Epidemiological and Subtype Characterization of Influenza Viruses Infection in Children in Shenzhen, China during Three Consecutive Seasons (January 2016-December 2018)

Background: Children with seasonal influenza infection cause a significant burden of disease each year in the pediatric clinic. Influenza A and B viruses are the major types responsible for illness. A better understanding of the periodicity facilitates the prevention and control of influenza in children. Objective: This study aims to analyze the epidemiological patterns and subtype characterization of influenza viruses among children in Shenzhen, China. Methods: Influenza samples were collected by nasopharyngeal swabs from influenza like illness patients in Shenzhen Children’s Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018. The positive cases and influenza subtypes were determined by gold labeled antigen detection and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The influenza periodicity and age, subtype distribution as well as the association between climate parameters and different influenza subtypes were analyzed by SPSS 22.0. Results: The influenza positive rate during 2016-2018 was 21.0%, with a highest positive rate in the year 2018. The positive rate varied by month, season, and year describing a sequence of peaks presenting primarily in all year including spring, summer and winter. The characteristics of influenza peak were different in each year, with a spring peak in 2016 and a summer plus a winter-spring peaks in 2017 and 2018. In addition, influenza B exhibited a winter-spring seasonal pattern while influenza A displayed a more variable seasonality, highlighting influenza B rather than influenza A which had a negative association with climate parameters. Influenza-positive cases were older than influenza-negative cases (P P Conclusion: Influenza activity in children from Shenzhen typically displays both winter-spring and summer peaks. Influenza A epidemic occurred separately or co-circulated with influenza B, with a winter-spring pattern for influenza B and a much more variable seasonality for influenza A. Influenza B had a negative association with climate parameters. In addition, hospitalization with influenza often occurs in younger individuals infected with influenza A.

Establishment and performance analysis of a new multiplex detection method for influenza an and B virus antigen

BACKGROUND Influenza A and B virus detection is pivotal in epidemiological surveillance and disease management.Rapid and accurate diagnostic techniques are crucial for timely clinical intervention and outbreak prevention.Quantum dot-encoded microspheres have been widely used in immunodetection.The integration of quantum dot-encoded microspheres with flow cytometry is a well-established technique that enables rapid analysis.Thus,establishing a multiplex detection method for influenza A and B virus antigens based on flow cytometry quantum dot microspheres will help in disease diagnosis.AIM To establish a codetection method of influenza A and B virus antigens based on flow cytometry quantum dot-encoded microsphere technology,which forms the foundation for the assays of multiple respiratory virus biomarkers.METHODS Different quantum dot-encoded microspheres were used to couple the monoclonal antibodies against influenza A and B.The known influenza A and B antigens were detected both separately and simultaneously on a flow cytometer,and the detection conditions were optimized to establish the influenza A and B antigen codetection method,which was utilized for their detection in clinical samples.The results were compared with the fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR)method to validate the clinical performance of this method.RESULTS The limits of detection of this method were 26.1 and 10.7 pg/mL for influenza A and B antigens,respectively,which both ranged from 15.6 to 250000 pg/mL.In the clinical sample evaluation,the proposed method well correlated with the fluorescent quantitative PCR method,with positive,negative,and overall compliance rates of 57.4%,100%,and 71.6%,respectively.CONCLUSION A multiplex assay for quantitative detection of influenza A and B virus antigens has been established,which is characterized by high sensitivity,good specificity,and a wide detection range and is promising for clinical applications.

Control of highly pathogenic avian influenza through vaccination

The stamping-out strategy has been used to control highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in many countries,driven by the belief that vaccination would not be successful against such viruses and fears that avian influenza virus in vaccinated birds would evolve more rapidly and pose a greater risk to humans.In this review,we summarize the successes in controlling highly pathogenic avian influenza in China and make suggestions regarding the requirements for vaccine selection and effectiveness.In addition,we present evidence that vaccination of poultry not only eliminates human infection with avian influenza virus,but also significantly reduces and abolishes some harmful characteristics of avian influenza virus.

Emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8)clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in grebes in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia,China,in 2021

Highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI)subtype H5Nx viruses have spread globally and are a major concern for poultry,wild birds,mammals,and even humans(de Vries et al.2015;Zeng et al.2022).The hemagglutinin(HA)genes of H5 subtype viruses have evolved into multiple clades and some of these clades have been further divided into subclades(Cui et al.2022).Clade 2.3.4.4H5N8 HPAI viruses(HPAIVs)have caused several waves of disease outbreaks in wild birds and domestic poultry(Wang et al.2022).

Role of feline ANP32 proteins in regulating polymerase activity of influenza A virus

Recently,increasing natural infection cases and experimental animal challenge studies demonstrated domestic cats are susceptible to multiple subtypes influenza A virus(IAV)infections.Notably,some subtype IAV strains could circulate in domestic cats after cross-species transmission and even infected humans,posing a threat to public health.Host factors related to viral polymerase activity could determine host range of IAV and acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32(ANP32)is the most important one among them.However,role of cat-derived ANP32 on viral polymerase activity and host range of IAV is still unknown.In the present study,a total of 10 feline ANP32(feANP32)splice variants(including 5 feANP32A,3 feANP32B,and 2 feANP32E)were obtained from domestic cats by RT-PCR.Sequence alignment results demonstrated amino acid deletions and/or insertions occurred among feANP32 variants,but all feANP32 proteins were primarily localized to cell nucleus.Minigenome replication systems for several representative IAV strains were established and the support ability of feANP32 on IAV polymerase activity was estimated.The results indicated that most feANP32A and feANP32B splice variants were able to support all the tested IAV strains,though the support activity of a single feANP32 protein on polymerase activity varied among different IAV strains.In addition,the role of feANP32 in supporting H3N2 canine influenza virus was determined by investigating viral replication in vitro.Collectively,our study systematically investigated the support activity of feANP32 on IAV,providing a clue for further exploring the mechanism of susceptibility of cats to IAV.

Genetic and biological properties of H9N2 avian influenza viruses isolated in central China from2020 to 2022

The H9N2 subtype of avian influenza virus(AIV)is widely prevalent in poultry and wild birds globally,and has become the predominant subtype circulating in poultry in China.The H9N2 AIV can directly or indirectly(by serving as a"donor virus")infect humans,posing a significant threat to public health.Currently,there is a lack of in-depth research on the prevalence of H9N2 viruses in Shanxi Province,central China.In this study,we isolated 14 H9N2 AIVs from October 2020 to April 2022 in Shanxi Province,and genetic analysis revealed that these viruses belonged to 7 different genotypes.Our study on animals revealed that the H9N2 strains we identified displayed high transmission efficiency among chicken populations,and exhibited diverse replication abilities within these birds.These viruses could replicate efficiently in the lungs of mice,with one strain also demonstrating the capacity to reproduce in organs like the brain and kidneys.At the cellular level,the replication ability of different H9N2 strains was evaluated using plaque formation assays and multi-step growth curve assays,revealing significant differences in the replication and proliferation efficiency of the various H9N2 viruses at the cellular level.The antigenicity analysis suggested that these isolates could be classified into 2 separate antigenic clusters.Our research provides crucial data to help understand the prevalence and biological characteristics of H9N2 AIVs in central China.It also highlights the necessity of enhancing the surveillance of H9N2 AIVs.

Antibodies elicited by Newcastle disease virus-vectored H7N9 avian influenza vaccine are functional in activating the complement system

