Browsing by Author "Medina, Rafael"

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    Avian orthoavulavirus 1 (Newcastle Disease virus) antibodies in five penguin species, Antarctic peninsula and Southern Patagonia
    (2021) Ariyama, Naomi; Tapia, Rodrigo; Godoy, Claudia; Aguero, Belen; Valdes, Valentina; Berrios, Felipe; Garcia Borboroglu, Pablo; Putz, Klemens; Alegria, Raul; Barriga, Gonzalo P.; Medina, Rafael; Neira, Victor
    Avian orthoavulavirus 1 (AOaV-1) causes Newcastle disease, one of the most important and contagious infections in poultry, where migratory birds can play a key role as a reservoir. Seven hundred and seven serum samples were collected from five penguin species (King, Magellanic, Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie penguins) in the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic zones. Using a competitive ELISA to detect antibodies against AOaV-1, we identified positive individuals in all penguin species. The Magellanic penguin showed the highest seropositivity rate (30.3%), suggesting it could be a natural reservoir of this virus. At the Antarctic zones, Chinstrap penguin showed the highest occurrence (7.5%). Interesting, positive sera was only obtained in Sub-Antarctic and Northern zones at the Antarctic peninsula, no seroreactivity was observed in Southern locations. Further studies are needed to establish the role of these penguin species in the epidemiology of the AOaV-1 and determine the effects of this virus in these populations.
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    Caracterización clínica y epidemiológica de infección asociada a atención en salud por virus influenza en pacientes críticos
    (2019) Gutiérrez, Valentina; Cerda, Jaime; Le Corre Pérez, Monique Nicole; Medina, Rafael; Ferrés Garrido, Marcela Viviana
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    Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 virus in ambulatory children under 2 years old
    (2022) Pérez, Carolina A.; Ormazábal, Ivana; Pérez Valenzuela, Javier; Araya del Pino, Andrea Paz; Medina, Rafael; Perret Pérez, Cecilia
    Background: SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging virus that has mainly affected adults; hence, most clinical information has been derived from that population. Most pediatric cases are mild and with nonspecific symptoms requiring outpatient management. Children are a major source of spread for most traditional respiratory viruses. Their role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission was thought to be relevant. Children under the age of two comprise a group that is more susceptible to infection since vaccines have not been approved for them until recently. The knowledge of clinical manifestation of COVID-19 in young children is scarce. Objectives: To describe the clinical, epidemiological, and demographic characteristics of children under 2 years old with confirmed COVID-19, who did not require hospitalization. Methods: This descriptive study was performed from May, 2020 to June, 2021. Children ages 0-2 years with COVID-19, confirmed by transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay that were performed in laboratories of the Red de Salud UC CHRISTUS Health Network, were selected to be contacted. If the parents accepted participating and their children were not hospitalized, a survey was sent to the patients' caregivers. Results: Of the 242 cases, 159 caregivers answered the survey (65.7%). The median age of the subjects was 14 months, and 53.5% were males. Fifty percent had comorbidities, of which one third corresponded to atopy. Ninety eight percent were secondary cases. Most of them were infected within their households (81%). The most frequent sources were their parents, followed by their grandparents. The most common symptom was fever (78%) followed by irritability (67.3%), rhinorrhea (66%), and fatigue (64.8%). Infants less than 6 months old more often presented with conjunctival congestion and less loss of appetite compared to older children (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights regarding COVID-19 in ambulatory young children. Most cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children under 2 years old do not require hospitalization. There was a slight male predominance, and the majority had been infected within their households. SARS-CoV-2 infection should be suspected in children under 2 years old presenting with fever, irritability, fatigue, and rhinorrhea. Children with positive household contacts and fever should also be tested for COVID-19.
