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Pamela Österlund (University of Helsinki)9/14/26, 1:30 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
Avian influenza A/H5N1 is driving a severe panzootic, with increasing spillover from avian reservoirs to wild mammals. Outbreaks in fur farms in Spain and Finland (2022–23) demonstrated high susceptibility of these mammals to avian influenza, while infections in dairy cattle in the USA highlighted the virus’s expanding host range. These developments emphasize the need to understand mechanisms...
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Sebastien SOUBIES (IHAP, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France)9/14/26, 1:31 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) circulate widely in domestic and wild birds and pose major risks to animal and public health, in particular those of high pathogenicity (HP). Ducks play a key role in AIV ecology due to frequent subclinical infections and high viral shedding. Efficient environmental surveillance approaches are needed to complement costly individual testing, especially in the...
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Katarina Prosenc Trilar (National Laboratory for Health Environment and Food, Slovenia)9/14/26, 1:32 PMCoinfectionsPoster presentation
The increasing affordability of syndromic multiplex testing has led to its widespread use for diagnosing respiratory infections, enabling improved detection of viral coinfections. We analyzed respiratory specimens collected in Slovenia from primary care and hospital patients during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 respiratory virus seasons. Specimens were tested using nucleic acid amplification tests...
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Olav Hungnes (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)9/14/26, 1:33 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
The seasonal influenza virus subtypes and lineages differ in their impact in different age groups. Influenza A(H3N2) viruses have been regarded as affecting the elderly particularly hard. Consistent with this, Norwegian virological surveillance has for many years shown that the A(H3N2) viruses have been disproportionately represented among elderly patients compared with other subtypes and...
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José Hugo de Sousa Gomes (UKM, Institute fur Virologie)9/14/26, 1:34 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Influenza A virus (IAV) remains a major global health challenge due to its high genetic variability, limited therapeutic options, and the emergence of antiviral resistance. Natural products are a promising source of antiviral agents. However, their antiviral and immunomodulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In particular, their potential to promote the resolution of virus-induced...
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Riku Fagerlund9/14/26, 1:35 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Zoonotic influenza viruses continue to pose a major pandemic threat, highlighting the need for rapidly adaptable vaccines that induce both mucosal and systemic immunity. We are developing an intranasal adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5)-vectored influenza vaccine platform optimized for pandemic preparedness.
The vaccine combines complementary hemagglutinin (HA) immunogens: a strain-specific...
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Gudrun Baersch (Genekam Biotechnology AG)9/14/26, 1:36 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Artificial intelligent models are being used to do different tasks in medicine. Similarly quantum computers are being developed as these computers are in the position to conduct the tasks million times faster than super computers available today. Supercomputers can need 100 years to conduct the difficult task, but quantum computer can do the same task in a few minutes.
The aim of this...
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Dr Sarah König (Section of Experimental Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital)9/14/26, 1:37 PMCoinfectionsPoster presentation
Influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis remains a life-threatening complication with high mortality. Although combined antiviral and antifungal therapy appears to be a rational approach, a better understanding of its effects on both pathogens is needed. The antifungal agent itraconazole (ITC) is already known for its antiviral properties against influenza A viruses (IAVs). However, its...
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Dr Wolfgang Nacken (Institut für Virologie Münster)9/14/26, 1:38 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
IAV-NS1 proteins are known to inhibit host gene expression. In both transfection and infection experiments a strong attenuation of reporter gene expression is observed when NS1 proteins are fused to protein domains guiding NS1 exclusively to nuclear speckles (nsps). IAV H7N7 SC35M NS1 protein that is fused to domains, that guide it to nuclear or non-nuclear compartments other than nsps, show...
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Christine Bächlein (Institute for Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health Braunschweig/Hannover, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Hannover, Germany)9/14/26, 1:39 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
In 2025, HPAIV H5N1 led to massive losses among wild birds and poultry. Cranes were particularly affected, and in Lower Saxony, roughly 1.5 million poultry were lost due to HPAI. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic relationships between H5N1 viruses detected in wild birds and those circulating in poultry. Illumina whole genome sequencing generated complete viral sequences from...
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Johanna Schlaberg (Robert Koch Institute, Department 3 infectious disease epidemiology, unit 33: immunization/STIKO)9/14/26, 1:40 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Background
Seasonal, porcine and avian influenza A viruses are endemic in many species and countries. Due to the potential of influenza viruses to exchange whole genome sequences, new influenza virus variants arise when animals or humans are at the same time infected with two different strains. New reassorted virus strains could have pandemic potential.Methods
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Following its standard... -
Stijn Verschoren (The VirusBank Platform, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium)9/14/26, 1:41 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Developing novel influenza antivirals remains an urgent need due to the limitations of current options and the threat of future pandemics. Here we present the design and validation of a robust high-throughput screening (HTS) assay to facilitate the discovery of novel anti-influenza compounds.
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We established cell-based assays using A549 and Calu-3 reporter cell lines expressing fluorescent... -
Prof. Christina Ehrhardt (Section of Experimental Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital)9/14/26, 1:42 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
Air pollution caused by fine particulate (PM) matter from industry, traffic, and the burning of fossil fuels poses a significant global health risk, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. Infections with influenza A viruses (IAVs) and/or the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus can cause severe, often life-threatening pulmonary diseases. General research findings suggest that air pollution...