H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus poses a great challenge for poultry industry.Newcastle disease virus(NDV)-vectored H7N9 avian influenza vaccines(NDV_(vec)H7N9)are effective in disease control because they are protective and allow mass administration.Of note,these vaccines elicit undetectable H7N9-specific hemagglutination-inhibition(HI)but high IgG antibodies in chickens.However,the molecular basis and protective mechanism underlying this particular antibody immunity remain unclear.Herein,immunization with an NDV_(vec)H7N9 induced low anti-H7N9 HI and virus neutralization titers but high levels of hemagglutinin(HA)-binding IgG antibodies in chickens.Three residues(S150,G151 and S152)in HA of H7N9 virus were identified as the dominant epitopes recognized by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum.Passively transferred NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum conferred complete protection against H7N9 virus infection in chickens.The NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum can mediate a potent lysis of HA-expressing and H7N9 virus-infected cells and significantly suppress H7N9 virus infectivity.These activities of the serum were significantly impaired after heat-inactivation or treatment with complement inhibitor,suggesting the engagement of the complement system.Moreover,mutations in the 150-SGS-152 sites in HA resulted in significant reductions in cell lysis and virus neutralization mediated by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum,indicating the requirement of antibody-antigen binding for complement activity.Therefore,antibodies induced by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 can activate antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis of H7N9 virus-infected cells and complement-mediated neutralization of H7N9 virus.Our findings unveiled a novel role of the complement in protection conferred by the NDV_(vec)H7N9,highlighting a potential benefit of engaging the complement system in H7N9 vaccine design.

High-Value-Added Utilization of Turpentine:Screening of Anti-Influenza Virus Agents fromβ-Pinene Derivatives

Turpentine is a renewable and resourceful forest product.The deep processing and utilization of turpentine,particularly its primary componentβ-pinene,has garnered widespread attention.This study aimed to synthesize 40 derivatives ofβ-pinene,including nopinone,3-cyanopyridines of nopinone,myrtanyl acid,myrtanyl acylthioureas,and myrtanyl amides.We assessed the antiviral activities of theseβ-pinene derivatives against influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34(H1N1)using the 3-(4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method.Theβ-pinene derivatives were used before and after cellular infection with the influenza virus to evaluate their preventive and therapeutic effects against the H1N1 virus.The results showed that only compound 10o exhibited a preventive effect against the H1N1 virus with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)value of 47.6μmol/L.Among the compounds,4e,4i,and 4l demonstrated therapeutic effects against cellular infection,with compound 4e displaying the most potent therapeutic effect(IC50=17.5μmol/L),comparable to the positive control ribavirin.These findings indicated that certainβ-pinene derivatives exhibited in vitro antiviral activity against the H1N1 influenza A virus,warranting further investigation as potential anti-influenza agents.

Establishment of a humanized ST6GAL1 mouse model for influenza research

Background:This study aimed to construct and characterize a humanized influenza mouse model expressing hST6GAL1.Methods:Humanized fragments,consisting of the endothelial cell-specific K18 promoter,human ST6GAL1-encoding gene,and luciferase gene,were microinjected into the fertilized eggs of mice.The manipulated embryos were transferred into the oviducts of pseudopregnant female mice.The offspring were identified using PCR.Mice exhibiting elevated expression of the hST6GAL1 gene were selectively bred for propagation,and in vivo analysis was performed for screening.Expression of the humanized gene was tested by performing immunohistochemical(IHC)analysis.Hematologic and biochemical analyses using the whole blood and serum of humanized hST6GAL1 mice were performed.Results:Successful integration of the human ST6GAL1 gene into the mouse genome led to the overexpression of human SiaT ST6GAL1.Seven mice were identified as carrying copies of the humanized gene,and the in vivo analysis indicated that hST6GAL1gene expression in positive mice mirrored influenza virus infection characteristics.The IHC results revealed that hST6GAL1 was expressed in the lungs of humanized mice.Moreover,the hematologic and biochemical parameters of the positive mice were within the normal range.Conclusion:A humanized influenza mouse model expressing the hST6GAL1 gene was successfully established and characterized.

