tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Science
. 2025 Nov 27;390(6776):eadq4691.
doi: 10.1126/science.adq4691. Epub 2025 Nov 27. Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals
Matthew L Turnbull[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yingxue Wang[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simon Clare[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gauthier Lieber[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stephanie L Williams[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Marko Noerenberg[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Akira J T Alexander[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sara Clohisey Hendry[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Douglas G Stewart[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Joseph Hughes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Simon Swingler[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Spyros Lytras[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Emma L Davies[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Katherine Harcourt[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katherine Smollett[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rute M Pinto[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP], Hui-Min Lee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Eleanor R Gaunt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Colin Loney[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Johanna S Jung[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paul A Lyons[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Darrell R Kapczynski[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Edward Hutchinson[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ana da Silva Filipe[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jeffery K Taubenberger[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Suzannah J Rihn[SUP] 2 [/SUP], J Kenneth Baillie[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ervin Fodor[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Alfredo Castello[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Kenneth G C Smith[SUP] 2 8 9 [/SUP], Paul Digard[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Sam J Wilson[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Host body temperature can define a virus's replicative profile-influenza A viruses (IAVs) adapted to 40° to 42°C in birds are less temperature sensitive in vitro compared with human isolates adapted to 33° to 37°C. In this work, we show that avian-origin PB1 polymerase subunits enable IAV replication at elevated temperatures, including avian-origin PB1s from the 1918, 1957, and 1968 pandemic viruses. Using a model system to ensure biosafety, we show that a small increase in body temperature protects against severe disease in mice and that this protection is overcome by a febrile temperature-resistant PB1. These findings indicate that although elevated temperature itself can be a potent antiviral defense, it may not be effective against all influenza strains. These data inform both the clinical use of antipyretics and IAV surveillance efforts.
. 2025 Nov 27;390(6776):eadq4691.
doi: 10.1126/science.adq4691. Epub 2025 Nov 27. Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals
Matthew L Turnbull[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yingxue Wang[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simon Clare[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gauthier Lieber[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stephanie L Williams[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Marko Noerenberg[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Akira J T Alexander[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sara Clohisey Hendry[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Douglas G Stewart[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Joseph Hughes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Simon Swingler[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Spyros Lytras[SUP] 1 6 [/SUP], Emma L Davies[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Katherine Harcourt[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katherine Smollett[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rute M Pinto[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP], Hui-Min Lee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Eleanor R Gaunt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Colin Loney[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Johanna S Jung[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paul A Lyons[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Darrell R Kapczynski[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Edward Hutchinson[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ana da Silva Filipe[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jeffery K Taubenberger[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Suzannah J Rihn[SUP] 2 [/SUP], J Kenneth Baillie[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ervin Fodor[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Alfredo Castello[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Kenneth G C Smith[SUP] 2 8 9 [/SUP], Paul Digard[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Sam J Wilson[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 41308154
- DOI: 10.1126/science.adq4691
Host body temperature can define a virus's replicative profile-influenza A viruses (IAVs) adapted to 40° to 42°C in birds are less temperature sensitive in vitro compared with human isolates adapted to 33° to 37°C. In this work, we show that avian-origin PB1 polymerase subunits enable IAV replication at elevated temperatures, including avian-origin PB1s from the 1918, 1957, and 1968 pandemic viruses. Using a model system to ensure biosafety, we show that a small increase in body temperature protects against severe disease in mice and that this protection is overcome by a febrile temperature-resistant PB1. These findings indicate that although elevated temperature itself can be a potent antiviral defense, it may not be effective against all influenza strains. These data inform both the clinical use of antipyretics and IAV surveillance efforts.