Ivet A. Yordanova

Notifiable Viral News: 11 August 2025 News and reports of notifiable viral events around the world.

Notifiable Viral News: 11 August 2025

Out now on Substack! Subscribe for regular updates on current news and reports of various viral outbreak events around the world.

hardlyviral.substack.com/p/notifiable...

#virus #outbreak #H5N1 #birdflu #measles #mpox #Australia #UK #Cambodia #Mozambique

Egyptian rousette bat macrophages elicit divergent interferon responses and cytokine storm signalling against Marburg and Sudan viruses Egyptian rousette bats (ERBs) are the only known natural reservoir of Marburg virus (MARV), etiologic agent of a highly-pathogenic zoonotic viral hemorrhagic fever. In ERBs, evolutionary adaptations a...

🦇 Preprint alert! Our latest bat immunology shenanigans are now on bioRxiv. We focused on Egyptian rousette bats (ERBs) and how their macrophages respond to Marburg virus (MARV) and Sudan virus (SUDV).

#Marburgvirus #Sudanvirus #zoonoticpathogen #bats

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Today's AI forecast: safeguard efficacy against LLM-enabled biorisks A new study from the Forecasting Research Institute reports on generalist and expert forecasters' risk estimates of LLM-enabled biosecurity risks.

💻☣️Today's AI forecast: safeguard efficacy against LLM-enabled biorisks.

A new study from the Forecasting Research Institute reports on generalist and expert forecasters' risk estimates of LLM-enabled biosecurity risks.

Now on Substack: ivetyorda.substack.com/p/todays-ai-...

#biosecurity #AI #LLM

Vampire bats’ mutual grooming helps spread innovative rabies vaccine A gel that bats lick off one another’s fur could help prevent rabies outbreaks in cattle, a growing problem in Latin America

🦇 Grooming rabies away

A new study finds vampire bats can lick rabies vaccines off each other, spreading immunity through grooming. 88% of a colony was vaccinated in days.

🔗 www.science.org/content/arti...

#SciComm #Zoonoses 🧪

Where Has All the Bird Flu Gone? All quiet on the American front for H5N1, but not necessarily the good kind of quiet

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Testing and reporting of #birdflu in the USA have died down, but rest assured the virus hasn't. Ignoring a brewing global-scale disaster is not a viable strategy.

#influenza #pandemicpreparedness #publichealth

open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...

The biosecurity nooks and crannies of emerging biotechnologies Generative AI in biotechnology is advancing at logarithmic rates. Experts are increasingly calling for the integration of guardrails against the potential malicious use of AI-driven biotech.

🧬 The #biosecurity nooks and crannies of emerging biotechnologies.

#GenerativeAI in #biotechnology is advancing at logarithmic rates. Experts are increasingly calling for guardrails against the potential malicious use of AI-driven biotech. Now on Substack:

ivetyorda.substack.com/p/the-biosec...

An announcement poster stating 'We have detected West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in the UK for the first time', with a mosquito graphic.

🆕 Today, UKHSA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have confirmed the first detection of West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in the UK.
There is currently no evidence of wider circulation in birds or mosquitoes, and the risk to the public remains very low.
📰🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

YouTube video by Greenwich Entertainment AUM: The Cult at the End of the World | Official Trailer

Aum Shinrikyo was a wild doomsday cult, whose leader "predicted and decided to make armageddon happen". They carried out notorious sarin and VX attacks in Tokyo in the 1990s and (allegedly...) tried to develop Ebola and anthrax-based bioweapons ☣️☢️

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v60p...

🦇 For #Berlin folks: Denn's Biomarkt are running a fundraising project this summer to build more bat houses in the area! You can donate your Pfand receipts in boxes at checkout counters! 🦇

www.biomarkt.de/fledermaeuse...

Day 2 of #ECV2025 🔬🧬🧫

A mesmerizing combination of gorgeous views, pristine weather, and superb virology and immunology!

The lesser known hemorrhagic cousin: Ravn virus Only two orthomarburgviruses are known to date. How they differ from each other in humans, primates and bats remains largely elusive.

🦇 The lesser known hemorrhagic cousin: Ravn virus.

Only two orthomarburgviruses are known to date. How they differ from each other in humans, primates and bats remains largely elusive. Now on Substack!

#Marburgvirus #Ravnvirus #hemorrhagicfever #bats

ivetyorda.substack.com/p/the-lesser...

"Fever of unknown etiology": the UFOs among infectious diseases Clusters of infectious diseases of unknown etiology often times remain undiagnosed and occasionally spark a frenzy around the next "Disease X" despite their usually (later proven) known origins.

"Fever of unknown etiology": the UFOs among infectious diseases

Clusters of infectious diseases of unknown etiology often times remain undiagnosed and occasionally spark a frenzy around the next #DiseaseX despite their usually (later proven) known origins.

ivetyorda.substack.com/p/fever-of-u...

Modeling natural coinfection in a bat reservoir shows modulation of Marburg virus shedding and spillover potential Author summary Zoonotic pathogen spillover from wildlife reservoirs to humans has initiated numerous epidemics throughout history, resulting in significant mortality and devastating economic consequen...

And the link to the original study in PLoS Pathogens: journals.plos.org/plospathogen...

