In Focus

Update 9 December 2024

H5N1 Bird Flu continues to take its toll in the United States, also affecting British Columbia

Clade 2.3.4.4b of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus causing outbreaks in wild and domestic birds around the world, continues to spread in dairy cows, poultry and other animals across the United States.  Since April, the U.S. CDC confirmed 58 human cases through genome sequence analysis. In three of these cases, the amino acid substitution NA-S247N was identified that may slightly reduce susceptibility to the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir in laboratory tests. The CDC also identified a different change in the polymerase acidic (PA) protein of a virus collected from a recently confirmed human case of H5N1 bird flu in California.

On 9. December, specimen data from a human case collected in California on 12-Nov was made available by the U.S. CDC and the sequence clusters closely with earlier specimens collected in California.  Two days prior, the USDA released the first specimen data from a case of swine collected on 22-Oct in Oregon, in addition to two dairy cow specimens collected on 16-Sep in California. The USDA also released several cases of avian and 362 dairy cows, giving only 2024 as collection date and the U.S. as location. 

Full details

Update 10. December 2024

A case of Mpox Clade Ib confirmed in California

Since November 2023, the Eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continue to see a significant number of cases of the mpox virus Clade Ib that is also spreading through regional travel to neighboring countries incl. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.  Outside of Africa, the number of imported cases is increasing and reported in Canada, Germany, India, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.
 
GISAID EpiPox currently provides access to 287 genome sequences and associated metadata of the mpox virus Clade Ib.  According to the CDC, early data indicate that a large proportion of Clade Ib cases among adults are associated with intimate human contact, including via ongoing transmission believed to be occurring in some countries where the virus is not normally found. The phylodynamics of Clade Ib can be monitored on GISAID’s up-to-date phylogenetic trees.

Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2025 Southern Hemisphere Influenza Season announced

(Melbourne, Australia) An advisory group of experts taking part in a meeting organized by the WHO Global Influenza Programme between 23-26 September 2024 analyzed influenza virus surveillance data generated by the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), and issued on 27 September 2024, recommendations on the composition of the influenza vaccines for the following influenza season.

These recommendations are used by the national vaccine regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical companies to develop, produce and license influenza vaccines.

read more:

Brazil and Indonesia conclude the first Arbovirus Summit

(Bali) Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Brazil's Minister of Health, Dr. Nísia Trindade Lima convened a two-day summit to gather policy makers, experts in global health and leading researchers of arboviruses, to respond to the significant increase in cases of Dengue virus infections across South America and Southeast Asia. The Arbovirus Summit discussed the urgent need to strengthen integrated arbovirus surveillance and management.

Held at the recently inaugurated GISAID Academy 22-23 April 2024, the Summit showcased innovations in vector control strategies, breakthroughs in antivirals and vaccine development and explore the implementation of global genomic surveillance of arbovirus as a tool for monitoring the effectiveness of intervention strategies as well as viral spread and evolution.

read more:

GISAID joins the G20 Joint Finance & Health Ministerial Meeting

Yogyakarta, 20-21 June. Under the motto ‘Strengthening Global Health Architecture’ a delegation from GISAID attended the G20 Finance and Health Ministers meeting hosted by Indonesia, to discuss with G20 Member States’ and its partners their vision for GISAID+ (GISAID plus).

Global leaders reflected on the need to coordinate and strengthen resources during future pandemics. In particular Member States stressed the essential role GISAID plays in global health security, and discussed how global leaders could support GISAID’s expansion as a global resource to respond to other priority pathogens with major impact and pandemic-potential.

> read more

CBD Study finds 'GISAID might provide useful lessons and insight to ABS discussions'

A peer-reviewed fact-finding and scoping study on digital sequence information on genetic resources in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol, highlights key advantages of GISAID’s sharing mechanism and a fair and equitable benefit-sharing resulting from access to data.

With the core principals of timely international sharing of health data for protecting populations against lethal infectious disease outbreaks and adherence to scientific etiquette of acknowledgement of the source of data has resulted in global trust and confidence in GISAID. 

> download the fact-finding & scoping study

Public-Private Partnerships of the GISAID Initiative

The GISAID Initiative involves public-private partnerships, among them the partnership with the Federal Republic of Germany, and governmental public-health and academic institutions in Argentina, Brazil, China, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, and the support by Friends of GISAID, a registered non-profit association and administrative arm of the Initiative.

