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Restori KH, Septer KM, Field CJ, Patel DR, VanInsberghe D, Raghunathan V, Lowen AC, Sutton TC. Risk assessment of a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus from mink. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4112. [PMID: 38750016 PMCID: PMC11096306 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48475-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in farmed mink and seals combined with isolated human infections suggest these viruses pose a pandemic threat. To assess this threat, using the ferret model, we show an H5N1 isolate derived from mink transmits by direct contact to 75% of exposed ferrets and, in airborne transmission studies, the virus transmits to 37.5% of contacts. Sequence analyses show no mutations were associated with transmission. The H5N1 virus also has a low infectious dose and remains virulent at low doses. This isolate carries the adaptive mutation, PB2 T271A, and reversing this mutation reduces mortality and airborne transmission. This is the first report of a H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus exhibiting direct contact and airborne transmissibility in ferrets. These data indicate heightened pandemic potential of the panzootic H5N1 viruses and emphasize the need for continued efforts to control outbreaks and monitor viral evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine H Restori
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kayla M Septer
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Cassandra J Field
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Devanshi R Patel
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - David VanInsberghe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vedhika Raghunathan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anice C Lowen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Troy C Sutton
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Emory Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), University Park, PA, USA.
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Patel DR, Field CJ, Septer KM, Sim DG, Jones MJ, Heinly TA, Vanderford TH, McGraw EA, Sutton TC. Transmission and Protection against Reinfection in the Ferret Model with the SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 Reference Isolate. J Virol 2021; 95:e0223220. [PMID: 33827954 PMCID: PMC8315962 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02232-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has initiated a global pandemic, and several vaccines have now received emergency use authorization. Using the reference strain SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020, we evaluated modes of transmission and the ability of prior infection or vaccine-induced immunity to protect against infection in ferrets. Ferrets were semipermissive to infection with the USA-WA1/2020 isolate. When transmission was assessed via the detection of viral RNA (vRNA) at multiple time points, direct contact transmission was efficient to 3/3 and 3/4 contact animals in 2 respective studies, while respiratory droplet transmission was poor to only 1/4 contact animals. To determine if previously infected ferrets were protected against reinfection, ferrets were rechallenged 28 or 56 days postinfection. Following viral challenge, no infectious virus was recovered in nasal wash samples. In addition, levels of vRNA in the nasal wash were several orders of magnitude lower than during primary infection, and vRNA was rapidly cleared. To determine if intramuscular vaccination protected ferrets, ferrets were vaccinated using a prime-boost strategy with the S protein receptor-binding domain formulated with an oil-in-water adjuvant. Upon viral challenge, none of the mock or vaccinated animals were protected against infection, and there were no significant differences in vRNA or infectious virus titers in the nasal wash. Combined, these studies demonstrate direct contact is the predominant mode of transmission of the USA-WA1/2020 isolate in ferrets and that immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is maintained for at least 56 days. Our studies also indicate protection of the upper respiratory tract against SARS-CoV-2 will require vaccine strategies that mimic natural infection or induce site-specific immunity. IMPORTANCE The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) USA-WA1/2020 strain is a CDC reference strain used by multiple research laboratories. Here, we show that the predominant mode of transmission of this isolate in ferrets is by direct contact. We further demonstrate ferrets are protected against reinfection for at least 56 days even when levels of neutralizing antibodies are low or undetectable. Last, we show that when ferrets were vaccinated by the intramuscular route to induce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, ferrets remain susceptible to infection of the upper respiratory tract. Collectively, these studies suggest that protection of the upper respiratory tract will require vaccine approaches that mimic natural infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanshi R. Patel
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cassandra J. Field
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Emory-UGA Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kayla M. Septer
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Derek G. Sim
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew J. Jones
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Talia A. Heinly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Emory-UGA Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas H. Vanderford
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. McGraw
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Troy C. Sutton
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Emory-UGA Center of Excellence of Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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