Biology subjects

Banyard, A. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Banyard, A. C..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Transatlantic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wild birds from Europe to North America in 2021

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage (GsGd), which threaten the health of poultry, wildlife and humans, are spreading across Asia, Europe and Africa, but are currently absent from Oceania and the Americas. In December 2021, H5N1 HPAI viruses were detected in poultry and a free-living gull in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses were most closely related to HPAI GsGd viruses circulating in northwestern Europe in spring 2021. Analysis of wild bird migration suggested that these viruses may have been carried across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland/Arctic or pelagic routes. The here documented incursion of HPAI GsGd viruses into North America raises concern for further virus spread across the Americas by wild bird migration. One-Sentence SummaryDetection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada raises concern for spread in the Americas by migratory birds.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Systemic infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 of avian origin produces encephalitis and mortality in wild mammals at a UK rehabilitation centre

Europe has experienced extensive outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during the autumn/winter 2020/21 season. These avian influenza A viruses are highly transmissible and have infected over 1000 commercial and backyard poultry premises in Europe in this period causing high mortality. The impact on wild bird populations has also been significant, with over 400 detections in at least 47 different species reported across Europe as being positive with the H5N8 virus. Although different H5Nx combinations within the H5 clade 2.3.4.4b have been detected, the H5N8 subtype has predominated both in wild birds and domestic poultry outbreaks. In the UK there have been 22 outbreaks of H5N8 in domestic poultry and captive birds and more than 300 wild bird detections involving H5N8 over the autumn/winter 2020/21 period to April 2021. Here we detail the series of events surrounding the detection of an H5N8 influenza A virus of avian origin in five swans, a fox and three seals in a wildlife rehabilitation centre.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

The Urtica Dioica Agglutinin Prevents Rabies Virus Infection in a Muscle Explant Model

Infection with the rabies virus (RABV) results, once symptoms develop, in a 100% lethal neurological disease. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), consists of a combination of vaccination and anti-rabies immunoglobulins (RIGs); it is 100% effective if administered early after infection. Because of the limited availability, alternatives for RIGs are needed. To that end we evaluated a panel of 33 different lectins for their effect on RABV infection in cell culture. Several lectins, with either mannose or GlcNAc specificity elicited anti-RABV activity of which the GlcNAc specific Urtica dioica Agglutinin (UDA) was selected for further studies. UDA was found to prevent entry of the virus into the host cell. To further assess the potential of UDA, a physiologically relevant RABV infection muscle explant model was developed. Strips of dissected swine skeletal muscle that were kept in culture medium could be productively infected with the RABV. When the infection of the muscle strips was carried out in the presence of UDA, RABV replication was completely prevented. We thus developed a physiologically relevant RABV muscle infection model. UDA (i) may serve as a reference for further studies and (ii) holds promise as a cheap and simple to produce alternative for RIGs in PEP.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2021

Establishment of pan-Influenza A (H1-H18) and pan-Influenza B (pre-split, Vic/Yam) Pseudotype Libraries for efficient vaccine antigen selection

We have developed an influenza hemagglutinin (HA) pseudotype library encompassing Influenza A subtypes HA1-18, and Influenza B subtypes (both lineages) to be employed in influenza pseudotype microneutralization (pMN) assays. The pMN is highly sensitive and specific for detecting virus-specific neutralizing antibodies against influenza viruses and can be used to assess antibody functionality in vitro. Here we show the production of these viral HA pseudotypes and their employment as substitutes for wildtype viruses in influenza serological and neutralization assays. We demonstrate its utility in detecting serum response to vaccination with the ability to evaluate cross-subtype neutralizing responses elicited by specific vaccinating antigens. Our findings may inform further pre-clinical studies involving immunization dosing regimens in mice and may help in the creation and selection of better antigens for vaccine design. These HA pseudotypes can be harnessed to meet strategic objectives that contribute to the strengthening of global influenza surveillance, expansion of seasonal influenza prevention and control policies, and strengthening pandemic preparedness and response.

immunology↗