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J Infect Dis
. 2026 Feb 28:jiag132.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiag132. Online ahead of print.
Development and Characterization of Candidate Vaccine Viruses against High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza A(H5) Viruses for Rapid Pandemic Response
Li Wang 1 , Jieru Wang 1 , Jaber Hossain 1 , Hans C Cooper 2 , Cindy Adolphus 1 , Michael Currier 1 , Ginger Atteberry 1 , Chenchen Feng 1 , Marie K Kirby 1 , Han Di 1 , John R Barnes 1 , Taronna R Maines 1 , Tracie L Williams 2 , John R Barr 2 , Li-Mei Chen 1 , Terrence M Tumpey 1 , Ruben O Donis 1 , C Todd Davis 1 , Vivien G Dugan 1 , David E Wentworth 1 , Bin Zhou 1
Affiliations
High pathogenicity avian influenza A(H5) viruses pose a pandemic threat. These viruses have rapidly evolved in birds and frequently crossed species barriers, resulting in over 1,000 confirmed human infections, with a case fatality proportion of approximately 50%. In response, the U.S. CDC has developed dozens of A(H5) candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) over the past two decades, primarily targeting clades known to infect humans. This report summarizes the development and characterization of the CVVs, with a particular focus on their antigenic relationships with clades 2.3.2.1e and 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses, which have been responsible for the majority of recent human infections.
Keywords: H5N1; cross-reactivity; hemagglutination inhibition; pandemic preparedness; vaccine.
. 2026 Feb 28:jiag132.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiag132. Online ahead of print.
Development and Characterization of Candidate Vaccine Viruses against High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza A(H5) Viruses for Rapid Pandemic Response
Li Wang 1 , Jieru Wang 1 , Jaber Hossain 1 , Hans C Cooper 2 , Cindy Adolphus 1 , Michael Currier 1 , Ginger Atteberry 1 , Chenchen Feng 1 , Marie K Kirby 1 , Han Di 1 , John R Barnes 1 , Taronna R Maines 1 , Tracie L Williams 2 , John R Barr 2 , Li-Mei Chen 1 , Terrence M Tumpey 1 , Ruben O Donis 1 , C Todd Davis 1 , Vivien G Dugan 1 , David E Wentworth 1 , Bin Zhou 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 41761689
- DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiag132
High pathogenicity avian influenza A(H5) viruses pose a pandemic threat. These viruses have rapidly evolved in birds and frequently crossed species barriers, resulting in over 1,000 confirmed human infections, with a case fatality proportion of approximately 50%. In response, the U.S. CDC has developed dozens of A(H5) candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) over the past two decades, primarily targeting clades known to infect humans. This report summarizes the development and characterization of the CVVs, with a particular focus on their antigenic relationships with clades 2.3.2.1e and 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses, which have been responsible for the majority of recent human infections.
Keywords: H5N1; cross-reactivity; hemagglutination inhibition; pandemic preparedness; vaccine.