We isolated new reassortant avian influenza A(H5N6) viruses from feces of wild waterfowl in South Korea during 2017–18. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that reassortment occurred between clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 and Eurasian low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses circulating in wild birds. Dissemination to South Korea during the 2017 fall migratory season followed.
A reassortant clade 2.3.4.4 avian influenza A(H5N6) virus was isolated from a fecal sample of a Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) in South Korea during October 2016. This virus was genetically similar to H5N6 subtype virus isolates from China, Vietnam, Laos, and Hong Kong, including human isolates.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) viruses were isolated from migratory waterfowl in South Korea during fall 2014–winter 2015, a recurrence after initial introduction in winter 2014. These reappeared viruses were phylogenetically distinct from isolates circulating in poultry farms in South Korea.
The development of COVID-19 vaccines is critical in controlling global health issues under the COVID-19 pandemic. The subunit vaccines are the safest and most widely used vaccine platform and highly effective against a multitude of infectious diseases. An adjuvant is essential for subunit vaccines to enhance the magnitude and durability of immune responses. In this study, we determined whether a combination of toll-like receptor (TLR)1/2 and TLR3 agonists (L-pampo) can be a potent adjuvant for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) subunit vaccine. We measured a neutralizing antibody (nAb) and an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor-blocking antibody against SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD). We also detected interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production by using ELISPOT and ELISA assays. By employing a ferret model, we detected nAbs and IFN-γ producing cells and measured viral load in nasal wash after the challenge of SARS-CoV-2. We found that SARS-CoV-2 antigens with L-pampo stimulated robust humoral and cellular immune responses. The efficacy of L-pampo was higher than the other adjuvants. Furthermore, in the ferret model, SARS-CoV-2 antigens with L-pampo elicited nAb response and antigen-specific cellular immune response against SARS-CoV-2, resulting in substantially decreased viral load in their nasal wash. Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 antigens formulated with TLR agonists, L-pampo, can be a potent subunit vaccine to promote sufficient protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
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