Publications by authors named "Ann Kathrin Ahrens"

In Europe, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus circulates in avian wildlife, undergoing frequent reassortment, sporadic introductions in domestic birds, and spillover to mammals. An H5N1 clade 2.3.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Approved vaccines are good for preventing severe COVID-19, but new variants and transmission need a stronger immune response, leading to the creation of modified live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs) that recode the SARS-CoV-2 genome.
  • - The new vaccines, called OTS-206 and OTS-228, are designed to be safe and effective, with OTS-228 showing no side effects or transmission in animal studies, and can be given intranasally.
  • - A single dose of OTS-228 not only provides strong immunity against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain but also offers broad protection against variants like Omicron, making this approach potentially valuable for other emerging viruses as well. *
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Article Synopsis
  • - A variety of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, particularly subtype H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, have led to recurring outbreaks in Germany.
  • - In November 2023, four new highly pathogenic avian influenza genotypes emerged after mixing with less harmful virus strains.
  • - These new genotypes replaced genotype BB, which had been the dominant strain in Europe since 2022.
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High-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of the goose/Guangdong lineage are enzootically circulating in wild bird populations worldwide. This increases the risk of entry into poultry production and spill-over to mammalian species, including humans. Better understanding of the ecological and epizootiological networks of these viruses is essential to optimize mitigation measures.

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Recent reports documenting sporadic infections in carnivorous mammals worldwide with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.

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Surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV) in wild water bird populations is important for early warning to protect poultry from incursions of high-pathogenicity (HP) AIV. Access to individual water birds is difficult and restricted and limits sampling depth. Here, we focused on environmental samples such as surface water, sediments, and environmentally deposited fresh avian feces as matrices for AIV detection.

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Mallards () are an abundant anseriform migratory wild bird species worldwide and an important reservoir for the maintenance of low pathogenicity (LP) avian influenza viruses (AIV). They have also been implicated in the spread of high pathogenicity (HP) AIV after spill-over events from HPAIV-infected poultry. The spread of HPAIV within wild water bird populations may lead to viral contamination of natural habitats.

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Avian influenza virus (AIV) variants emerge frequently, which challenges rapid diagnosis. Appropriate diagnosis reaching the sub- and pathotype level is the basis of combatting notifiable AIV infections. Real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) has become a standard diagnostic tool.

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