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Dr Sriram Kumar (Immunology of Respiratory Tract Infections, University Hospital Gießen and Marburg, Germany)9/14/26, 1:43 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
Clade 2.3.4.4b H5Nx highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have diversified extensively during global spread, yet the determinants of their zoonotic potential remain incompletely understood. We characterized eleven genetically distinct H5Nx isolates collected in Germany between 2016 and 2021 using comparative genomics and physiologically relevant human respiratory models. Despite...
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Josefine Schroeder9/14/26, 1:44 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) continue to pose a major global health threat. Annual vaccination provides only limited protection against emerging subtypes, and rising resistance to approved antivirals highlights the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Host‑directed therapies, such as targeting phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinases (PI3Ks) exploited by IAVs during replication, offer promising...
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Juliane Mayr9/14/26, 1:45 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
Assembly and budding of influenza A virions is a tightly regulated process orchestrated by matrix protein M1. We showed that phosphorylation of M1 at Y132 drives efficient virus assembly and budding. Here, we identify signaling pathways involved in M1-induced assembly and budding and aim to pin-point signaling networks decisive for virion morphology. M1 phospho-site mutants were generated via...
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Maud Dupont (Sir William Dunn School of Pathology)9/14/26, 1:46 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
Influenza A virus mRNAs are synthesised in the nucleus by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (FluPol). To initiate viral transcription, FluPol binds host RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). The endonuclease subunit of FluPol then cleaves nascent transcript, producing a short capped RNA fragment, which primes viral mRNA synthesis. Previous studies suggested this cap-snatching process is largely...
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Stefan Hippenstiel (Department Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine; Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany)9/14/26, 1:47 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
Introduction: Bovine-transmitted clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses have raised concerns about mammalian adaptation and pandemic potential. Primary human respiratory models enable direct assessment of viral replication and host responses. Goal: To characterize replication, tropism and pathogenicity of a bovine clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus in human respiratory models. Materials & Methods:...
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Wiebe Külper-Schiek (Robert Koch Institute - Unit 33)9/14/26, 1:48 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Background
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Unprecedented avian influenza A(H5) activity occurred among wild birds, poultry and some wild mammals across Europe in 2025/26. Given pandemic risks from zoonotic infections, the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) reviewed evidence to inform possible national use of A(H5) vaccines.
Methods
Following its standard procedure, STIKO reviewed surveillance data on disease... -
Sara Baniameri9/14/26, 1:49 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Enhanced influenza vaccines, including MF59-adjuvanted formulations, help to overcome immunosenescence by improving immunogenicity compared to standard formulations. MF59 (an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant) orchestrates both innate and adaptive immune functions, thereby amplifying, broadening, and prolonging immune responses. This work describes the pathways by which MF59-adjuvanted vaccines...
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Dylan Andrieux (Univ Toulouse, ENVT, INRAe, UMR 1225 IHAP)9/14/26, 1:50 PMViral PathogenesisPoster presentation
H5Nx highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) represent a major threat to animal and public health. In birds, HPAIV shedding mainly occurs via respiratory and digestive routes. These viruses also replicate in vascularized immature feathers, thus representing an additional shedding route. Understanding virus-feather interactions is crucial to limit viral spread and adapt biosafety. Our...
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Peter Reuther (University Medical Center Freiburg – Institute of Virology)9/14/26, 1:51 PMEpidemiology and emerging virusesPoster presentation
Influenza A viruses frequently breach species barriers, posing a persistent pandemic threat. Mitigating this threat requires systems capable of detecting high-risk strains at the animal–human interface and implementing targeted countermeasures before human spillover occurs. Although international frameworks like TIPRA or IRAT routinely assess IAV risks, data gaps and lengthy consensus-building...
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Gert Zimmer9/14/26, 1:52 PMVirus host cell interactionPoster presentation
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b have caused significant losses in bird populations worldwide and repeatedly infected mammals, including humans, without sustained human to human transmission. Here we show that an H5N1 virus (H5N1-Tex/24) isolated from bovine milk in Texas in 2024 replicates just as efficiently in differentiated human nasal epithelial cells as...
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Ms Anna R. Mäkelä (Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland)9/14/26, 1:53 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses remain a major pandemic threat, highlighting the need for antivirals active across antigenically diverse strains. We are developing compact, modular sherpabody (Sb)-based inhibitors that can be engineered into multispecific formats targeting influenza hemagglutinin (HA).
Cross-reactive H5-binding Sbs were isolated from a synthetic phage...
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Prof. Gerd Birkenmeier (Medical Faculty - University Leipzig / Leipzig / Germany)9/14/26, 1:54 PMAntivirals and VaccinesPoster presentation
Antiviral medicine plays a crucial role in treating and preventing influenza by Inhibiting viral replication, reducing symptom severity and limiting complications. Major antivirals used block neuraminidase such as zanamivir or inhibit viral RNA replication as baloxavir. However, none of these drugs are protective against secondary effects such as inflammatory burst well as bacterial...
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