Pudilan Xiaoyan oral liquid regulates tissue inflammation and apoptosis in mice with influenza virus pneumonia

Background:The influenza A virus is the primary cause of respiratory infections and poses a global health risk.Pudilan Xiaoyan oral liquid(PDL)exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.PDL is commonly employed in clinical practice to manage upper respiratory tract infections.However,there is still much to uncover regarding its potential therapeutic mechanism.Methods:Institute of cancer research mice were infected with influenza A virus via nasal drip.The general state of the mice,lung index,and lung index inhibition rate were used to evaluate the efficacy of PDL.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,western blotting,and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the presence of proteins and cytokines in the lung tissue.Apoptosis was evaluated using the TUNEL assay.Results:PDL improved the mental state of influenza A virus-infected mice,reduced the lung index,and inhibited viral replication.The expression of interleukin-1βand tumor necrosis factor-αwere decreased,whereas the expression of interleukin-10 in the lung tissue was increased due to PDL treatment.In addition,PDL treatment modulated Toll-like receptor 4 and MyD88 expressions in the lung tissues.PDL significantly reduced apoptosis and decreased cleaved caspase-3 and PARP levels,whereas increased B-cell lymphoma-2 expression in the lung tissue.Notably,the moderate-dose group of PDL exhibited a more pronounced effect.These findings indicate that PDL exerts a protective effect against pneumonia injury in influenza A virus-infected mice.Conclusion:PDL inhibited the inflammatory response and regulated apoptosis by regulating Toll-like receptor 4 and MyD88 protein expressions,thereby protecting the lung tissue from viral infection-induced lung tissue injury.

A Comparative Study of Myocardial Damage Caused by Novel Coronavirus Infection and Influenza A Virus Infection in Children during the COVID-19 Epidemic Period

Objective: To explore the comparative study of myocardial damage in children infected with COVID-19 and influenza A virus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Retrospective analysis of myocardial injury caused by COVID-19 infection and influenza A virus infection in children during the COVID-19 from October 2022 to May 2023, including 106 cases of COVID-19 infection, that is, the COVID-19 group;And 164 cases of influenza A virus infection, namely, H1N1 group;Two groups were tested for various indicators of myocardial enzyme spectrum, and the situation of myocardial injury was compared between the two groups. Result: In the enrolled cases, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence rate of men and women in the COVID-19 group (P > 0.05);There was no statistically significant difference in the average age between men and women (P > 0.05);The comparison of the incidence rates between males and females in the H1N1 group showed a statistically significant difference (P 0.05);There was no statistically significant difference in the average age between the two groups of girls (P > 0.05). A comparison between two groups of various indicators of myocardial enzyme spectra showed that the results of AST, -HBDH and LDH were statistically significant (P 0.05). Conclusion: Both COVID-19 infection and influenza A virus infection in children have different degrees of myocardial damage, but COVID-19 infection causes more myocardial damage than influenza A virus infection, and influenza A virus is more prone to myocardial infarction, which deserves our attention.

In silico evaluation of kuwanon compounds as antiviral agents targeting H9N2 influenza virus

Background:The threat of avian influenza a subtype avian influenza A(H9N2)virus remains a significant concern,necessitating the exploration of novel antiviral agents.This study employs network pharmacology and computational analysis to investigate the potential of kuwanons,a natural compounds against H9N2 influenza virus.Methods:Leveraging comprehensive databases and bioinformatics tools,we elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Kuwanons pharmacological effects against H9N2 influenza virus.Network pharmacology identifies H9N2 influenza virus targets and compounds through integrated protein-protein interaction and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses.Molecular docking studies were performed to assess the binding affinities and structural interactions of Kuwanon analogues with key targets,shedding light on their potential inhibitory effects on viral replication and entry.Results:Compound-target network analysis revealed complex interactions(120 nodes,163 edges),with significant interactions and an average node degree of 2.72.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed pathways such as Influenza A,Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway in H9N2 influenza virus.Molecular docking studies revealed that the binding free energy for the docked ligands ranged between-5.2 and-9.4 kcal/mol for the human interferon-beta crystal structure(IFNB1,Protein Data Bank:1AU1)and-5.4 and-9.6 kcal/mol for Interleukin-6(IL-6,PDB:4CNI).Conclusion:Our findings suggest that kuwanon exhibits promising antiviral activity against H9N2 influenza virus by targeting specific viral proteins,highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent in combating avian influenza infections.

