News and Events Highlights
CEEZAD is a public source for the latest information on developments related to high-consequence foreign animal, emerging and zoonotic disease threats.
October 22, 2024
CEEZAD Director elected to National Academy of Medicine
The Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD, www.ceezad.org) and the Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CEZID; https://www.k-state.edu/cezid/) has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the premier organization of scientists working in health-related fields. He is the first faculty member to be elected to the NAM while at K-State.
Dr. Juergen A. Richt, Regents and University Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University and director of CEEZAD and CEZID, was one of 100 new members elected by a vote of current members and announced by the NAM this week.
The citation accompanying Dr. Richt’s election singled him out as “a pioneer in infectious diseases of 'One Health' importance." It said, “his prolific basic and translational research findings on emerging pathogens of livestock, wildlife and humans are unique and highly significant for animal and public health, and his biocontainment expertise is crucial for the nation's bio- and agro-terrorism defense capacities.”
"We are incredibly proud of Dr. Richt for this remarkable accomplishment," said Hans Coetzee, interim vice president for research. "Being selected to join the National Academy of Medicine is a testament to his outstanding contributions to the field and his dedication to advancing medical science and improving healthcare. We are excited to see Juergen continue to innovate and inspire as a member of this prestigious institution."
As founding director of CEEZAD and CEZID, Dr. Richt supports the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in protecting public health and U.S. agricultural systems from devastating animal and zoonotic diseases.
He is editor-in-chief for Virus Genes and serves on editorial boards for other scientific journals, among them Advances in Virus Research, Emerging Microbes and Infections, and Animal Diseases. He has edited several books, obtained several patents, published more than 340 peer-reviewed manuscripts and raised more than $73 million in grants for veterinary research.
"This is a tremendous honor, and one which I will strive in my future work to live up to," Richt said. "I accept it as an outgrowth of a lifetime of commitment to the study of veterinary science and with full recognition of the part played by my numerous colleagues and collaborators in any success I may have achieved. This is a testament to my mentors – Drs. Rott and Narayan - and the many collaborators I was fortunate to have during my career, among them Drs. W. Garten (Marbug), H. Feldmann (NIH), K. Lager (USDA), A. Hamir (USDA), Bill Wilson (USDA), A. Garcia-Sastre (ISMMS), R. Webby (St. Jude’s), W. Ma (KSU/U Missouri), and many others.”
Richt's work on high-consequence pathogens with zoonotic and transboundary potential has led to strategies to identify, control and eradicate such agents. His basic and applied research includes studies on animal influenza viruses — swine, bat and avian — and animal prion diseases, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Rift Valley Fever virus, African Swine fever virus, Mpox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and Borna Disease virus.
Richt established the first reverse genetics system for the swine influenza virus and made seminal contributions to the development of a modified live SIV vaccine. He has also contributed to the understanding of the virulence of the reconstructed 1918 Spanish flu virus in livestock.
Presently, Richt's lab is developing knock-out pigs that are less susceptible to SIV infections using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to protect both animal and human health. He also developed a mass-applicable Newcastle Disease virus-vectored vaccine for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
In the past few years, he has worked on the establishment of preclinical animal models for SARS-CoV-2 to determine the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics as well as the susceptibility of livestock species to the Mpox virus.
In 2011, Richt received the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence. In 2018, he was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received the 2021 Excellence in Research Award from the American Academy of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and that same year, he was named winner of the Dolph Simons Award for Biomedical Research by the University of Kansas. He is an extraordinary professor at the University of Pretoria and has received an A rating from the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
Richt received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Munich and a Ph.D. in virology and immunology from the University of Giessen, both in Germany. After coming to the United States in 1989, he completed three years of postdoctoral/residency studies at Johns Hopkins University and later served for eight years as a veterinary medical officer at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa.
"We are thrilled Dr. Richt will be inducted into the National Academy of Medicine," said Bonnie Rush, Hodes family dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "Dr. Richt's talent and accomplishments are indisputable. He has continually demonstrated his ability to deliver relevant answers in response to emerging pathogens with national and global significance. However, his life's work is more than a tally of publications and research awards. His legacy lies in his commitment to training a generation of scientists with the expertise and inclination to pursue solutions for the most significant pathogens on the planet."
October 17, 2024
Findings of Dr. Richt’s research on spread of H5N1 virus are detailed in JAMA article
Recent research conducted by the Director of the Center of Excellence For Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (www.ceezad.org) is the focus of an article published this week in JAMA Network, the online publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The article detailed findings of research concerning the spread of the H5N1 virus by Dr. Juergen A. Richt, who in addition to his duties at CEEZAD is also the Regents and University Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University. That research established that the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus spreads in cattle primarily through the mammary glands of lactating cows.