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    Cross-species and mammal-to-mammal transmission of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 with PB2 adaptations
    (2025) Pardo Roa, Catalina; Nelson, Martha I.; Ariyama, Naomi; Aguayo, Carolina; Almonacid Cárdenas, Leonardo Iván; Gonzalez-Reiche, Ana S.; Muñoz, Gabriela; Ulloa, Mauricio; Avila, Claudia; Navarro, Carlos; Reyes, Rodolfo; Castillo Torres, Pablo Nicolás; Mathieu, Christian; Vergara, Ricardo; Gonzalez, Alvaro; Gonzalez, Carmen Gloria; Araya, Hugo; Castillo, Andres; Torres, Juan Carlos; Covarrubias, Paulo; Bustos, Patricia; van Bakel, Harm; Fernandez, Jorge; Fasce, Rodrigo A.; Johow, Magdalena; Neira, Victor; Medina, Rafael
    Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) belonging to lineage 2.3.4.4b emerged in Chile in December 2022, leading to mass mortality events in wild birds, poultry, and marine mammals and one human case. We detected HPAIV in 7,33% (714/9745) of cases between December 2022-April 2023 and sequenced 177 H5N1 virus genomes from poultry, marine mammals, a human, and wild birds spanning >3800 km of Chilean coastline. Chilean viruses were closely related to Peru's H5N1 outbreak, consistent with north-to-south spread down the Pacific coastline. One human virus and nine marine mammal viruses in Chile had the rare PB2 D701N mammalian-adaptation mutation and clustered phylogenetically despite being sampled 5 weeks and hundreds of kilometers apart. These viruses shared additional genetic signatures, including another mammalian PB2 adaptation (Q591K, n = 6), synonymous mutations, and minor variants. Several mutations were detected months later in sealions in the Atlantic coast, indicating that the pinniped outbreaks on the west and east coasts of South America are genetically linked. These data support sustained mammal-to-mammal transmission of HPAIV in marine mammals over thousands of kilometers of Chile's Pacific coastline, which subsequently continued through the Atlantic coastline.
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    Cross-species and mammal-to-mammal transmission of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 with PB2 adaptations
    (2025) Pardo Roa, Catalina; Nelson, Martha I.; Ariyama, Naomi; Aguayo, Carolina; Almonacid Cárdenas, Leonardo Iván; Gonzalez-Reiche, Ana S.; Muñoz, Gabriela; Ulloa, Mauricio; Avila, Claudia; Navarro, Carlos; Reyes, Rodolfo; Castillo Torres, Pablo Nicolás; Mathieu, Christian; Vergara, Ricardo; Gonzalez, Alvaro; Gonzalez, Carmen Gloria; Araya, Hugo; Castillo, Andres; Torres, Juan Carlos; Covarrubias, Paulo; Bustos, Patricia; van Bakel, Harm; Fernandez, Jorge; Fasce, Rodrigo A.; Johow, Magdalena; Neira, Victor; Medina, Rafael
    Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) belonging to lineage 2.3.4.4b emerged in Chile in December 2022, leading to mass mortality events in wild birds, poultry, and marine mammals and one human case. We detected HPAIV in 7,33% (714/9745) of cases between December 2022-April 2023 and sequenced 177 H5N1 virus genomes from poultry, marine mammals, a human, and wild birds spanning >3800 km of Chilean coastline. Chilean viruses were closely related to Peru's H5N1 outbreak, consistent with north-to-south spread down the Pacific coastline. One human virus and nine marine mammal viruses in Chile had the rare PB2 D701N mammalian-adaptation mutation and clustered phylogenetically despite being sampled 5 weeks and hundreds of kilometers apart. These viruses shared additional genetic signatures, including another mammalian PB2 adaptation (Q591K, n = 6), synonymous mutations, and minor variants. Several mutations were detected months later in sealions in the Atlantic coast, indicating that the pinniped outbreaks on the west and east coasts of South America are genetically linked. These data support sustained mammal-to-mammal transmission of HPAIV in marine mammals over thousands of kilometers of Chile's Pacific coastline, which subsequently continued through the Atlantic coastline.