#Marburgvirus #bats #zoonoticpathogens #spillover #coinfection #Sosugavirus #Kasokerovirus

Viral interplay in bats and the potential consequences of co-infections Egyptian rousette bats are natural reservoirs of Marburg virus, causative agent of viral hemorrhagic fever. How is Marburg virus influenced by co-infections with other pathogens carried by these bats?

Viral interplay in bats and the potential consequences of co-infections

Egyptian rousette bats are natural reservoirs of Marburg virus, causative agent of viral hemorrhagic fever. How is MARV influenced by co-infections with other pathogens carried by these bats?

open.substack.com/pub/ivetyord...

A very easy "Cancel subscription" indeed. What a sad op-ed that was...

Influenza - when age groups matter Various influenza viruses have circulated in the past few centuries. As they spread, distinct virus-specific antibody repertoires are formed in individuals born at different times. So what?

Influenza - when age groups matter

Various influenza viruses have circulated in the past few centuries. As they spread, distinct virus-specific antibody repertoires are formed in individuals born at different times. So what?

ivetyorda.substack.com/p/influenza-...

#H5N1 #influenza #1918pandemic

Deadly avian flu strain is spreading rapidly in Antarctica Expedition finds H5N1 in 13 bird and seal species on the Antarctic Peninsula

OHI's Dr. Ralph Vanstreels joined a recent expedition to collect data on the spread of #H5N1 avian influenza virus in #Antarctica. 188 out of 846 swabs collected from birds and mammals along the Antarctic Peninsula's west coast and the Weddell Sea tested positive.
www.science.org/content/arti...

A promotional image for the PhD program 2025–2028 in Artificial Intelligence and Public Health. The image features six young researchers in individual portrait shots, each smiling or engaged in conversation, with a modern office background featuring plants. In the bottom left corner, a blue box contains the text: "Programme 2025–2028 – Get a PhD in AI and Public Health." Above it, an orange speech bubble reads: "Apply now!"

🎓 Apply now: PhD program 2025 – 2028 at the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Research (ZKI-PH) at the #RKI!

🔹 Start: October 2025
🔹 6 projects with #AI focus
📆 Application deadline: 30. April

🔗 www.rki.de/zki-phd-en

More insights in our #YouTube video:
📹 youtu.be/8pp_FH_2yH4

The most recent identification of a Lassa virus case in the UK (travel-associated) is yet another timely reminder that "exotic" diseases travel fast, far and often undetected.

🐀 #Lassafever occurs primarily following contact with infected African rat faeces/urine and doesn't spread easily between 🙍

Tomorrow (Tuesday, 11th March), 2 pm in our "How to…" seminar series: Reverse Genetics in Virology by Dr. Bettina Trüeb and Dr. Kemal Mehinagic from the Volker Thiel lab, University Bern.
Join us @ achieve.g-f-v.org/registration...
(BM)

3 key questions about H5N1 bird flu and the latest research studies addressing them Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been making the rounds in birds and numerous mammals, including humans. As the outbreak develops, so does the research. Here are some of the latest studies.

3 key questions about H5N1 bird flu and the latest research studies addressing them.

ivetyorda.substack.com/p/3-key-ques...

#H5N1 #birdflu #tranmission #dairycattle #pigs #outbreak #pandemic #spillover

What *are* viruses up to across Europe on a day-to-day? If you're interested in keeping up-to-date, please subscribe to my new Substack newsletter for regular updates on reports, case studies, policy briefs etc. on all things viral zoonoses/biosecurity/science policy!

substack.com/@ivetyorda

Great walk through of all the knowns and unknowns of the current HPAI outbreak in US dairy cattle with a focus on both the cattle, but also human pandemic risk.
👉 journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

🧬 Viral Wordle Week #6:

prescottlab.wordpress.com/viralwordle/

Bats are indeed awesome and incredibly important within their environment! They (sadly) also pose public health risks of zoonotic disease spillover, as natural reservoirs of high consequence viral pathogens, incl. various filoviruses, henipaviruses, rhabdoviruses and paramyxoviruses 🧫🧪🔬

Absolutely, 100% in agreement!

Timing and molecular characterisation of the transmission to cattle of H5N1 influenza A virus genotype D1.1, clade 2.3.4.4b Jonathan E. Pekar, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Thomas P. Peacock, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, UK, GU24 0NF; Department of Infectious Disease, Imper...

Our analysis of the second incursion of H5N1 viruses (genotype D1.1) into dairy cattle in the US is now posted to virological virological.org/t/timing-and...

#Ebola and #Lassa viruses both cause viral hemorrhagic fevers and target the liver. Are there major differences in how each 🦠 affects host hepatocyte responses? @josephbprescott.bsky.social and our
@stanforduniversity.bsky.social
collab have tackled this question!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Viral Wordle Home Team Projects Publications Media Opportunities Contact

🧬 Viral Wordle Week #5:

prescottlab.wordpress.com/viralwordle/

Biosecurity Forecasting Group Forecasting to drive informed decision-making in biosecurity

Exciting new viral adventures are coming my way in the next weeks, as I join the #OxfordBiosecurityGroup as part of a pilot Biosecurity Forecasting Group! We'll be putting together forecasts on viral outbreak biosecurity threats. Stay tuned 🔬

biosecurityforecasting.com

#biosecurity #forecasting