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Teitelbaum CS, Masto NM, Sullivan JD, Keever AC, Poulson RL, Carter DL, Blake-Bradshaw AG, Highway CJ, Feddersen JC, Hagy HM, Gerhold RW, Cohen BS, Prosser DJ. North American wintering mallards infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza show few signs of altered local or migratory movements. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14473. [PMID: 37660131 PMCID: PMC10475108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40921-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza viruses pose a threat to wildlife and livestock health. The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds and poultry in North America in late 2021 was the first such outbreak since 2015 and the largest outbreak in North America to date. Despite its prominence and economic impacts, we know relatively little about how HPAI spreads in wild bird populations. In January 2022, we captured 43 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in Tennessee, USA, 11 of which were actively infected with HPAI. These were the first confirmed detections of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in the Mississippi Flyway. We compared movement patterns of infected and uninfected birds and found no clear differences; infected birds moved just as much during winter, migrated slightly earlier, and migrated similar distances as uninfected birds. Infected mallards also contacted and shared space with uninfected birds while on their wintering grounds, suggesting ongoing transmission of the virus. We found no differences in body condition or survival rates between infected and uninfected birds. Together, these results show that HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection was unrelated to body condition or movement behavior in mallards infected at this location during winter; if these results are confirmed in other seasons and as HPAI H5N1 continues to evolve, they suggest that these birds could contribute to the maintenance and dispersal of HPAI in North America. Further research on more species across larger geographic areas and multiple seasons would help clarify potential impacts of HPAI on waterfowl and how this emerging disease spreads at continental scales, across species, and potentially between wildlife and domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire S Teitelbaum
- Akima Systems Engineering, Herndon, VA, USA.
- Contractor to U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA.
- Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
| | - Nicholas M Masto
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffery D Sullivan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Allison C Keever
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca L Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Deborah L Carter
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Cory J Highway
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | | | - Heath M Hagy
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Stanton, TN, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Bradley S Cohen
- College of Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
| | - Diann J Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA
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Herrera-Ong LR. Strategic construction of mRNA vaccine derived from conserved and experimentally validated epitopes of avian influenza type A virus: a reverse vaccinology approach. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2023; 12:156-171. [PMID: 37214143 PMCID: PMC10193103 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2023.12.2.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The development of vaccines that confer protection against multiple avian influenza A (AIA) virus strains is necessary to prevent the emergence of highly infectious strains that may result in more severe outbreaks. Thus, this study applied reverse vaccinology approach in strategically constructing messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine construct against avian influenza A (mVAIA) to induce cross-protection while targeting diverse AIA virulence factors. Materials and Methods Immunoinformatics tools and databases were utilized to identify conserved experimentally validated AIA epitopes. CD8+ epitopes were docked with dominant chicken major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) to evaluate complex formation. Conserved epitopes were adjoined in the optimized mVAIA sequence for efficient expression in Gallus gallus. Signal sequence for targeted secretory expression was included. Physicochemical properties, antigenicity, toxicity, and potential cross-reactivity were assessed. The tertiary structure of its protein sequence was modeled and validated in silico to investigate the accessibility of adjoined B-cell epitope. Potential immune responses were also simulated in C-ImmSim. Results Eighteen experimentally validated epitopes were found conserved (Shannon index <2.0) in the study. These include one B-cell (SLLTEVETPIRNEWGCR) and 17 CD8+ epitopes, adjoined in a single mRNA construct. The CD8+ epitopes docked favorably with MHC peptide-binding groove, which were further supported by the acceptable ΔGbind (-28.45 to -40.59 kJ/mol) and Kd (<1.00) values. The incorporated Sec/SPI (secretory/signal peptidase I) cleavage site was also recognized with a high probability (0.964814). Adjoined B-cell epitope was found within the disordered and accessible regions of the vaccine. Immune simulation results projected cytokine production, lymphocyte activation, and memory cell generation after the 1st dose of mVAIA. Conclusion Results suggest that mVAIA possesses stability, safety, and immunogenicity. In vitro and in vivo confirmation in subsequent studies are anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leana Rich Herrera-Ong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
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Prosser DJ, Schley HL, Simmons N, Sullivan JD, Homyack J, Weegman M, Olsen GH, Berlin AM, Poulson RL, Stallknecht DE, Williams CK. A lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) naturally infected with Eurasian 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus: Movement ecology and host factors. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e2653-e2660. [PMID: 35678746 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recognized role of wild waterfowl in the potential dispersal and transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, little is known about how infection affects these birds. This lack of information limits our ability to estimate viral spread in the event of an HPAI outbreak, thereby limiting our abilities to estimate and communicate risk. Here, we present telemetry data from a wild Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), captured during a separate ecology study in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. This bird tested positive for infection with clade 2.3.4.4 HPAI virus of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD) H5N1 lineage (results received post-release) during the 2021-2022 ongoing outbreaks in North America. While the infected bird was somewhat lighter than other adult males surgically implanted with transmitters (790 g, x̅ = 868 g, n = 11), it showed no clinical signs of infection at capture, during surgery, nor upon release. The bird died 3 days later-pathology undetermined as the specimen was not able to be recovered. Analysis of movement data within the 3-day window showed that the infected individual's maximum and average hourly movements (3894.3 and 428.8 m, respectively) were noticeably lower than noninfected conspecifics tagged and released the same day (x̅ = 21,594.5 and 1097.9 m, respectively; n = 4). We identified four instances where the infected bird had close contact (fixes located within 25 m and 15 min) with another marked bird during this time. Collectively, these data suggest that the HPAI-positive bird observed in this study may have been shedding virus for some period prior to death, with opportunities for direct bird-to-bird or environmental transmission. Although limited by low sample size and proximity to the time of tagging, we hope that these data will provide useful information as managers continue to respond to this ongoing outbreak event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diann J Prosser
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah L Schley
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Nathan Simmons
- Wildlife & Heritage Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wye Mills, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffery D Sullivan
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Josh Homyack
- Wildlife & Heritage Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wye Mills, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew Weegman
- Eastern Neck NWR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rock Hall, Maryland, USA
| | - Glenn H Olsen
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Alicia M Berlin
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebecca L Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - David E Stallknecht
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Christopher K Williams
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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