Dr. Richt’s findings were reported on in detail in a recently published article in the journal, Nature
H5N1 is primarily a disease of birds, but it can also affect mammals, among them pigs, cows and occasionally humans.
Since 2021 it has been also found in Canada and in the United States.
More than 1,100 flocks in 48 states have been affected by it, and about 100 million birds have been culled.
At the moment, there are more than 300 outbreaks in dairy cattle in the U.S. in 14 states, including four in Kansas.
You can read the full article by copying this link into your browser:
Huge amounts of bird-flu virus found in raw milk of infected cows (nature.com)
Thursday, September 26, 2024
H5N1 Influenza May Be Spreading Through Cows via Milking Rather Than Air, Experts Weigh In
The new findings trigger the ongoing debate about raw milk consumption and its potential risks.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
CEEZAD celebrates 20th anniversary of DHS Center of Excellence program
The Kansas State University-based Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) joins the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Centers of Excellence program.
CEEZAD at Kansas State University was one of the early Centers of Excellence created with funding support from DHS under the leadership of Dr. Juergen A. Richt. He has been CEEZAD’s director since its inception in 2010.
As a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, CEEZAD researchers have taken seriously their mission to protect the nation’s agriculture and public health sectors against high-consequence foreign animal, emerging, and/or zoonotic disease threats. CEEZAD research, technological development and training have all been directed toward this purpose.
One of the most important challenges taken on by CEEZAD researchers has involved enhancing the ability of the scientific community to counteract the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. CEEZAD research has increased scientific understanding of how the virus replicates, how it spreads, its lifespan on various surfaces, and the susceptibility of various animal species including insects. CEEZAD scientists have published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles detailing their research findings on SARS-CoV-2.
Beyond that, CEEZAD has developed substantial expertise to research and development of detection and countermeasure technologies for Rift Valley Fever (RVF), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Avian Influenza (AI), African Swine Fever (ASF), Classical Swine Fever (CSF) and other high-priority diseases In this context, CEEZAD has developed novel vaccine candidates and diagnostic technologies supporting the Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) concept, and it has aggressively pursued integrated programs to train the next generation of foreign animal, emerging, and zoonotic disease professionals.
“Recognizing the substantial threat posed by high-consequence disease threats, CEEZAD has dedicated substantial effort to advancing scientific knowledge for some of the most important threats posed by these pathogens,” remarked Dr. Richt. He said that the DHS support received by CEEZAD through its status as a DHS Center of Excellence and Emeritus Center was vital in accomplishing all of these goals which ultimately protect U.S, agricultural systems and public health even during a national health crisis.
You can learn more about CEEZAD’s work at www.ceezad.org.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
CEEZAD researchers examine H5N1 HPAIV in environmental samples from a dairy farm
An article co-authored by the Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD, www.ceezad.org) and the Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CEZID; https://www.k-state.edu/cezid/) advances the understanding of how the HPAIV H5N1 virus spreads among terrestrial mammals including dairy cattle..
The article was co-authored by Dr. Juergen A. Richt, Regents and University Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University and director of CEEZAD and CEZID. It was published in the July 15 edition of Virus Genes.
Other co-authors include Gagandeep Sing, Jessie D. Trujillo, Franco Matias-Ferreyra, Sujan Kafle, Taeyong Kwon, Chester McDowell, Isaac Fitz, Lance Noll, Jamie Retallick, Natasha Gaudreault and Igor Morozov.
The recent expansion of HPAIV H5N1 infections in terrestrial mammals in the Americas including the outbreak in U.S. dairy cattle, emphasizes the critical need for better epidemiological monitoring of zoonotic diseases. In this work, CEEZAD researchers detected, isolated, and characterized the HPAIV H5N1 from environmental swab samples collected from a dairy farm in the state of Kansas, USA.
Genomic sequencing of these samples uncovered two distinctive substitutions in the PB2 (E249G) and NS1 (R21Q) genes that are rare and absent in recent 2024 isolates of H5N1 circulating in the mammalian and avian species. Additionally, approximately 1.7% of the sequence reads indicated a PB2 (E627K) substitution, commonly associated with virus adaptation to mammalian hosts.
Phylogenetic analyses of the PB2 and NS genes demonstrated more genetic identity between this environmental isolate and the 2024 human isolate (A/Texas/37/2024) of H5N1. Conversely, HA and NA gene analyses revealed a closer relationship between the environmental isolate and those found in other dairy cattle with almost 100% identity, sharing a common phylogenetic subtree.
These findings underscore the evolutionary progression of HPAIV H5N1 among dairy cattle and reinforces the need for more epidemiological monitoring, which can be done using environmental sampling.