A Rare Case of Aortic Valve Endocarditis and Acute Meningitis Due to Haemophilus influenzae

HACEK organisms represent a rare but important group of causative pathogens in endocarditis. These bacteria have historically been associated with culture-negative endocarditis;however, modern laboratory techniques have made this less common. In this case, we present a 74-year-old man who presented with acute onset altered mentation, fever, and sepsis. He was ultimately found to have Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, cerebral empyema, aortic valve endocarditis, psoas myositis, and L2 - L3 diskitis with osteomyelitis. Although HACEK organisms are commonly found in the oropharynx and upper respiratory tract in humans, our patient did not report recent preceding dental or ENT procedures. H. influenzae is responsible for approximately 0.16% of all cases of bacterial endocarditis, representing a very limited subset. Although generally considered low virulent pathogens, this case demonstrates the unusual extent of infection from a HACEK organism, H. influenzae, causing aortic valve endocarditis as well as atypical non-cardiac sequelae, including acute meningitis.

Survey Analysis of Influenza Vaccination Status Among Children Aged 0-6 Years

Objective:This study aims to investigate the influenza vaccination status of children aged 0-6 years in Changzhi City and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods:A questionnaire was distributed to 228 randomly selected parents of children aged 0-6 in Changzhi City to investigate the children’s influenza vaccination status.Results:(1)A total of 217 valid questionnaires were collected in this survey,with a response rate of 95.2%.(2)The results showed that the main reasons affecting children’s influenza vaccination were,in order,worrying about the safety of the influenza vaccine,believing that influenza vaccination was not necessary,and not knowing the time of the vaccination.(3)Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with children aged 0-2 years old,those aged 2-4 years old(OR=0.121,95%CI=0.032-0.301)and 4-6 years old(OR=0.385,95%CI=0.228-0.530)had lower cumulative influenza vaccination rates.Compared to the group with parental awareness of flu vaccines,the moderate awareness group(OR=2.319,95%CI=1.527-3.015)and the high awareness group(OR=2.932,95%CI=1.598-4.966)exhibited higher cumulative influenza vaccination rates among children.Parents acquire knowledge about influenza and its vaccines through vaccination centers(OR=1.396,95%CI=1.049-2.050)and doctors(OR=1.763,95%CI=1.291-2.774),which serves as a facilitating factor for influenza vaccination among 0-6-year-old children in Changzhi urban area.Conclusion:The age of the child,parental knowledge of the influenza vaccine,and parental communication with the vaccination center and the physician at the visit were the main influencing factors for influenza vaccination.

Stop H5N1 influenza in US cattle now

The relentless march of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus(HPAIV)strain,known as H5N1,to become an unprecedented panzootic continues unchecked.The leap of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b from Eurasia and Africa to North America in 2021 and its further spread to South America and the Antarctic have exposed new avian and mammalian populations to the virus and led to outbreaks on an unrivaled scale.The virus has infected wild birds across vast geographic regions and caused wildlife deaths in some of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems.

Phylogenetic and epidemiological characteristics of H9N2 avian influenza viruses in Shandong Province, China from 2019 to 2021

H9N2 avian influenza virus(AIV) has widely circulated in poultry worldwide and sporadic infections in humans and mammals. During our surveillance of chicken from 2019 to 2021 in Shandong Province, China, we isolated 11 H9N2AIVs. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the eight gene segments of the 11 isolates were closely related to several sublineages of Eurasian lineage: BJ/94-like clades(HA and NA genes), G1-like clades(PB2 and M genes), and SH/F/98-like clades(PB1, PA, NP and NS genes). The isolates showed mutation sites that preferentially bind to humanlike receptors(HA) and mammalian fitness sites(PB2, PB1 and PA), as well as mutations in antigen and drug resistance sites. Moreover, studies with mice revealed four isolates with varying levels of pathogenicity. The average antibody titer of the H9N2 AIVs was 8.60 log2. Based on our results, the epidemiological surveillance of H9N2 AIVs should be strengthened.