Congratulations to GISAID for ten years of successful work on pandemic influenza preparedness. As one of the key players in ensuring effective data sharing GISAID has made a significant contribution to global health security

Prof. Jane Halton AO PSM

Commemorating the centenary of the 1918 pandemic, the most catastrophic event in the recorded history of influenza, it is reassuring to know that GISAID is ready and prepared when a similar event emerges and threatens global health. Congratulations on bringing together one of the most successful global collaborations ever achieved

Prof. Dr Rob Webster

The unique contribution of the GISAID data sharing mechanism is the confidence it has engendered among scientific and political communities as it has added to their capabilities to collaborate more effectively to combat influenza viruses

Dr med David Nabarro

We do need substantially innovative mechanisms for microbe sharing, if mankind is to survive future pandemics. GISAID is an excellent example!!!

Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert

IFPMA acknowledges GISAID’s important role in providing the platform for the open and timely sharing of influenza data and building greater trust among countries and stakeholders, a key element to influenza global pandemic preparedness

Thomas B. Cueni
Director General

The tenth anniversary of GISAID represents a landmark in global solidarity. A pandemic strain of influenza is perhaps the world's greatest threat. Everything GISAID stands for: virus sharing, cutting-edge research, open access, and international cooperation to guarantee health security couldn't be more important

Prof. Lawrence O. Gostin

GISAID’s trustworthy data sharing principles forever transformed global collaboration in the fight against influenza, enabling unprecedented rapid response to outbreaks. In 2013, Nature called China’s sharing of H7N9 avian influenza data through GISAID ‘

Prof. Dr George Fu Gao

The core principles enshrined in GISAID's sharing mechanism are a shining beacon of hope. A recognized leader in influenza pandemic preparedness, thanks to its brilliant performance in data sharing

Ambassador Makarim Wibisono

A key to protecting the world from future viral threats is having immediate and open access to critical viral data.  GISAID has established a highly effective, trusted and time-tested model for influenza data sharing that could serve as an important model for other viral families

Dr Dennis Carroll

GISAID successfully built upon the collaborative ethos of the 70-year old WHO Global Influenza Programme, to complement and extend the sharing of viruses, reagents & essential information

Dr med Wenqing Zhang

The GISAID Initiative was established to champion (and enhance) rapid sequence data sharing for seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness - a global public health imperative. GISAID’s success exceeded our expectations and provides an important model for rapid data sharing for other pathogens with pandemic potential

Dr Nancy J. Cox

 (ret)

Not all big ideas become a reality and not all big ideas fill a global need. As a public-private partnership GISAID is a model for data sharing in the digital age. On its 10th anniversary we may look back at the initial inspiration and the headline of the supporting editorial in Nature that puts the point succinctly:

Dr med Bruce G. Gellin

ECDC congratulates GISAID for a successful 10 years of advocating for and implementing sharing of influenza sequence data. The initiative plays a key role in global and European pandemic preparedness and increases our understanding of the annual influenza seasons

Dr Mike Catchpole

GISAID has advanced influenza virus data sharing to a new level, greatly contributing to the global effort to detect, respond, and mitigate seasonal and pandemic influenza

Prof. Dr med Peter Jay Hotez

I congratulate the GISAID Initiative on its ten-year anniversary as it continues its important work to promote the international sharing of influenza virus sequences and data

Ambassador John E. Lange

Over the past decade, GISAID has been an invaluable global partner in fostering open access to data related to influenza, a central issue related to influenza and all EIDs

Prof. Dr med Keiji Fukuda

GISAID encourages increased collection and rapid dissemination of data that improves our understanding of the complex and dynamic epidemiology of influenza viruses. On behalf of OFFLU network, we offer our congratulations on the contribution GISAID has made to build international collaboration over the last 10 years

Dr Peter Daniels
Dr David Swayne

The pioneering concept of transparent data sharing developed GISAID into the premier source of influenza virus sequence information and proven its worth in outbreak situations

Prof. Dr Thomas C. Mettenleiter

Ten years after GISAID first introduced its game-changing mechanism, breaking data sharing barriers, it continues to be a most trusted leader in pandemic preparedness & response

Prof. Dr Yuelong Shu

GISAID has become the most complete public database for influenza virus sequence data in support of fundamental science and public and animal health applications

Prof. Dr Ron Fouchier

By sharing influenza virus sequences among scientists around the world, GISAID has had a tremendous impact on influenza virus research

Prof. Dr Yoshihiro Kawaoka

From the latest seasonal to new zoonotic and animal influenza viruses, GISAID always has the most relevant strains and exciting new analysis tools

Dr Sebastian Maurer-Stroh

Data shared via EpiFlu, EpiCoV, EpiRSV, EpiPox, EpiArbo

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genetic sequence submissions

GISAID Resources

Data Acknowledgement Locator