Biology subjects

Rohringer, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Rohringer, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses H5N1 and H5N5 in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Norway during 2022-2024

Since 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5Nx) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses have spread globally, causing extensive outbreaks in domestic and wild birds. Increased circulation has resulted in frequent spillover to mammals, and occasional mammal-to-mammal transmission. Although human infections remain rare, the zoonotic potential of these viruses continues to be a public health concern. We investigated six cases of HPAI in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Norway during 2022-2024 and identified infections with H5N1 and H5N5 viruses. Pathological and virological investigations demonstrated systemic infection, with prominent lesions in the brain and/or lungs. Phylogenetic analyses showed high similarity between viruses detected in foxes and those concurrently circulating in wild birds. The mammalian adaptation marker PB2:E627K was identified in one H5N1 virus and as a minority variant in a second H5N1 virus.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N5 in a Polar Bear and Atlantic Walrus, Svalbard, 2026, with Widespread Seroconversion in Polar Bears

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N5 was detected in a one-year-old polar bear (Ursus maritimus) and an adjacent adult Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus), both found deceased in Raudfjorden, Svalbard. This represents the first confirmed case of HPAI in a European polar bear and the second in an Atlantic walrus. Viral genomes were nearly identical and harbored PB2-E627V, a marker associated with mammalian adaptation. Several polar bears, including the deceased individual, had previously been observed feeding on the walrus carcass. Antibodies against H5 were detected in 75% of polar bears in 2023 (n=36) and 97% in 2024-2025 (n=65), suggesting extensive circulation of HPAIV in the population following the first detections in birds in Svalbard in 2022, whereas no antibodies were detected in samples from 2014-2022 (n=243).

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Low levels of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 KP.3.1.1 and XEC in serum from seniors in May 2024

New immune evasive variants of SARS-CoV-2 may increase infections and hospitalizations in risk groups, such as the elderly. In this study we evaluated neutralizing antibodies against KP.3.1.1 and XEC, virus variants that are either widely distributed or on the rise globally, in sera from a cohort of seniors aged 68 - 82 years from April/May 2024. Neutralizing responses were low against both KP.3.1.1 and XEC, supporting the recommendation of an updated covid-19 vaccine booster in this age group.

immunology↗