Abstract
Influenza D virus is a novel influenza virus, which was first isolated from an ailing swine in 2011 and later detected in cattle, suggesting that these animals may be a primary natural reservoir. To date, few studies have been performed on human samples and there is no conclusive evidence on the ability of the virus to infect humans. The aim of this serological study was to assess the prevalence of antibodies against influenza D virus in human serum samples collected in Italy from 2005 to 2017. Serum samples were analysed by haemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization assays. The results showed that the prevalence of antibodies against the virus increased in the human population in Italy from 2005 to 2017, with a trend characterized by a sharp increase in some years, followed by a decline in subsequent years. The virus showed the ability to infect and elicit an immune response in humans. However, prevalence peaks in humans appear to follow epidemics in animals and not to persist in the human population.
Highlights
Influenza D virus (IDV), a novel influenza virus, was first isolated from an ailing swine in 2011 in Oklahoma, USA [1,2]
There is no conclusive evidence that IDV can infect humans, a study conducted in ferrets, which are the preferred human surrogate animal models for influenza virus studies, has shown that the virus is able to spread among ferrets and that it has a broader cellular tropism than human influenza C virus (ICV) [1]
The aim of this serological study was to assess the prevalence of antibodies against IDV in archived human serum samples collected in Italy from 2005 to 2017
Summary
Influenza D virus (IDV), a novel influenza virus, was first isolated from an ailing swine in 2011 in Oklahoma, USA [1,2]. There is no conclusive evidence that IDV can infect humans, a study conducted in ferrets, which are the preferred human surrogate animal models for influenza virus studies, has shown that the virus is able to spread among ferrets and that it has a broader cellular tropism than human ICVs [1]. These features indicate that IDV carries the risk of becoming a potential threat to public health. The aim of this serological study was to assess the prevalence of antibodies against IDV in archived human serum samples collected in Italy from 2005 to 2017
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