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    Cross-species transmission and PB2 mammalian adaptations of highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 viruses in Chile
    (2023) Pardo Roa, Catalina; Nelson, Martha I.; Ariyama, Naomi; Aguayo, Carolina; Almonacid Cárdenas, Leonardo Iván; Muñoz, Gabriela; Navarro, Carlos; Ávila, Claudia; Ulloa, Mauricio; Reyes, Rodolfo; Fuentes Luppichini, Eugenia Lucía Angélica; Mathieu, Christian; Vergara, Ricardo; González, Álvaro; González, Carmen Gloria; Araya, Hugo; Fernández, Jorge; Fasce, Rodrigo; Johow, Magdalena; Medina, Rafael; Neira, Víctor
    H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) emerged in wild birds in Chile in December 2022 and spilled over into poultry, marine mammals, and one human. Between December 9, 2022 – March 14, 2023, a coordinated government/academic response detected HPAIV by real-time RT-PCR in 8.5% (412/4735) of samples from 23 avian and 3 mammal orders. Whole-genome sequences obtained from 77 birds and 8 marine mammals revealed that all Chilean H5N1 viruses belong to lineage 2.3.4.4b and cluster monophyletically with viruses from Peru, indicating a single introduction from North America into Peru/Chile. Mammalian adaptations were identified in the PB2 segment: D701N in two sea lions, one human, and one shorebird, and Q591K in the human and one sea lion. Minor variant analysis revealed that D701N was present in 52.9 – 70.9% of sequence reads, indicating the presence of both genotypes within hosts. Further surveillance of spillover events is warranted to assess the emergence and potential onward transmission of mammalian adapted H5N1 HPAIV in South America.
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    Development of a Reverse Genetic System for Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus : Rescue of Recombinant Fluorescent Virus by Using Salmon Internal Transcribed Spacer Region 1 as a Novel Promoter
    (2015) Toro-Ascuy, D.; Tambley, C.; Beltran, C.; Mascayano, C.; Sandoval, N.; Olivares, E.; Medina, Rafael; Spencer, E.; Cortez-San Martin, M.
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    Ecology, Genetic Diversity, and Phylogeographic Structure of Andes Virus in Humans and Rodents in Chile
    (2009) Medina, Rafael; Palma Vásquez, Ramón Eduardo; Ferrés Garrido, Marcela Viviana
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    Emergence and rapid dissemination of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in wild birds, Chile.
    (SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG, 2023) Ariyama, Naomi; Pardo-Roa, Catalina; Munoz, Gabriela; Aguayo, Carolina; Avila, Claudia; Mathieu, Christian; Brito, Barbara; Medina, Rafael; Johow, Magdalena; Neira, Victor
    In December 2022, HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b emerged in Chile. We detected the virus in 93 wild bird samples and sequenced the whole genome of nine Chilean strains from pelicans and gulls. Phylogenetic analysis suggests at least two different HPAI viral clusters in South America.
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    First report and genetic characterization of Seneca Valley virus (SVV) in Chile
    (SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG, 2022) Bennett, Benjamin; Urzua-Encina, Constanza; Pardo-Roa, Catalina; Ariyama, Naomi; Lecocq, Claudio; Rivera, Carlos; Badia, Catalina; Suarez, Paulina; Agredo, Michel; Aguayo, Carolina; Avila, Claudia; Araya, Hugo; Perez, Patricio; Berrios, Felipe; Aguero, Belen; Mendieta, Vanessa; Pituco, Edviges Maristela; de Almeida, Iassudara Garcia; Medina, Rafael; Brito, Barbara; Johow, Magdalena; Neira Ramirez, Victor
    Seneca Valley virus (SVV) is a non-enveloped RNA virus and the only member of the Senecavirus A (SVA) species, in the Senecavirus genus, Picornaviridae family. SVV infection causes vesicular lesions in the oral cavity, snout and hooves of pigs. This infection is clinically indistinguishable from trade-restrictions-related diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease. Other clinical manifestations include diarrhoea, anorexia, lethargy, neurological signs and mortality in piglets during their first week of age. Before this study, Chile was considered free of vesicular diseases of swine, including SVV. In April 2022, a suspected case of vesicular disease in a swine farm was reported in Chile. The SVV was confirmed and other vesicular diseases were ruled out. An epidemiological investigation and phylogenetic analyses were performed to identify the origin and extent of the outbreak. Three hundred ninety-five samples from 44 swine farms were collected, including faeces (208), oral fluid (28), processing fluid (14), fresh semen (61), environmental samples (80) and tissue from lesions (4) for real-time RT-PCR detection. Until June 2022, the SVV has been detected in 16 out of 44 farms, all epidemiologically related to the index farm. The closest phylogenetic relationship of the Chilean SVV strain is with viruses collected from swine in California in 2017. The direct cause of the SVV introduction has not yet been identified; however, the phylogenetic analyses suggest the USA as the most likely source. Since the virus remains active in the environment, transmission by fomites such as contaminated feed cannot be discarded. Further studies are needed to determine the risk of the introduction of novel SVV and other transboundary swine pathogens to Chile.
