tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Emerg Microbes Infect
. 2026 Dec;15(1):2654273.
doi: 10.1080/22221751.2026.2654273. Epub 2026 Apr 17.
Airway organoids reveal patterns of influenza A tropism and adaptation in wildlife species
Ferran Tarrés-Freixas[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Gerardo Ceada[SUP] 1 2 3 5 [/SUP], Francesc Català-Moll[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Maria Casadellà[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Sara Tolosa-Alarcón[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Eloi Franco-Trepat[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Rytis Boreika[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Vanessa Almagro-Delgado[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Noelia Carmona[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Josep Estruch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Hugo Fernández-Bellon[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Laura Fuentes-Moyano[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Rafael Molina-López[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Nuria Navarro[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Mariona Parera[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Marta Pérez-Simó[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Joan Repullés[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Núria Roca[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Odalys Torné[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Roser Velarde[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Alfonso Valencia[SUP] 8 12 [/SUP], Roger Paredes[SUP] 7 13 [/SUP], Nuria Izquierdo-Useros[SUP] 6 7 14 [/SUP], Miguel Romero-Durana[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Karl Kochanowski[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Júlia Vergara-Alert[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Identifying animal species that are susceptible to the plethora of existing and emerging viruses is critical for predicting and containing disease outbreaks. Current efforts to assess viral tropism largely rely on experimental infection models, but such experiments are logistically and ethically infeasible for many wildlife species. To tackle this challenge, we developed a panel of airway organoids from ten taxonomically diverse wildlife and livestock species and evaluated their susceptibility to influenza viruses of mammalian (pH1N1) and avian (H5N1) origin. Our analyses revealed large host-specific differences in infection rate and cytopathogenicity that aligned with known in vivo data and field observations. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this organoid panel can serve as a powerful tool to elucidate receptor-binding mechanisms, viral dynamics and early host adaptation in poorly characterized animal hosts. In summary, this work provides a robust and ethically viable approach for evaluating viral tropism and adaptation in wildlife species, and may aid current pandemic preparedness, zoonotic disease surveillance and wildlife conservation efforts.
Keywords: Airway Organoids; H1N1(pdm09); H5N1 HPAIV; Influenza virus; host tropism; wildlife species.
. 2026 Dec;15(1):2654273.
doi: 10.1080/22221751.2026.2654273. Epub 2026 Apr 17.
Airway organoids reveal patterns of influenza A tropism and adaptation in wildlife species
Ferran Tarrés-Freixas[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Gerardo Ceada[SUP] 1 2 3 5 [/SUP], Francesc Català-Moll[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Maria Casadellà[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Sara Tolosa-Alarcón[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Eloi Franco-Trepat[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Rytis Boreika[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Vanessa Almagro-Delgado[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Noelia Carmona[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Josep Estruch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Hugo Fernández-Bellon[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Laura Fuentes-Moyano[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Rafael Molina-López[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Nuria Navarro[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Mariona Parera[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Marta Pérez-Simó[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Joan Repullés[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Núria Roca[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Odalys Torné[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Roser Velarde[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Alfonso Valencia[SUP] 8 12 [/SUP], Roger Paredes[SUP] 7 13 [/SUP], Nuria Izquierdo-Useros[SUP] 6 7 14 [/SUP], Miguel Romero-Durana[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Karl Kochanowski[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Júlia Vergara-Alert[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 41997892
- PMCID: PMC13094297
- DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2026.2654273
Identifying animal species that are susceptible to the plethora of existing and emerging viruses is critical for predicting and containing disease outbreaks. Current efforts to assess viral tropism largely rely on experimental infection models, but such experiments are logistically and ethically infeasible for many wildlife species. To tackle this challenge, we developed a panel of airway organoids from ten taxonomically diverse wildlife and livestock species and evaluated their susceptibility to influenza viruses of mammalian (pH1N1) and avian (H5N1) origin. Our analyses revealed large host-specific differences in infection rate and cytopathogenicity that aligned with known in vivo data and field observations. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this organoid panel can serve as a powerful tool to elucidate receptor-binding mechanisms, viral dynamics and early host adaptation in poorly characterized animal hosts. In summary, this work provides a robust and ethically viable approach for evaluating viral tropism and adaptation in wildlife species, and may aid current pandemic preparedness, zoonotic disease surveillance and wildlife conservation efforts.
Keywords: Airway Organoids; H1N1(pdm09); H5N1 HPAIV; Influenza virus; host tropism; wildlife species.