Alasiri A, Soltane R, Hegazy A, Khalil AM, Mahmoud SH, Khalil AA, Martinez-Sobrido L, Mostafa A. Vaccination and Antiviral Treatment against Avian Influenza H5Nx Viruses: A Harbinger of Virus Control or Evolution.
Vaccines (Basel) 2023;
11:1628. [PMID:
38005960 PMCID:
PMC10675773 DOI:
10.3390/vaccines11111628]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the panzootic nature of emergent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses in wild migratory birds and domestic poultry, only a limited number of human infections with H5Nx viruses have been identified since its emergence in 1996. Few countries with endemic avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have implemented vaccination as a control strategy, while most of the countries have adopted a culling strategy for the infected flocks. To date, China and Egypt are the two major sites where vaccination has been adopted to control avian influenza H5Nx infections, especially with the widespread circulation of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses. This virus is currently circulating among birds and poultry, with occasional spillovers to mammals, including humans. Herein, we will discuss the history of AIVs in Egypt as one of the hotspots for infections and the improper implementation of prophylactic and therapeutic control strategies, leading to continuous flock outbreaks with remarkable virus evolution scenarios. Along with current pre-pandemic preparedness efforts, comprehensive surveillance of H5Nx viruses in wild birds, domestic poultry, and mammals, including humans, in endemic areas is critical to explore the public health risk of the newly emerging immune-evasive or drug-resistant H5Nx variants.
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