Emmanuel Profile picture
Feb 16, 2023 9 tweets 7 min read Read on X
INFLUENZA A ... H3N2
I DON'T LIKE THIS ONE !

Since its emergence in 1968, H3N2 has undergone a considerable number of mutations. It is, in a way the "Omicron" of HxNx viruses with several types :
- H3N2 HUMAN, which was the main strain this winter 2022/23 with in US (CDC) :
2) H3N2 SWINE, which evolved from H2N2 by antigenic shift, and caused the Hong Kong Flu pandemic of 1968 and 1969 that killed between one and four million people globally.
3) H3N2 AVIAN, which infects birds and mammals.

frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…
4) H3N2 CANINE, which was identified in Asia during the 2000s with a mutation that adapted from its avian influenza origins and was recently detected in US.

"Canine influenza is on the rise among dogs in Philadelphia area"
inquirer.com/news/canine-in…
5) So far, these different types are distinct at the antigenic level with little transmission from one species to another.

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/JV…
and
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
6) Nevertheless H3N2 continues to mutate very rapidly including in humans.

"Prevalence and mechanisms of evolutionary contingency in human influenza H3N2 neuraminidase"
nature.com/articles/s4146…
7) It is urgent to monitor and above all, to go faster in the preparation of vaccines against all HxNx.

"Ferret model to mimic the sequential exposure of humans to historical H3N2 influenza viruses"

sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
8) As the risk does not only concern H3N2, we can have also recombinants, for example with for example H5N1.
Thanks for reading.

"Reassortment between avian H5N1 and human H3N2 influenza viruses creates hybrid viruses with substantial virulence"
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn…

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More from @ejustin46

Mar 2
Catching COVID-19 in Buildings: Combining Wastewater, Air, and Surface Monitoring !

An amazing study in Nature.
H/t @mryoung151
nature.com/articles/s4137…Image
2) This study looked at different ways to detect COVID-19 in a building. The researchers tested air, surfaces, and wastewater to see which methods could best detect the virus.

They placed air samplers in the lobby of a dorm where students with COVID-19 were isolating. Image
3) The air samples showed higher virus levels when students with COVID-19 were present.

The researchers also collected air samples from the building's rooftop exhaust, swabbed high-touch surfaces, and tested the building's wastewater. Image
Read 6 tweets
Feb 27
Alarming Shift in H5N1 Bird Flu: Longer Neuraminidase Stalks May Boost Transmission Risk

H/t @florian_krammer Thanks @DavidJoffe64
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mb…Image
2) The H5N1 bird flu virus has been spreading rapidly since 2020. An important change is that the neuraminidase (NA) protein on this virus now has a longer "stalk" region.

In the past, most H5N1 viruses had a shorter NA stalk. Image
3) But the current clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses mostly have the longer NA stalk.

The longer NA stalk may make these H5N1 viruses more able to spread between mammals, including potentially between humans.
Read 5 tweets
Feb 24
What an UNFORTUNATE CHOICE of WORD it is to REFER to the term “VARIANT” in relation to SARS-CoV-2.

No one would think to call Prince William a "variant" or a mere variation of Queen Elizabeth; he shares the same family and lineage. That's all. Image
2) I wanted to use this analogy to highlight the significant differences in pathogenicity and transmission among the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants, as demonstrated by a recent study published in Nature.
nature.com/articles/s4429…Image
3) By suggesting that the various lineages of SARS-CoV-2 consist of only minor mutations in the Spike protein—while overlooking the other proteins—and by using the term "soup of variants," which I consistently contest, we diminish the profound changes ... Image
Read 5 tweets
Feb 24
Can a SYNTHETIC RECEPTOR that BINDS to the SUGAR (Glycans) on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein, PREVENT the VIRUS from INFECTING Human CELLS?

Amazing study 🙏 @DavidJoffe64
…mistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cb…Image
2) Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 have proteins on their surface called spike proteins. These spike proteins help the virus attach to and enter human cells. The spike proteins are heavily coated with sugar molecules called glycans. Image
3) Researchers have developed a synthetic molecule called IDS060 that can bind to these glycans on the spike protein. This binding prevents the virus from attaching to human cells, blocking infection. Image
Read 6 tweets
Feb 23
WHEN and WHERE was the H5N1 influenza A virus (genotype D1.1) DISCOVERED ?

A very interesting article from
@LouiseHMoncla @angie_rasmussen @MichaelWorobey @PeacockFlu and colleagues
virological.org/t/timing-and-m…Image
2) The H5N1 influenza A virus (genotype D1.1) was discovered in dairy cattle in Churchill County, Nevada, on January 31, 2025. The detection followed a routine surveillance program, where bulk milk samples were collected from dairy processing plant silos on January 6 and 7, 2025. Image
3) These samples tested positive for the virus on January 10.
Investigations revealed that the virus likely jumped from birds to cattle sometime between late October 2024 and early January 2025 ... Image
Read 4 tweets
Feb 23
What makes VIRUSES like Herpes, Epstein-Barr, Flu, H1N1, H5N1 and HIV so EFFECTIVE at INFECTING the BRAIN ?

Viruses can infect and damage the brain, leading to conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, and depression
link.springer.com/article/10.100…
2) Some Viruses are able to successfully infect the brain for a few key reasons:

▶️ Direct Brain Entry: Some viruses can directly enter the brain through the nose or other pathways, allowing them to directly infect brain cells. Image
3) ▶️ Evading Immunity: Certain viruses can hide from or suppress the immune system, enabling them to persist in the brain undetected.

▶️ Breaching the Blood-Brain Barrier: Viruses can damage the protective barrier between the brain and bloodstream ...
Read 6 tweets

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