Wildlife trade drives animal-to-human pathogen transmission over 40 years

New in @science.org ‼️ In the most comprehensive study to date, we show that wildlife trade is driving animal-to-human zoonotic spillover at a planetary scale, with +1 spillover per host every 10 years. Live animal markets and illegal trade pose even greater risks. 🔓 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

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Survey of 20 live bird markets in Laos, with 266 samples collected. 72% ducks and 18% chickens +ve for IAV > 2.3.2.1e. 13% CoV in chicks and 5% in ducks. Very high viral burden in markets.
👉 www.frontiersin.org/journals/cel...

House Martins in Spain: 25% with antibodies against flaviviruses, 2% antibodies against AIV. No active infection detected.
👉 www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16...

How did HPAI spread between dairy farms? Here, vehicles tested. 298 samples were collected from 52 vehicles, of which 38 were milk trucks and tankers from 2 dairy cooperatives. IAV RNA detected in 2 samples = very possible transmission route.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Arguing that vaccinating dairy cattle against HPAI is important given poor containment using other measures and risk for public health, vet health and economy.
👉 academic.oup.com/jid/advance-...

Multi-omics (transcriptomic, proteomic, phosphoproteomic) analyses mapping signaling networks + key host factors in HPAI infection in duck lungs: activation of RIG-I-like receptor, toll-like receptor, NOD-like receptor, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT signaling pathways ciritical.
👉 www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27...

Programmable RNA-targeting antiviral platform based on RfxCas13d - the most potent effector across Cas13 orthologs in chicken DF1 fibroblasts. Here, RfxCas13d can limit virus replication in vitro, extent of reduction depend on target selection and subtype.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Establishment of emergency treatment protocol required for engendered Okinawa Rail. Oral treatment of baloxivir not sufficient plasma concentrations of the drug for protection, but subcutanous route did. Could be a useful approach, but more validation required.
👉 journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

>1000 samples collected from wild birds in the Pantanal, IAV detected in a collared plover. LPAI H5N2 detected, similar to viruses found in ducks in Colombia in 2011. Internal segments similar to viruses from both the Americas.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Host transcriptomic responses (8-72 hours pi) in nasal turbinates + lungs of chickens infected with H7N1 HPAI. Resilient and susceptible chickens had different profiles impact of MAPK signaling, cell adhesion, immune response, antiviral pathways.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

GeneXpert able to detect diversity of spiked AIV in environmental water as well as bonafide water samples. Useful as another tool in toolbox for diagnostics.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

In addition to Holstein cows, experimental infections demonstrates Jersey cows are susceptible to H5N1 infection and their potential as an experimental model
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Hotspot library of H9N2. 145 and 168 =substitution hotspots related to host-specific lineages. N115H enhances viral replication in mammalian cells, residue 164 is critical for antigenic escape, and I134L, L230S, and V306L collectively increase HA thermostability.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Ferret anti-sera raised against 4 H5 CVVs, and antibody responses and cross-reactive activity addressed using HI + MN. 2344b antisera had good cross reactivity against other 2344b viruses. Clade 1 CVV had limited cross reactivity against 2344b.
👉 www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/14...

Across 292 serum samples collected in Mexico, 2.5% were positive for HPAI H5N1, however seroprevalence higher against H5N2 compared to H5N1. Oldest age groups have highest seroprevalence.
👉 www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/15...

NS1 deficient mutant of a LPAI version of A/Texas/37/2024 H5N1. In mice, virus has reduced replication and pathogenicity compared to WT. Vaccinated mice w high immunogenicity, peak at 3-4 weeks, and robust protection against challenge.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Containment scenarios for post-spillover transmission chains of avian influenza H5N1 from poultry to humans - Nature Health Shoukat et al. use an agent-based model parameterized with the demographics and contact patterns of a high-risk poultry-farming region in Canada to evaluate how self-isolation of symptomatic cases and...

Putative spillover of avian > humans: model of how self-isolation of symptomatic cases and targeted vaccination of poultry farmers and their households affect transmission dynamics following a spillover event. Compliance, testing important.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Latest EFSA quarterly update: Dec 2025 - Feb 2026.
👉 efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/...

Using an in-vitro evolution approach, identified HA L29I, N133S, N210D, G266R, D387N, A423T, and E509G as important for HA stabilisation following heat selection. complex interplay between HA stability, receptor binding specificity, and acid tolerance
👉 journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

GPS tracking data of Rough-legged Buzzard. The cost of migration via direct mortality varied between HPAI and baseline study periods, with higher mortality in both spring and autumn migration. Higher risk for females.
👉 nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Guandong province, 2023-2025. 21 H3 viruses isolated. Internal segments similar to HPAI = reassortment. 3 viruses had dual receptor binding, robust replication in mammalian cells and in mice. Surveillance critical.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Development of a reassortant vaccine using A/duck/Vietnam/HU16-DD3/2023 (H5N1). All vaccinated chickens survived challenge, with 🔻 virus detection. Viruses transiently detected comparing to stockpiled vaccine.
👉 www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/14...

Immunised a preclinical animal model intranasally w H5N1 RNA-Scaffold-Protein Vaccine (RSPVac) = induced strong antibody responses in serum and mucosa, accompanied by mucosal antigen-specific T cells, complete protection against matched strain.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

More evidence for influenza A in bovids - here the first confirmed case of H1N1pdm09 in a European Bison. 0.3% seroprevalence against FluA, virus detected in the heart and liver tissue of a 4 year captive male.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Analysis of HPAI in Antarctica and sub-Antarctica reveals really complex patterns of virus movement through the region, with multiple introductions into the peninsula, the imprtance of S. Georgia as a reservoir, and long distance transmission.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

HPAI outbreak in Dalmatian Pelican was one of the first population level outbreaks of the panzootic. Here, modelling of two outbreaks of Dalmatian Pelicans in Greece, addressing impacts of interventions. Great to see this work to build upon the outbreak reporting
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Review of HPAI in South Asia - huge uptick in papers since 2020, most papers and genomes from Bangladesh. 267 HA genomes analysed - Bangladesh reported epicentre (but also has almost all genomes, so bias), but also connectivity to other countries.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

If a human outbreak of HPAI were to occur, what would influence testing behaviour? COVID really shaped behaviour, but people want autonomy to make their own decisions. Need to rebuild trust.
👉 www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

How can risk be better communicated for strengthened, evidence based approach on AIV biosecurity? In general, behavioural, psychological and structural barriers—rather than lack of awareness—limit consistent implementation. Massive body of work by EFSA.
👉 efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/...