Influenza Virus Net is the web resource for anyone interested in influenza and flu pandemics. Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses), that affects humans, birds and other mammals. The virus spreads easily from person to person. Influenza circulates worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group. Influenza causes annual epidemics that peak during winter in temperate regions. Influenza is a serious public health problem that causes severe illnesses and deaths for higher risk populations. The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort. Sore throat, fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. An influenza epidemic can take an economic toll through lost workforce productivity, and strain health services. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection.

The objectives of Influenza Virus Net are to be the public and professional information resource for influenza and to serve as a network in the exchange of information and news related to influenza.

• Genetic Ancestry Shapes Immune Response To Influenza Virus - Eurasia Review
  Sun, 28 Nov 2021 03:17 GMT
• Influenza: CDC says the coming season might be a tough one - Daily Leader - Dailyleader
  Thu, 25 Nov 2021 16:02 GMT
• Dog flu in SoCal: Holiday gatherings could increase spread of canine influenza, experts say - KABC-TV
  Fri, 26 Nov 2021 17:39 GMT
• As Flu Season Begins, Reviewing Types of Influenza - The Great Courses Daily News
  Sun, 07 Nov 2021 07:00 GMT
• What’s Going Around: COVID-19, influenza, stomach bug - ABC27
  Thu, 25 Nov 2021 09:30 GMT
• Few Flu Viruses Found Globally - PrecisionVaccinations
  Sat, 27 Nov 2021 00:06 GMT
• San Diegans Urged to Get Vaccinated Against Influenza - countynewscenter.com
  Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:30 GMT
• Bird Flu Spreading: Here Are The Avian Influenza Outbreaks In Europe And Asia - Forbes
  Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:00 GMT
• N.J. college reports dozens of influenza cases. Here’s what it could mean for flu season. - nj.com
  Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:00 GMT
• Rhode Island’s first 2021 influenza outbreak confirmed - Fox News
  Thu, 04 Nov 2021 07:00 GMT
• L.A. County reports 1st flu death of 2021-2022 season - KTLA
  Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:00 GMT
• New Study Shows Cell-Based Influenza Vaccine Provides Protection Against Flu in Children - Pharmacy Times
  Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:00 GMT
• Low pathogenic avian influenza found in Kandiyohi County turkey flock, state working to contain virus - Park Rapids Enterprise
  Tue, 23 Nov 2021 20:31 GMT
• U.S. Prepares for the Next Pandemic Influenza Outbreak - PrecisionVaccinations
  Tue, 23 Nov 2021 22:55 GMT
• Fact check: Experts say flu season is real, not tied to increased holiday sugar intake - USA TODAY
  Fri, 05 Nov 2021 07:00 GMT

• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (116): Europe (Russia) zoo, wild bird, backyard, HPAI H5N1, OIE
  Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:46:50 -0400
  Avian Influenza H5N1 -- Russia
  Summary
  Report type: immediate notification
  Started: 27 Aug 2021
  Confirmed: 2 Sep 2021
  Reported: 15 Sep 2021
  Reason for notification: recurrence
  Last occurrence: 13 Dec 2020
  Causal agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
  Serotype: H5N1
  Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory
  This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.
  New outbreaks (3)
  Summary of outbreaks
  Total outbreaks (3)
  Outbreak location 1: Zateryanny mir, Chelyabinsk gorsovet,


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (20): Cambodia (SI) H9N2
  Sun, 19 Sep 2021 19:23:42 -0400
  Avian Influenza -- Cambodia
  Abstract
  ---------
  In February 2021, routine sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illness in Cambodia detected a human avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection. Investigations identified no recent H9N2 virus infections in 43 close contacts. One chicken sample from the infected child's house was positive for H9N2 virus and genetically similar to the human virus.
  --
  Communicated by:
  Jurre Siegers
  Institute Pasteur du Cambodge
  
