Avian influenza is one of the largest known threats to domestic poultry. Influenza outbreaks on poultry farms typically lead to the complete slaughter of the entire domestic bird population, causing severe economic losses worldwide. Moreover, there are highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains that are able to infect the swine or human population in addition to their primary avian host and, as such, have the potential of being a global zoonotic and pandemic threat. Migratory birds, especially waterfowl, are a natural reservoir of the avian influenza virus; they carry and exchange different virus strains along their migration routes, leading to antigenic drift and antigenic shift, which results in the emergence of novel HPAI viruses. This requires monitoring over time and in different locations to allow for the upkeep of relevant knowledge on avian influenza virus evolution and the prevention of novel epizootic and epidemic outbreaks. In this review, we assess the role of migratory birds in the spread and introduction of influenza strains on a global level, based on recent data. Our analysis sheds light on the details of viral dissemination linked to avian migration, the viral exchange between migratory waterfowl and domestic poultry, virus ecology in general, and viral evolution as a process tightly linked to bird migration. We also provide insight into methods used to detect and quantify avian influenza in the wild. This review may be beneficial for the influenza research community and may pave the way to novel strategies of avian influenza and HPAI zoonosis outbreak monitoring and prevention.

Background During the ongoing coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals were infected with and have cleared the virus, developing virus-specific antibodies and effector/memory T cells. An important unanswered question is what levels of T cell and antibody responses are sufficient to protect from the infection. Methods In 5340 Moscow residents, we evaluated anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG titers and frequencies of the T cells specific to the membrane, nucleocapsid, and spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, using IFNγ ELISpot assay. Additionally, we evaluated the fractions of virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells using intracellular staining of IFNγ and IL2 followed by flow cytometry. We analyzed the COVID-19 rates as a function of the assessed antibody and T cell responses, using the Kaplan-Meyer estimator method, for up to 300 days post-inclusion. Results We showed that T cell and antibody responses are closely interconnected and are commonly induced concurrently. Magnitudes of both responses inversely correlated with infection probability. Individuals positive for both responses demonstrated the highest levels of protectivity against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. A comparable level of protection was found in individuals with antibody response only, while the T cell response by itself granted only intermediate protection. Conclusions We found that the contribution of the virus-specific antibodies to protection against the SARS-CoV-2 infection is more pronounced than that of the T cells. The data on the virus-specific IgG titers may be instructive for making decisions in personalized health care and public anti-COVID-19 policies.

Xenobiotic-metabolizing genes (e.g., Cytochromes P450, GST, NAT2, and NQO1), folate metabolism genes (e.g., MTHFR and MTRR), and major histocompatibility complex genes (e.g., HLA-DQA1) play multiple roles in the organism functioning. In addition, AB0 is the most clinically significant high-polymorphic gene in transfusion and transplantation medicine. Epidemiological data show that allele frequencies of these genes exhibit ethnic and geographic diversity. Besides, little is known about frequency distribution of the major polymorphic variants in native Russians. We developed biological microchips that allow us to analyze a spectrum of allelic variants in 12 different genes: CYP1A1, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, GSTT1, GSTM1, MTHFR, MTRR, NQO1, NAT2, HLA-DQA1, and AB0. Using this composite methodological platform we have studied 352 DNA samples from healthy native Russian volunteers. The allelic frequencies of gene polymorphisms obtained are close to allelic frequencies observed in some European populations, as published earlier. These data were used in comparative studies to determine predisposition to tuberculosis, lymphoma, and leukemia in adults and to childhood acute leukemia. The HLA-DQA1 and AB0 allele frequencies were used to estimate forensic population parameters for these loci.

BackgroundCoronavirus disease COVID-19 has spread worldwide extremely rapidly. Although many individuals have been infected and have cleared the virus, developing virus-specific antibodies and effector/memory T cells, an important question still to be answered is what levels of T cell and antibody responses are sufficient to protect from the infection.MethodsIn 5,340 Moscow residents, we evaluated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG titers and the frequencies of the T cells specific to the nucleocapsid, membrane, and spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, using IFNγ ELISpot, and we also evaluated the fractions of virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells using intracellular staining of IFNγ and IL2 followed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, we analyzed the post-inclusion COVID-19 rates as a function of the assessed antibody and T cell responses using the Kaplan-Meyer estimator method.ResultsWe showed that T cell and antibody responses are closely interconnected and commonly are induced concurrently. Individuals positive for both antibody and T cell immunities demonstrated the highest levels of protectivity against the SARS-CoV-2 infection, indistinguishably from individuals with antibody response only. Meanwhile, individuals with T cell response only demonstrated slightly higher protectivity than individuals without both types of immunity, as measured from N-protein–specific or CD4+IL2+ T cells. However, these individuals were characterized by higher IgG titers than individuals without any immunity, although the titers were below the seropositivity cut-off.ConclusionsThe results of the study indicated the advantage of serology testing over the analysis of T cell responses for the prediction of SARS-CoV-2 infection rates on a populational level.

A simple and convenient method for incorporation of fluorescent or ligand groups into 3'-termini of DNA fragments is proposed. A set of triphosphoric acid monoesters bearing fluorescent groups or biotin attached to the triphosphate fragment through linkers of different lengths and structures was synthesized. All the compounds were substrates for calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase and were used for incorporation of marker groups into 3'-termini of DNA fragments. The compounds were successfully applied for DNA labeling during post-PCR target preparation for microarray analysis.