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Since the arrival of clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza A(H5N1) in North America in late 2021, frequent mammal spillover events have occurred in a diverse range of species, including 1 human [...]

Background In recent years, Vietnam has suffered multiple epizootics of influenza in poultry. Methods From 10 January 2019 to 26 April 2021, we employed a One Health influenza surveillance approach at live bird markets (LBMs) and swine farms in Northern Vietnam. When the COVID-19 pandemic permitted, each month, field teams collected oral secretion samples from poultry and pigs, animal facility bioaerosol and fecal samples, and animal worker nasal washes at 4 LBMs and 5 swine farms across 5 sites. Initially samples were screened with molecular assays followed by culture in embryonated eggs (poultry swabs) or Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (human or swine swabs). Results Many of the 3493 samples collected had either molecular or culture evidence for influenza A virus, including 314 (37.5%) of the 837 poultry oropharyngeal swabs, 144 (25.1%) of the 574 bioaerosol samples, 438 (34.9%) of the 1257 poultry fecal swab samples, and 16 (1.9%) of the 828 human nasal washes. Culturing poultry samples yielded 454 influenza A isolates, 83 of which were H5, and 70 (84.3%) of these were highly pathogenic. Additionally, a positive human sample had a H9N2 avian-like PB1 gene. In contrast, the prevalence of influenza A in the swine farms was much lower with only 6 (0.4%) of the 1700 total swine farm samples studied, having molecular evidence for influenza A virus. Conclusions This study suggests that Vietnam's LBMs continue to harbor high prevalences of avian influenza A viruses, including many highly pathogenic H5N6 strains, which will continue to threaten poultry and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular pathogen and the causative agent of Q fever. In Ukraine, 28 human cases of Q fever were reported between 1997 and 2006; however, there are no state-approved, standardized molecular diagnostic assays that can be used systematically to investigate C. burnetii transmission to humans and its distribution throughout Ukraine. To address this deficiency, we followed the recommendation of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and developed a confirmatory PCR for C. burnetii for veterinary diagnosis in Ukraine. The PCR assay targeted the outer membrane-associated gene com1 in C. burnetii. Oligonucleotide primers were selected that amplify a 689-bp DNA fragment of the com1 gene (primers: CoxF2 = 5′-ACYGCAGGCGTGGCGATAG-3′ and CoxR4 = 5′-TGAAGGTTTTGTTGTGAGGTGGC-3′). The assay proved highly sensitive and specific to C. burnetii DNA detection (LOD = 0.37 pg/μL). Reproducibility of the test was verified by comparing the PCR results with those of a different PCR protocol and qPCR. Using the CoxF2/CoxR4 primer set and reaction conditions described here, the PCR Diagnostic Kit C. burnetii-PCR-TEST was developed and officially registered for use in Ukraine by the State Scientific Control Institute of Biotechnology and Strains (Kyiv, Ukraine) for diagnostic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]