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Infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus results in high mortality rates in chickens, gallinaceous birds, and some wild bird species (1). Potential for HPAI virus transmission and adaptation [...]

Emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 are characterized and monitored closely by national genomic surveillance. In addition to sequencing efforts from US public health, academic, and commercial laboratories, the Centers for Disease [...]

An outbreak of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan, China, was reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019 (1). Researchers determined that the illness, later known as [...]

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has resulted in >70 million laboratory-confirmed cases and >1.6 million deaths in Isolating and propagating viruses from clinical specimens in cell cultures or embryonated chicken eggs is [...]

Influenza viruses are classified into 4 types: A, B, C, and D (1). Influenza A viruses infect a wide range of species and pose threats to human and animal health. [...]

Influenza B viruses cause annual epidemics and contribute to [approximately equal to] 30% of influenza-associated deaths among children in the United States (1). Two lineages, B/Victoria/2/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88, have been [...]

During the 2013-14 influenza season, influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus was the predominant circulating virus (≅ 80%) in the United States for the first time since the 2009 pandemic (1). We [...]

The seasonality of influenza in the tropics complicates vaccination timing. We investigated influenza seasonality in northern India and found influenza positivity peaked in Srinagar (34.09°N) in January-March but peaked in [...]

The recent emergence of an avian influenza A(H7N9) virus causing human infections in China (1-2) is of global concern. Most patients infected during this outbreak have experienced severe disease and [...]

Co-infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other viruses has been reported. We evaluated cell lines commonly used to isolate viruses and diagnose related diseases for their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Although multiple kidney cell lines from monkeys were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, we found many cell types derived from humans, dogs, minks, cats, mice, and chicken were not. We analyzed MDCK cells, which are most commonly used for surveillance and study of influenza viruses, and found that they were not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. The low expression level of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor and lower receptor affinity to SARS-CoV-2 spike, which could be overcome by overexpression of canine angiotensin converting enzyme 2 in trans, strengthened the cellular barrier to productive infection. Moreover, a D614G mutation in the spike protein did not appear to affect SARS-CoV-2 cell tropism. Our findings should help avert inadvertent propagation of SARS-CoV-2 from diagnostic cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baloxavir showed broad-spectrum in vitro replication inhibition of 4 types of influenza viruses (90% effective concentration range 1.2-98.3 nmol/L); susceptibility pattern was influenza A ˃ B ˃ C ˃ D. This drug also inhibited influenza A viruses of avian and swine origin, including viruses that have pandemic potential and those resistant to neuraminidase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of influenza A(H7N2) virus in cats in a shelter in New York, NY, USA, resulted in zoonotic transmission. Virus isolated from the infected human was closely related to virus isolated from a cat; both were related to low pathogenicity avian influenza A(H7N2) viruses detected in the United States during the early 2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baloxavir showed broad-spectrum in vitro replication inhibition of 4 types of influenza viruses (90% effective concentration range 1.2-98.3 nmol/L); susceptibility pattern was influenza A ˃ B ˃ C ˃ D. This drug also inhibited influenza A viruses of avian and swine origin, including viruses that have pandemic potential and those resistant to neuraminidase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A network of global respiratory disease surveillance systems and partnerships has been built over decades as a direct response to the persistent threat of seasonal, zoonotic, and pandemic influenza. These efforts have been spearheaded by the World Health Organization, country ministries of health, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nongovernmental organizations, academic groups, and others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked closely with ministries of health in partner countries and the World Health Organization to leverage influenza surveillance systems and programs to respond to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Countries used existing surveillance systems for severe acute respiratory infection and influenza-like illness, respiratory virus laboratory resources, pandemic influenza preparedness plans, and ongoing population-based influenza studies to track, study, and respond to SARS-CoV-2 infections. The incorporation of COVID-19 surveillance into existing influenza sentinel surveillance systems can support continued global surveillance for respiratory viruses with pandemic potential.