BACKGROUND In view of the rapid geographic spread and the increasing number of confirmed cases of novel influenza A(H7N9) virus infections in eastern China, we developed a diffusion model to spatiotemporally characterize the impacts of bird migration and poultry distribution on the geographic spread of H7N9 infection. METHODS Three types of infection risks were estimated for 12 weeks, from Fe...

Newly emerged highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A H5 viruses have caused outbreaks among birds in the United States. These viruses differ genetically from HPAI H5 viruses that previously caused human illness, most notably in Asia and Africa. To assess the risk for animal-to-human HPAI H5 virus transmission in the United States, we determined the number of persons with self-reported expos...

This report describes the identification and characterization of a novel circovirus using metagenomic approaches in respiratory fluid samples from Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). The genome and deduced protein sequences share low identity with another circovirus recovered in distantly related bats from China.

Chubak and colleagues reported that moderate-intensity xercise training reduced common cold incidence but had o effect on the total incidence of upper respiratory infecions. As a motivation for the trial, they cited 2 randomized to 4-month trials; however, these trials did not find a tatistically significant effect on upper respiratory infection ncidence from moderate exercise, but the studies ...

A severe and fatal outbreak of Tetrameres fissispina in four flocks of local chickens in Nigeria is being described. The outbreak was characterized by sudden and massive death and pathology mimicking avian influenza. Convention tests for major viral and bacterial diseases of poultry in Nigeria were all negative. T. fissispina was isolated from most carcasses submitted for post mortem examinatio...

A fox circovirus was identified in serum samples from foxes with unexplained neurologic signs by using viral metagenomics. Fox circovirus nucleic acid was localized in histological lesions of the cerebrum by in situ hybridization. Viruses from the family Circoviridae may have neurologic tropism more commonly than previously anticipated.

In addition to causing the disease called AI, these AIVs commonly cause asymptomatic or very mild infections that go undetected in the absence of an active laboratory-based virus surveillance program. These asymptomatic infections are important because they play a critical role in the epidemiology of AIV infections in birds and in the maintenance of AIVs in avian populations. The unique complex...

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) is the etiologic agent of porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD). PCV-2 is classified into three genotypes. Here, we present the complete genomic sequences of two PCV-2 isolates (KM and H026) with an unusual sequence duplication in the rep gene coding for viral replicase proteins.

BACKGROUND Porcine circovirus-like virus P1 is a newly discovered virus. To date, there has been no specific serological assay for use in the diagnosis of P1 infection. RESULTS Because P1 has high homology to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) at the nucleotide level, the C-terminal portion of the capsid protein (amino acids 73-114), a discriminative antigen, was expressed in a prokaryotic expr...

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is recognized as the causative agent of porcine circovirus-associated diseases. PCV2 replication could be promoted by low doses of ochratoxin A (OTA) as in our previous study and selenium has been shown to attenuate PCV2 replication. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of selenomethionine (SeMet)...