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    First report of porcine respirovirus 1 in South America
    (2020) Aguero, B.; Mena, J.; Berrios, F.; Tapia, R.; Salinas, C.; Dutta, J.; van Bakel, H.; Mor, S. K.; Brito, B.; Medina, Rafael; Neira, V.
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    Glycosylations in the Globular Head of the Hemagglutinin Protein Modulate the Virulence and Antigenic Properties of the H1N1 Influenza Viruses
    (2013) Medina, Rafael; Stertz, Silke; Manicassamy, Balaji; Zimmermann, Petra; Sun, Xiangjie; Albrecht, Randy A.; Uusi-Kerttula, Hanni; Zagordi, Osvaldo; Belshe, Robert B.; Frey, Sharon E.; Tumpey, Terrence M.; García Sastre, Adolfo
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    Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus in Wild Birds, Chile
    (2023) Ariyama, Naomi; Pardo-Roa, Catalina; Muñoz, Gabriela; Aguayo, Carolina; Ávila, Claudia; Mathieu, Christian; Almonacid Cárdenas, Leonardo Iván; Medina, Rafael; Brito, Barbara; Johow, Magdalena; Neira, Víctor
    In December 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus emerged in Chile. We detected H5N1 virus in 93 samples and obtained 9 whole-genome sequences of strains from wild birds. Phylogenetic analysis suggests multiple viral introductions into South America. Continued surveillance is needed to assess risks to humans and domestic poultry.
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    Humoral waning kinetics against SARS-CoV-2 is dictated by disease severity and vaccine platform
    (2024) Tong, Xin; Kellman, Benjamin; Avendaño Valenzuela, María José; Mendu, Maanasa; Hsiao, Jeff C.; Serrano García, Eileen Francisca; García Salum, Tamara Cristal; Muena, Nicolás; Pardo Roa, Catalina; Morales, Mauricio; Levicán Asenjo, Jorge Enrique; Salinas Ortiz, Erick David; Cárdenas-Cáceres, Simone; Riquelme Pérez, Arnoldo; Tischler, Nicole D.; Lauffenburger, Douglas A.; Alter, Galit; McNamara, Ryan P.; Medina, Rafael
    SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-acquired immunity provides robust cross-variant recognition, while infection-acquired immunity can be heterogenous, with disease severity often modulating post-recovery responses. We assessed antibody waning dynamics between infection- and vaccination-acquired immunity across variants of concern (VOC). mRNA vaccination induced potent, cross-VOC Spike recognition and functional responses, but waned more rapidly for Omicron Spike. Hospitalized individuals developed more durable functional responses with lower peaks compared to mRNA vaccination, while outpatients exhibited slower decay than inactivated vaccine recipients. Humoral decay for the receptor binding domain tracked with neutralizing antibody titers, while S2-directed responses tracked with antibody-dependent myeloid cellular phagocytosis. Boosting the recovered patients with mRNA or inactivated vaccines expanded humoral breadth, durability, and restored functional responses, eliminating the severity- and platform-associated decay differences. Therefore, post-recovery hybrid immunization compensates for this distinction and broadens humoral breadth, highlighting the value of boosting immunity in previously infected individuals.
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    Infection of novel reassortant H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza A viruses in the guinea pig model
    (2018) Medina, Rafael; Tapia, Rodrigo.; García, Victoria.; Mena, Juan.; Bucarey Vivanco, Sergio.; Neira, Víctor.