  [ProMED thanks Jurre Siegers for sharing the early

• Development of Multiplex RT-PCR with Immobilized Primers for Identification of Infectious Human Pneumonia Pathogens Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  A prototype of a system for the detection of infectious human pneumonia pathogens based on multiplex solid-phase reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was developed. Primers were designed to identify the DNA of six bacterial pneumonia pathogen strains, and the RNA of two viral pathogens of pneumonia: influenza A and SARS-CoV-2. The signal accumulation of elongated immobilized primers occurs due to the incorporation of fluorescently labeled nucleotides in the chain. The signal is detected after all...
• Plant-derived VLP: a worthy platform to produce vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  After its emergence in late 2019 SARS-CoV-2 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020 and has claimed more than 2.8 million lives. There has been a massive global effort to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and the rapid and low cost production of large quantities of vaccine is urgently needed to ensure adequate supply to both developed and developing countries. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are composed of viral antigens that self-assemble into structures that...
• Predictors of Mortality in Neonatal Pneumonia: An INCLEN Childhood Pneumonia Study Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSIONS: Neonates with blood culture positive pneumonia positive are at a higher risk of death.
• A meta-analysis of influenza vaccination following correspondence: Considerations for COVID-19 Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The implication for public health authorities organizing vaccination programs for influenza, and arguably also for COVID-19, is that sending written vaccination correspondence to members of the community is likely to increase uptake. This study is pre-registered on osf.io; details can be found at https://osf.io/98mr7.
• Seasonal influenza vaccination is associated with reduced risk of death among Medicare beneficiaries() Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  BACKGROUND: Influenza causes substantial mortality, especially among older persons. Influenza vaccines are rarely more than 50% effective and rarely reach more than half of the US Medicare population, which is primarily an aged population. We wished to estimate the association between vaccination and mortality reduction.
• Arctiin suppresses H9N2 avian influenza virus-mediated inflammation via activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggested that the anti-inflammatory effects of arctiin on H9N2 virus infection may be due to the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and blocked RIG-I/JNK MAPK signaling; thus, arctiin may be a promising agent for prevention and treatment of H9N2 virus infections.
• Dietary Supplementation with Biobran/MGN-3 Increases Innate Resistance and Reduces the Incidence of Influenza-like Illnesses in Elderly Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  Influenza-like illness (ILI) remains a major cause of severe mortality and morbidity in the elderly. Aging is associated with a decreased ability to sense pathogens and mount effective innate and adaptive immune responses, thus mandating the development of protective nutraceuticals. Biobran/MGN-3, an arabinoxylan from rice bran, has potent anti-aging and immunomodulatory effects, suggesting that it may be effective against ILI. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of...
• Antiviral Activity and Underlying Action Mechanism of Euglena Extract against Influenza Virus Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  It is difficult to match annual vaccines against the exact influenza strain that is spreading in any given flu season. Owing to the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains, new approaches for treating influenza are needed. Euglena gracilis (hereinafter Euglena), microalga, used as functional foods and supplements, have been shown to alleviate symptoms of influenza virus infection in mice. However, the mechanism underlying the inhibitory action of microalgae against the influenza virus is...
• Serological Responses to Influenza Vaccination during Pregnancy Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  Pregnant women, newborns, and infants under six months old are at the highest risk of developing severe and even fatal influenza. This risk is compounded by the inability to vaccinate infants under six months, highlighting the importance of vertically transferred immunity. This review identifies novel insights that have emerged from recent studies using animal models of pregnancy and vaccination. We also discuss the knowledge obtained using existing clinical trials that have evaluated...
• Active Surveillance for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses in Wintering Waterbirds in Northeast Italy, 2020-2021 Sat, 27 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500
  The increasing involvement of wild waterfowl in H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAIV) circulation continues to pose a threat to animal and public health worldwide. In winter 2020-2021, two field surveillance activities were carried out on a weekly basis, through virological and serological analyses, in 823 hunted and 521 trapped migratory aquatic birds in northeast Italy. Sixty Eurasian teals were recaptured several times, which allowed us to follow the progression of the HPAI H5...