Immunity to Influenza and Future Vaccination Strategies

Influenza viruses are very small pathogens (typically 80-120 nm) belonging to the family of the Orthomyxoviridae together with four other genera: Thogoto virus, Isavirus and influenza B and C viruses. The influenza viruses are distinguished based on the membrane channel protein, genome size and surface glycoproteins. The influenza A viruses are further subdivided into subtypes based on the surface glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). At present, 16 subtypes of the HA and 9 subtypes of the NA are known

Predicting the Epidemic Sizes of Influenza A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B: A Statistical Method

Using weekly influenza surveillance data from the US CDC, Edward Goldstein and colleagues develop a statistical method to predict the sizes of epidemics caused by seasonal influenza strains. This method could inform decisions about the most appropriate vaccines or drugs needed early in the influenza season

Molecular epidemiology of seal parvovirus, 1988-2014

A novel parvovirus was discovered recently in the brain of a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) with chronic meningo-encephalitis. Phylogenetic analysis of this virus indicated that it belongs to the genus Er

An empirical approach towards the efficient and optimal production of influenza-neutralizing ovine polyclonal antibodies demonstrates that the novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT(TM) is functionally superior to Freund's adjuvant

Passive immunotherapies utilising polyclonal antibodies could have a valuable role in preventing and treating infectious diseases such as influenza, particularly in pandemic situations but also in immunocompromised populations such as the elderly, the chronically immunosuppressed, pregnant women, infants and those with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to optimise current methods used to generate ovine polyclonal antibodies. Polyclonal antibodies to baculovirus-expressed recombinant influenza haemagglutinin from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 (PR8) were elicited in sheep using various immunisation regimens designed to investigate the priming immunisation route, adjuvant formulation, sheep age, and antigen dose, and to empirically ascertain which combination maximised antibody output. The novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT™ was compared to Freund’s adjuvant which is currently the adjuvant of choice for commercial production of ovine polyclonal Fab therapies. CoVaccine HT™ induced significantly higher titres of functional ovine anti-haemagglutinin IgG than Freund’s adjuvant but with fewer side effects, including reduced site reactions. Polyclonal hyperimmune sheep sera effectively neutralised influenza virus in vitro and, when given before or after influenza virus challenge, prevented the death of infected mice. Neither the age of the sheep nor the route of antigen administration appeared to influence antibody titre. Moreover, reducing the administrated dose of haemagglutinin antigen minimally affected antibody titre. Together, these results suggest a cost effective way of producing high and sustained yields of functional ovine polyclonal antibodies specifically for the prevention and treatment of globally significant diseases.Natalie E. Stevens, Cara K. Fraser, Mohammed Alsharifi, Michael P. Brown, Kerrilyn R. Diener, John D. Haybal

No serological evidence that harbour porpoises are additional hosts of influenza B viruses

Influenza A and B viruses circulate among humans causing epidemics almost annually. While various hosts for influenza A viruses exist, influenza B viruses have been detected only in humans and seals. However, recurrent infections of seals in Dutch coastal waters with influenza B viruses that are antigenetically distinct from influenza B viruses circulating among humans suggest that influenza B viruses have been introduced into this seal population by another, non-human, host. Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are sympatric with seals in these waters and are also occasion

Seroprevalence of Antibodies against Seal Influenza A(H10N7) Virus in Harbor Seals and Gray Seals from the Netherlands

In the spring and summer 2014, an outbreak of seal influenza A(H10N7) virus infection occurred among harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) off the coasts of Sweden and Denmark. This virus subsequently spread to harbor seals off the coasts of Germany and the Netherlands. While thousands of seals were reported dead in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, only a limited number of seals were found dead in the Netherlands. To determine the extent of exposure of seals in the Netherlands to influenza A/H10N7 virus, we measured specific antibody titers in serum samples from live-captured seals and seals admitted for rehabilitation in the Netherlands by use of a hemagglutination inhibition assay and an ELISA. In harbor seals in 2015, antibodies against seal influenza A(H10N7) virus were detected in 41% (32 out of 78) pups, 10% (5 out of 52) weaners, and 58% (7 out of 12) subadults or adults. In gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) in 2015, specific antibodies were not found i

Identification and Characterization of Two Novel Viruses in Ocular Infections in Reindeer

A thorough understanding of virus diversity in wildlife provides epidemiological baseline information about pathogens. In this study, eye swab samples were obtained from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Norway during an outbreak of infectious eye disease, possibly a very early stage of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC). Large scale molecular virus screening, based on host nucleic acid depletion, sequence-independen

Лексична лакуна як об'єкт лінгвістичних досліджень

В статье осуществлен теоретический обзор проблемы лакунарности, как одного из основных вопросов при реконструкции языковой картины мира. Представлена классификация лексических лакун на материале сопоставления украинского, русского и английского языка.В статті зроблено теоретичний огляд проблеми лакунарності як одного з основних питань при реконструкції мовної картини світу. Представлена класифікація лексичних лакун на матеріалі зіставлення української, російської та англійської мови.This paper is a theoretical review on lacunarity as one of the main problems in reconstruction of the linguistic picture of the world. A classification of lexical lacunae has been suggested using the material of comparison of the Ukrainian, Russian and English languages

Innovative approaches for measuring organism stress and behavioural integrity in flume facilities: Deliverable D8-IV

HYDRALAB+ aims to improve the usefulness and value of hydraulic laboratory facilities and is developing experimental guidelines that will allow researchers to successfully investigate complex scenarios representative of natural environments in a context of climate change. Within this framework it is often important to incorporate relevant biological elements in physical experiments, including the use of live vegetation. Notwithstanding efforts to maintain their health by careful husbandry, plants typically degenerate when introduced to flume settings. Physiological responses to degenerating health can affect their interactions with the flow so that experimental conditions are not representative of healthy specimens in situ. There is therefore a need to measure and evaluate the health of plants being used in hydraulic facilities, especially since behavioural integrity might be reduced before there are obvious signs of degeneration. Such measurements are not routinely made so there is a need to identify measurement techniques and methodological protocols for assessing vegetation health status in hydraulic laboratories. This deliverable identifies a technique established in plant physiology and horticulture for monitoring vegetation health status and shows how it can be applied in hydraulic laboratories with minimal impact on organisms. A simple and suitable test among those established in the relevant literature is validated by conducting experiments on freshwater macrophytes. From the relevant literature and the results of experiments reported herein, this deliverable provides an overview of the technique identified and establishes practical guidance on how to properly apply it in hydraulic experiments. The methodological protocol developed can potentially be integrated into established protocols used in ecohydraulics studies as a simple proxy of vegetation health status