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Due to the extensive host range of influenza A viruses, it is difficult to determine the best diagnostic algorithm to efficiently screen samples from a variety of host species for influenza A viruses. While there are some influenza diagnostic algorithms that are specific to host species, to our knowledge, no single algorithm exists for the characterization of influenza A viruses across multiple host species. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that can serve as a guide for screening human, animal, and environmental samples for influenza A viruses of high human and animal health importance., (© 2024 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

We measured antibodies against H7N9 virus 2 years after infection in 14 patients who were infected during October 2016-September 2017. Approximately 2 years after infection, antibody titers ≥10 were detectable in 13 (92.9%) patients. Three (21.4%) of 14 patients had hemagglutination inhibition titers ≥40, and their geometric mean titer (GMT) was 20 (95% CI 15.7-28.1), whereas 10 (71.4%) and all 14 (100%) of the 14 patients had titers ≥40, and GMTs at 34.4 (95% CI 25.7-51.2) and 73.45 (54.7-106.7) for neuraminidase inhibition and microneutralization antibodies, respectively. Our findings suggest that H7N9 infection may induce long-term antibody response at least 2 years after infection., (© 2019 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging viral pathogen that primarily causes respiratory illness. We conducted a seroprevalence study of banked human serum samples collected in 2012 from Southern Saudi Arabia. Sera from 300 animal workers (17% with daily camel exposure) and 50 non-animal-exposed controls were examined for serological evidence of MERS-CoV infection by a pseudoparticle MERS-CoV spike protein neutralization assay. None of the sera reproducibly neutralized the MERS-CoV-pseudotyped lentiviral vector. These data suggest that serological evidence of zoonotic transmission of MERS-CoV was not common among animal workers in Southern Saudi Arabia during July 2012., (© 2014 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: The zoonotic potential of H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV) has not been previously examined; yet considering the popularity of dogs as a companion animal and the zoonotic capabilities of other influenza viruses, the public health implications are great. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against CIV among a US cohort., Design: A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was conducted between 2007 and 2010., Setting: Recruitments primarily occurred in Iowa and Florida. Participants were enrolled at dog shows, or at their home or place of employment., Sample: Three hundred and four adults occupationally exposed to dogs and 101 non-canine-exposed participants completed a questionnaire and provided a blood sample., Main Outcome Measures: Microneutralization and neuraminidase inhibition assays were performed to detect human sera antibodies against A/Canine/Iowa/13628/2005(H3N8). An enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) was adapted to detect antibodies against a recombinant N8 neuraminidase protein from A/Equine/Pennsylvania/1/2007(H3N8)., Results: For all assays, no significant difference in detectable antibodies was observed when comparing the canine-exposed subjects to the non-canine-exposed subjects., Conclusion: While these results do not provide evidence for cross-species CIV transmission, influenza is predictably unpredictable. People frequently exposed to ill dogs should continually be monitored for novel zoonotic CIV infections., (© 2013 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: Human adenovirus (HAdV) type 14 had been infrequently associated with outbreaks of febrile respiratory illness (FRI) until the HAdV-14p1 emerged in 2006 and rapidly spread in the United States. Here, we report an outbreak of FRI caused by HadV-14p1 that occurred in 2011 at a primary and middle school in China., Design: The basic information of the outbreak was recored; throat swabs were collected from 17 patients, polymerase chain reaction, A549 cell culture, and sequencing were used to identify the pathogen of the outbreak.., Results: Total of 43 students were infected in this outbreak. Boys were more than girls. We identified 11 HAdV-positive specimens and 6 HAdV isolates. Genetic analysis showed that the complete hexon, fiber, and E1A sequences of isolates were nearly 100% identical with other HAdV-14p1 sequences deposited in GenBank., Conclusions: HadV-14p1 has caused outbreaks of pneumonia and mortality among adults in the United States and Europe. It may cause similar conditions among Chinese adults due to poor hygiene and sanitation. It seems prudent for China to develop a national surveillance system to determine the etiology of severe respiratory diseases and deaths among adults and school-aged children., (© 2013 The authors. Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Military recruits receiving training are vulnerable to acute respiratory disease and a significant proportion of illness is due to unidentified pathogens. While some countries use surveillance programs to monitor such illness, few data exist for recruits of the British Armed Forces., Objectives: Through active surveillance of approximately 1000 Royal Navy trainees during 2001, we sought to describe and determine the aetiology of acute respiratory illness., Methods: Standard viral culture was used together with serology and a novel highly sensitive real-time PCR and molecular beacon probe assay for RSV detection., Results: Among 54 Royal Navy recruits with respiratory symptoms adenovirus was identified in 35%, influenza viruses in 19% and RSV in 14% of this group. All of the recruits were absent from training for almost a week, most of whom were confined to the sickbay., Conclusions: This study is the first to document adenovirus and RSV as important causes of acute respiratory illness among Royal Navy trainees. The study findings demonstrate the clinical significance and challenges of diagnosing RSV infection in young adults.

Background: Epidemiologic studies of birth defects among infants of Gulf War veterans (GWV) have been limited to military hospitals, anomalies diagnosed among newborns, or self-reported data. This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of birth defects among infants of GWVs and nondeployed veterans (NDV) in states that conducted active case ascertainment of birth defects between 1989-93., Methods: Military records of 684,645 GWVs and 1,587,102 NDVs were electronically linked with 2,314,908 birth certficates from Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, and selected counties of Arkansas, California, and Georgia; 11,961 GWV infants and 33,052 NDV infants were identified. Of these, 450 infants had mothers who served in the Gulf War, and 3966 had NDV mothers., Results: Infants conceived postwar to male GWVs had significantly higher prevalence of tricuspid valve insufficicieny (relative risk [RR], 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-6.6; p = 0.039) and aortic valve stenosis (RR, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.2-31.0; p = 0.026) compared to infants conceived postwar to NDV males. Among infants of male GWVs, aortic valve stenosis (RR, 163; 95% CI, 0.09-294; p = 0.011) and renal agenesis or hypoplasia (RR, 16.3; 95% CI, 0.09-294; p = 0.011) were significantly higher among infants conceived postwar than prewar. Hypospadias was significantly higher among infant sons conceived postwar to GWV women compared to NDV women (RR, 6.3; 95% CI, 1.5-26.3; p = 0.015)., Conclusion: We observed a higher prevalence of tricuspid valve insufficiency, aortic valve stenosis, and renal agenesis or hypoplasia among infants conceived postwar to GWV men, and a higher prevalence of hypospadias among infants conceived postwar to female GWVs. We did not have the ability to determine if the excess was caused by inherited or environmental factors, or was due to chance because of myriad reasons, including multiple comparisons. Although the statistical power was sufficient to compare the combined birth defects prevalence, larger sample sizes were needed for less frequent individual component defects.