    Abstract Novel H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza A viruses (IAVs) were identified in commercial farms in Chile. These viruses contained H1, H3 and N2 sequences, genetically divergent from IAVs described worldwide, associated with pandemic internal genes. Guinea pigs were used as human surrogate to evaluate the infection dynamics of these reassortant viruses, compared with a pandemic H1N1 virus. All viruses replicated and were shed in the upper respiratory tract without prior adaptation although H1N2 viruses showed the highest shedding titers. This could have public health importance, emphasizing the need to carry out further studies to evaluate the zoonotic potential of these viruses.Abstract Novel H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza A viruses (IAVs) were identified in commercial farms in Chile. These viruses contained H1, H3 and N2 sequences, genetically divergent from IAVs described worldwide, associated with pandemic internal genes. Guinea pigs were used as human surrogate to evaluate the infection dynamics of these reassortant viruses, compared with a pandemic H1N1 virus. All viruses replicated and were shed in the upper respiratory tract without prior adaptation although H1N2 viruses showed the highest shedding titers. This could have public health importance, emphasizing the need to carry out further studies to evaluate the zoonotic potential of these viruses.Abstract Novel H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza A viruses (IAVs) were identified in commercial farms in Chile. These viruses contained H1, H3 and N2 sequences, genetically divergent from IAVs described worldwide, associated with pandemic internal genes. Guinea pigs were used as human surrogate to evaluate the infection dynamics of these reassortant viruses, compared with a pandemic H1N1 virus. All viruses replicated and were shed in the upper respiratory tract without prior adaptation although H1N2 viruses showed the highest shedding titers. This could have public health importance, emphasizing the need to carry out further studies to evaluate the zoonotic potential of these viruses.Abstract Novel H1N2 and H3N2 swine influenza A viruses (IAVs) were identified in commercial farms in Chile. These viruses contained H1, H3 and N2 sequences, genetically divergent from IAVs described worldwide, associated with pandemic internal genes. Guinea pigs were used as human surrogate to evaluate the infection dynamics of these reassortant viruses, compared with a pandemic H1N1 virus. All viruses replicated and were shed in the upper respiratory tract without prior adaptation although H1N2 viruses showed the highest shedding titers. This could have public health importance, emphasizing the need to carry out further studies to evaluate the zoonotic potential of these viruses.
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    Long-lasting neutralizing antibody responses in SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals are robustly boosted by immunization with the CoronaVac and BNT162b2 vaccines
    (2021) Muena, Nicolás A.; García Salum, Tamara Cristal; Pardo Roa, Catalina; Serrano García, Eileen Francisca; Levicán Asenjo, Jorge Enrique; Avendaño, María José; Almonacid Cárdenas, Leonardo Iván; Valenzuela Galaz, Gonzalo Hernán; Poblete Cárdenas, Estefany Aracely; Strohmeier, Shirin; Salinas Ortíz, Erick David; Haslwanter, Denise; Dieterle, Maria Eugenia; Jangra, Rohit K.; Chandran, Kartik; González, Claudia; Riquelme Pérez, Arnoldo Javier; Krammer, Florian; Tischler, Nicole D.; Medina, Rafael
    The durability of circulating neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and their boosting by vaccination remains to be defined. We show that outpatient and hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals mount a robust neutralizing antibody (nAb) response that peaks at days 23 and 27 post-symptom onset, respectively. Although nAb titers remained higher in hospitalized patients, both study groups showed long-lasting nAb responses that can persist for up to 12 months after natural infection. These nAb responses in previously seropositive individuals can be significantly boosted through immunization with two doses of the CoronaVac (Sinovac) or one dose of the BNT162b2 (BioNTech/Pfizer) vaccines, suggesting a substantial induction of B cell memory responses. Noteworthy, three obese previously seropositive individuals failed to mount a booster response upon vaccination, warranting further studies in this population. Immunization of naïve individuals with two doses of the CoronaVac vaccine or one dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine elicited similar levels of nAbs compared to seropositive individuals 4.2 to 13.3 months post-infection with SARS-CoV-2. Thus, this preliminary evidence suggests that both, seropositive and naïve individuals, require two doses of CoronaVac to ensure the induction of robust nAb titers.
