Emerging Infectious Diseases最新文献

We compared virus replication and host responses in human alveolar epithelium infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) viruses. A/Vietnam/1203/2004 replicated most efficiently, followed by A/Texas/37/2024, then A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024. Induction of interferon-stimulated genes was lower with A/Texas/37/2024 and A/bovine/Ohio/B24OSU-342/2024, which may indicate a reduced disease severity of those viruses.

We conducted patient chart reviews and whole-genome sequencing of wound specimens containing presumptive Corynebacterium ulcerans from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, during July 2019–July 2023. Sequencing confirmed 8/14 isolates were C. ramonii and identified 2 distinct clusters. Molecular methods should be used to clinically differentiate potential toxin-producing Corynebacterium spp.

Until 2023, North Macedonia had not reported a Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case for >50 years. In 2024, increased clinical vigilance identified and characterized 2 novel CCHF cases. Genetic analysis and the identification of possible reassortment indicate North Macedonia as an interaction zone between CCHF virus isolates from Turkey and Kosovo.

Seoul virus (SEOV) is a worldwide ratborne orthohantavirus. We describe an SEOV infection in an adult returning to France from Kenya, followed by Guillain-Barré syndrome. We confirmed SEOV infection by PCR and sequencing. Although transmission might have occurred in Kenya, the epidemiologic information available is not sufficient to confirm that possibility.

Only 2 cases of human adenovirus type 14 (HAdV-14) have been reported in Japan since 1980. We report a 7-year-old girl with acute encephalopathy associated with HAdV-14 infection genetically similar to strains from the United States. The patient had not had contact with international travelers. HAdV-14 surveillance should be strengthened in Japan.

Human cases of avian influenza A(H5N2) and A(H5N1) viruses associated with outbreaks in birds and mammals are increasing globally, raising concerns about the possibility of a future avian influenza pandemic. We conducted a systematic review examining 30 reported cases of avian influenza in pregnant women. We found high mortality rates for mothers (90.0%, 27/30) and their babies (86.7%, 26/30) when women were infected with avian influenza virus during pregnancy. Despite being a high-risk population and having worse health outcomes across multiple pandemics, pregnant women are often excluded from vaccine trials. However, as the risk for a new pandemic increases and human vaccines against avian influenza are developed, early inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials can inform the risk-benefit analysis for both the mother and their newborn infant. Early inclusion of pregnant women in public health vaccination programs is vital for protecting this high-risk population.

Reports of mpox are rising in Africa where the disease is endemic and in new countries where the disease has not been previously seen. The 2022 global outbreak of clade II mpox and an ongoing outbreak of the more lethal clade I mpox highlight the pandemic potential for monkeypox virus. Waning population immunity after the cessation of routine immunization for smallpox plays a key role in the changing epidemiologic patterns of mpox. Sustained human-to-human transmission of mpox is occurring widely in the context of insufficient population immunity, fueling genetic mutations that affect the accuracy of some diagnostic tests and that could lead to changing virulence. Additional research should address complex challenges for control of mpox, including improved diagnostics and medical countermeasures. The availability of vaccines should be expanded not only for outbreak response but also for broader routine use for persons in mpox-endemic countries.

We report a low (38.7%; p<0.0001) level of IgG seroconversion in patients who were positive for measles virus IgM in the Republic of Congo, despite a history of vaccination. Considering this country's recurring measles epidemics, more effective immunization strategies, including vaccine delivery methods, are needed to prevent measles outbreaks.