Pandemic Influenza Translational Research and novel universal countermeasure development

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Despite long-term investment, influenza continues to be a significant worldwide problem. Influenza A viruses (IAV) are significant human pathogens causing yearly epidemics and occasional pandemics. Past pandemics have resulted in significant morbidity and mortality. The 1918 influenza pandemic was thought to have resulted in the death of at least 675,000 people in the U.S. and 40 million people worldwide. Pandemics in 1957 and 1968, while less severe, were also of major public health importance. A novel influenza A virus of swine origin became pandemic in 2009, causing the first pandemic in 41 years. In addition, annual epidemic influenza cases are also very significant resulting in up to 49,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. We continue our human challenge work both developing novel challenge models and continuing to utilize our previously developed models for H1N1 and H3N2. We completed a challenge study with a novel low pathogenesis avian influenza virus of subtype H10N7 which we hope to publish the results of in the coming year.. We continue to plan for other challenges with novel viruses such as our Switzerland H3N2, Influenza B, and 2008 H1n1. We are still in the process of GMP manufacturing useful historical challenge viruses including a pre-pandemic 1957 H1N1 and a 1970s H3N2. We continue with our serological studies including our long term study of individuals post participation in a challenge study. We also have completed a clinical study evaluating mucosal and systemic immunity in children after influenza vaccination that we expect to publish in the coming year as well as are continuing to enroll a longitudinal study of adults post COVID and Influenza vaccination to evaluate their mucosal and systemic responses, as well as the interactions between the two. In addition to these clinical studies we continued our collaborations with Stanford, FDA, and within NIAID to further study human influenza infection and how it relates to other viral infections.