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During March and April 2024, we studied dairy cattle specimens from a single farm in Texas, USA, using multiple molecular, cell culture, and next-generation sequencing pathogen detection techniques. Here, we report evidence that highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus strains of clade 2.3.4.4b were the sole cause of this epizootic.

A novel jeilongvirus was identified through next-generation sequencing in cell cultures inoculated with spleen and kidney extracts. The spleen and kidney were obtained from a Peromyscus gossypinus rodent (cotton mouse) found dead in the city of Gainesville, in North-Central Florida, USA. Jeilongviruses are paramyxoviruses of the subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae that have been found in bats, cats, and rodents. We designated the virus we discovered as Gainesville rodent jeilong virus 1 (GRJV1). Preliminary results indicate that GRJV1 can complete its life cycle in various human, non-human primate, and rodent cell lines, suggesting that the virus has a generalist nature with the potential for a spillover event. The early detection of endemic viruses circulating within hosts in North-Central Florida can significantly enhance surveillance efforts, thereby bolstering our ability to monitor and respond to potential outbreaks effectively.

We report the inactivation of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate—Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), on representative porous (KN95 mask material) and nonporous materials (aluminum and polycarbonate) using a Compact Portable Plasma Reactor (CPPR). The CPPR is a compact (48 cm3), lightweight, portable and scalable device that forms Dielectric Barrier Discharge which generates ozone using surrounding atmosphere as input gas, eliminating the need of source gas tanks. Iterative CPPR exposure time experiments were performed on inoculated material samples in 3 operating volumes. Minimum CPPR exposure times of 5–15 min resulted in 4–5 log reduction of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate on representative material samples. Ozone concentration and CPPR energy requirements for virus inactivation are documented. Difference in disinfection requirements in porous and non-porous material samples is discussed along with initial scaling studies using the CPPR in 3 operating volumes. The results of this feasibility study, along with existing literature on ozone and CPPR decontamination, show the potential of the CPPR as a powerful technology to reduce fomite transmission of enveloped respiratory virus-induced infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The CPPR can overcome limitations of high temperatures, long exposure times, bulky equipment, and toxic residuals related to conventional decontamination technologies.