Chinese strains and belongs to the genetic group of duck/Hong Kong/18/199/77-like APMV-6 viruses. We show that the virus has low pathogenic potential according to genetic markers and animal model experiments.

Complete Genome Sequence of Genotype Ib Newcastle Disease Virus Isolated from a Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) in Russia.

We report here the complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus isolate, NDV/Yakutiya/mallard/852/2011, isolated from a mallard in Russia. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, this strain was clustered into class II genotype Ib.

Complete Genome Sequence of a Newcastle Disease Virus Isolated from a Rock Dove (Columba livia) in the Russian Federation.

We report here the complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate, NDV/Altai/pigeon/770/2011, isolated from a rock dove in the Russian Federation. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, this strain was clustered into genotype VIb class II.