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    Mass mortality event in South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) correlated to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak in Chile
    (2023) Ulloa, Mauricio; Fernandez, Antonio; Ariyama, Naomi; Colom-Rivero, Ana; Rivera, Carlos; Nunez, Paula; Sanhueza, Paola; Johow, Magdalena; Araya, Hugo; Torres, Juan Carlos; Gomez, Paola; Munoz, Gabriela; Aguero, Belen; Alegria, Raul; Medina, Rafael; Neira, Victor; Sierra, Eva
    In Chile, since January 2023, a sudden and pronounced increase in strandings and mortality has been observed among South American (SA) sea lions (Otaria flavescens), prompting significant concern. Simultaneously, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAIV H5N1) in avian species has emerged since December 2022. To investigate the cause of this unexpected mortality, we conducted a comprehensive epidemiological and pathologic study. One hundred sixty-nine SA sea lions were sampled to ascertain their HPAIV H5N1 status, and long-term stranding trends from 2009 to 2023 were analyzed. In addition, two animals were necropsied. Remarkably, a significant surge in SA sea lion strandings was observed initiating in January 2023 and peaking in June 2023, with a count of 4,545 stranded and deceased animals. Notably, this surge in mortality correlates geographically with HPAIV outbreaks affecting wild birds. Among 168 sampled SA sea lions, 34 (20%) tested positive for Influenza A virus, and 21 confirmed for HPAIV H5N1 2.3.4.4b clade in tracheal/rectal swab pools. Clinical and pathological evaluations of the two necropsied stranded sea lions revealed prevalent neurological and respiratory signs, including disorientation, tremors, ataxia, and paralysis, as well as acute dyspnea, tachypnea, profuse nasal secretion, and abdominal breathing. The lesions identified in necropsied animals aligned with observed clinical signs. Detection of the virus via immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time PCR in the brain and lungs affirmed the findings. The findings provide evidence between the mass mortality occurrences in SA sea lions and HPAIV, strongly indicating a causal relationship. Further studies are needed to better understand the pathogenesis and transmission.
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    Microbiome disturbance and resilience dynamics of the upper respiratory tract during influenza A virus infection
    (2020) Kau, Drishti; Rathnasinghe, Raveen Shevantha; Ferrés, Marcela; Tan, Gene S.; Barrera Vásquez, Aldo Vincent; Pickett, Brett E.; Methe, Barbara A.; Das, Suman; Budnik Ojeda, Isolda Cecilia; Halpin, Rebecca A.; Wentworth, David; Schmolke, Mirco; Mena, Ignacio; Albrecht, Randy A.; Singh, Indresh; Nelson, Karen E.; Garcia Sastre, Adolfo; Dupont, Chris L.; Medina, Rafael
    Infection with influenza can be aggravated by bacterial co-infections, which often results in disease exacerbation. The effects of influenza infection on the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiome are largely unknown. Here, we report a longitudinal study to assess the temporal dynamics of the URT microbiomes of uninfected and influenza virus-infected humans and ferrets. Uninfected human patients and ferret URT microbiomes have stable healthy ecostate communities both within and between individuals. In contrast, infected patients and ferrets exhibit large changes in bacterial community composition over time and between individuals. The unhealthy ecostates of infected individuals progress towards the healthy ecostate, coinciding with viral clearance and recovery. Pseudomonadales associate statistically with the disturbed microbiomes of infected individuals. The dynamic and resilient microbiome during influenza virus infection in multiple hosts provides a compelling rationale for the maintenance of the microbiome homeostasis as a potential therapeutic target to prevent IAV associated bacterial co-infections. Influenza A virus (IAV) infection can be exacerbated by bacterial co-infections but the effect of IAV on the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiome remains unclear. Here, the authors compare the dynamics of the UTR microbiome in IAV-infected ferrets and humans, finding similar trends at the ecosystem and individual taxon level in both hosts.
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    Novel Avulaviruses in Penguins, Antarctica
    (2017) Neira, Víctor; Tapia, Rodrigo; Verdugo, Claudio; Barriga, Gonzalo; Mor, Sunil; Fei Fan Ng, Terry; García, Victoria; Del Río, José; Rodríguez, Pedro; Medina, Rafael; Briceño, Cristóbal; González Acuña, Daniel