Eco-epidemiology of Influenza D virus: emergence threat assessment – FLUD

Cross-species transmission of pathogens from the animal reservoir to domestic species and ultimately to humans constitutes a major risk for animal or human health. Recent studies in the United States of America and our preliminary work in France have identified a new Genus tentatively named Influenzavirus D within the Orthomyxoviridae family. The novel virus was shown to infect swine and cattle and to efficiently replicate and transmit in ferrets, the animal model of choice for the study of influenza viruses pathogenesis for humans, suggesting that humans could be infected. Our project aims at assessing the emergence threat associated with influenza D viruses’ circulation such to provide essential information about host range; origin, diversity, and evolution; pathogenesis; stability in different environments and putative routes of transmission, of influenza D virus in France. The virus will first be studied in its known hosts: cattle and swine, but emphasis will be put on predicting possible human infections thanks to surveillance in humans but also through adequate in vitro assays using human and ferret cells. We will also look at potential other host species that might serve as virus reservoir: wild ruminants (Cervidae) and wild boars (closest species to known domestic animals influenza D virus host species), small carnivores and equine (in very close contact with humans and susceptible to influenza A viruses). This will pave the way towards development of effective strategies for diagnostic and control of the disease.