Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 remains one of the predominant seasonal influenza viruses worldwide and continues to evolve under the combined effects of host immunity, vaccination, and changing epidemiological conditions. However, the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its evolutionary dynamics remains poorly understood. We investigated the genetic variability and phylodynamic evolution of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of Italian A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses collected between 2009 and 2026. Time-calibrated phylodynamic analyses, Bayesian Skyline Plots (BSPs), Lineages Through Time (LTT) graphs, principal component analysis (PCA), and codon-based selection analyses were used to characterize long-term evolutionary patterns. Both HA and NA followed continuous evolutionary trajectories, with a marked post-2020 genetic shift associated with the emergence of 6B.1A.5a.2-related clades. HA showed greater evolutionary variability than NA, whereas selection analyses identified only one positively selected site in HA and none in NA, consistent with reduced adaptive diversification in recent strains. Phylodynamic analyses revealed a marked decline in effective population size and lineage accumulation during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by renewed expansion after 2022. Overall, Italian A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses exhibited reduced genetic diversity, limited evidence of positive selection, and coordinated genomic restructuring following the pandemic. These findings provide new insights into the long-term evolutionary dynamics of A(H1N1)pdm09 in Italy and reinforce the importance of sustained genomic surveillance for anticipating evolutionary changes and informing evidence-based public health strategies.
Maria Perra, Ilaria Deplano, I. Azzena et al.· Pathogens· 0 citations
INTRODUCTION
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a highly lethal filovirus infection with case fatality rates of up to 88%. Although no virus-specific interventions have yet been approved, recent laboratory breakthroughs have markedly accelerated translational progress in vaccine and therapeutic development.
AREAS COVERED
A hybrid methodological design was employed, combining macro-level bibliometric analysis with a targeted qualitative narrative review. As per the findings, the human monoclonal antibody MR191N provides complete post-exposure protection in non-human primates. Advanced RNA-targeted siRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, and small-molecule nucleoside analogues (e.g. galidesivir) demonstrate robust preclinical efficacy in suppressing viral replication. Prophylactic platforms - including adenovirus-vectored (ChAd3-MARV), rVSV-MARV, and mRNA-based vaccines - are progressing through early-phase clinical and preclinical evaluation. Bibliometric analysis, however, reveals pronounced geographic disparities: high-income nations dominate scientific output (United States: 31.7%), while endemic African countries remain severely underrepresented in global collaboration networks.
EXPERT OPINION
Addressing MVD requires a coordinated transition from experimental research to licensed, field-ready interventions. This necessitates adaptive trial designs, expanded diagnostic models, and synergistic combination therapies. Ultimately, correcting global research inequities and embedding robust, cross-border One Health surveillance infrastructure are essential to transforming scientific advances into equitable, rapid-response solutions for endemic regions.
Venkataramana Kandi, Francesco Branda, Mohammed Alissa et al.· Expert Review of Anti-Infect...· 0 citations
The study supports the potential usefulness of combining contact-based models with explainable graph neural networks for scenario-based epidemic analysis and suggests that the k-GCN model captures relevant temporal and structural dependencies in the simulated graph-organized data.
Francesco Branda, G. Ceccarelli, Massimo Ciccozzi et al.· Network Modeling Analysis in...· 0 citations
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