Forecast the Influenza Pandemic Using Machine Learning

Forecasting future outbreaks can help in minimizing their spread.Influenza is a disease primarily found in animals but transferred to humans through pigs.In 1918,influenza became a pandemic and spread rapidly all over the world becoming the cause behind killing one-third of the human population and killing one-fourth of the pig population.Afterwards,that influenza became a pandemic several times on a local and global levels.In 2009,influenza‘A’subtype H1N1 again took many human lives.The disease spread like in a pandemic quickly.This paper proposes a forecasting modeling system for the influenza pandemic using a feed-forward propagation neural network(MSDII-FFNN).This model helps us predict the outbreak,and determines which type of influenza becomes a pandemic,as well as which geographical area is infected.Data collection for the model is done by using IoT devices.This model is divided into 2 phases:The training phase and the validation phase,both being connected through the cloud.In the training phase,the model is trained using FFNN and is updated on the cloud.In the validation phase,whenever the input is submitted through the IoT devices,the system model is updated through the cloud and predicts the pandemic alert.In our dataset,the data is divided into an 85%training ratio and a 15%validation ratio.By applying the proposed model to our dataset,the predicted output precision is 90%.

H7N9 avian influenza with first manifestation of occipital neuralgia:A case report

BACKGROUND Most of the first symptoms of avian influenza are respiratory symptoms,and cases with occipital neuralgia as the first manifestation are rarely reported.CASE SUMMARY A middle-aged patient complaining of paroxysmal pain behind the ear was admitted to our hospital.The patient’s condition changed rapidly,and high fever,unexpected respiratory failure,and multiple organ failure developed rapidly.The patient was diagnosed with H7N9 avian influenza based on etiology.CONCLUSION We believe that the etiology of occipital neuralgia is complex and could be the earliest manifestation of severe diseases.The possibility of an infectious disease should be considered when occipital neuralgia is accompanied by fever.Avian influenza is one of these causative agents.

Altered gene expression in human brain microvascular endothelial cells in response to the infection of influenza H1N1 virus

Influenza viruses not only cause respiratory illness,but also have been reported to elicit neurological manifestations following acute viral infection.The central nervous system(CNS)has a specific defense mechanism against pathogens structured by cerebral microvasculature lined with brain endothelial cells to form the blood–brain barrier(BBB).To investigate the response of human brain microvascular endothelial cells(hBMECs)to the Influenza A virus(IAV),we inoculated the cells with the A/WSN/33(H1N1)virus.We then conducted an RNAseq experiment to determine the changes in gene expression levels and the activated disease pathways following infection.The analysis revealed an effective activation of the innate immune defense by inducing the pattern recognition receptors(PRRs).Along with the production of proinflammatory cytokines,we detected an upregulation of interferons and interferon-stimulated genes,such as IFN-β/λ,ISG15,CXCL11,CXCL3 and IL-6,etc.Moreover,infected hBMECs exhibited a disruption in the cytoskeletal structure both on the transcriptomic and cytological levels.The RNAseq analysis showed different pathways and candidate genes associated with the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,neuroinflammation,and neurodegenerative diseases,together with a predicted activation of the neuroglia.Likewise,some genes linked with the mitochondrial structure and function displayed a significantly altered expression.En masse,this data supports that hBMECs could be infected by the IAV,which induces the innate and inflammatory immune response.The results suggest that the influenza virus infection could potentially induce a subsequent aggravation of neurological disorders.

Inflammatory pseudotumors in the liver associated with influenza:A case report

BACKGROUND Inflammatory pseudotumor(IPT)is a rare and benign lesion that mimics malignancy and can develop in any part of the body.The pathophysiology and etiology of these quasineoplastic lesions remain unclear.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a 65-year-old male who presented with fevers,night sweats,and unintentional weight loss following an influenza infection and was found to have multiple hepatic IPT’s following an extensive work up.CONCLUSION Our case highlights the importance of considering hepatic IPT’s in the differential in a patient who presents with symptoms and imaging findings mimicking malignancy shortly following a viral infection.