The full article can be read by following this link: Detection and characterization of H5N1 HPAIV in environmental samples from a dairy farm: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11262-024-02085-4
Thursday, August 22, 2024
CEEZAD researchers explore potential for gene editing of pigs to control influenza A virus
An article co-authored by the Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD, www.ceezad.org) and the Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CEZID; https://www.k-state.edu/cezid/) explores the potential for commercial use of gene edited pigs to minimize economic losses caused by Influenza A virus..
The article was co-authored by Dr. Juergen A. Richt, Regents and University
Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University and director of CEEZAD and CEZID.
Other co-authors include Taeyong Kwon, Bianca L. Artiaga, Chester McDowell, Jamie Retallick, Natasha Gaudreault and Igor Morozov, all from KSU, and collaborators from U. Missouri and Genus plc..
Proteolytic activation of the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein by host cellular proteases is pivotal for influenza A virus (IAV) infectivity. Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses possess the multibasic cleavage site of the HA, which is cleaved by ubiquitous proteases, such as furin. In contrast, the monobasic HA motif is recognized and activated by trypsin-like proteases, such as the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2).
In this study, CEEZAD researchers aimed to determine the effects of TMPRSS2 on the replication of pandemic H1N1 and H3N2 subtype IAVs in the natural host, the pig. The use of the CRISPR/Cas 9 system led to the establishment of homozygous gene edited (GE) TMPRSS2 knockout (KO) pigs. Delayed IAV replication was demonstrated in primary respiratory cells of KO pigs in vitro. IAV infection in vivo resulted in significant reduction of virus shedding in the upper respiratory tract, and lower virus titers and pathological lesions in the lower respiratory tract of TMPRSS2 KO pigs as compared to WT pigs.
The study’s findings could support the commercial use of GE pigs to minimize (i) the economic losses caused by IAV infection in pigs, and (ii) the emergence of novel IAVs with pandemic potential through genetic reassortment in the "mixing vessel", the pig.
The full article can be read by following this link: Gene editing of pigs to control influenza A virus infections: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22221751.2024.2387449
Monday, July 15, 2024
Brain invasion of bovine coronavirus: molecular analysis of bovine coronavirus infection in calves with severe pneumonia and neurological signs
An article co-authored by the Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD, www.ceezad.org) and the Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CEZID; https://www.k-state.edu/cezid/) studies the ability of the bovine coronavirus to impact the brain.
The article was co-authored by Dr. Juergen A. Richt, Regents and University Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University and director of CEEZAD and CEZID. It was published in the May 24 edition of the Journal of Veterinary Science. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37938158/
Although the role of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) in calf diarrhea and respiratory disorders is well documented, its contribution to neurological diseases is unclear.
The study involved virological investigations of calves showing diarrhea and respiratory and neurological signs.
An outbreak of diarrhea, respiratory, and neurological disorders occurred among 12 calves in July 2022 in Istanbul, Türkiye. Two of these calves exhibited neurological signs and died a few days after the appearance of symptoms. One of these calves was necropsied and analyzed using molecular and histopathological tests.
BCoV RNA was detected in the brain, lung, spleen, liver, and intestine of the calf that had neurological signs by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Immunostaining was also observed in the intestine and brain. A 622 bp S1 gene product was amplified from RNA derived from the brain. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the BCoV detected in this study had a high homology to the BCoV strain GIb with 99.19% nucleotide sequence identity to the BCoV strains detected in Poland, Israel, Türkiye, and France.. In addition, the highest identity (98,72%) was obtained with the HECV 4408 and L07748 strains of human coronaviruses.
In summary, the BCoV detected in a calf brain from turkey belongs to the GIb-European lineage and shares high sequence homology with BCoV isolates detected in Europe and Israel. In addition, the similarity with human coronaviruses (4408 and L07748) raises questions about the zoonotic potential of the BCoV detected in this study.
Monday, July 15, 2024
CEEZAD scientists advance understanding of Rift Valley Fever phlebovirus reassortment in sheep
An article co-authored by the Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD, www.ceezad.org) and the Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CEZID; https://www.k-state.edu/cezid/) describes the reassortment ability of the Rift Valley Fever virus in sheep.
The article was co-authored by Dr. Juergen A. Richt, Regents and University Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University and director of CEEZAD and CEZID. It was published in the May 30 edition of Viruses. Rift Valley Fever Phlebovirus Reassortment Study in Sheep - PMC (nih.gov)
Other co-authors include Igor Morozov, Natasha N Gaudreault, Jessie D Trujillo, Sabarish V Indran, David A Meekins, Velmurugan Balaraman, In Joong Kim, Kinga Urbaniak, Sun Young Sunwoo, Bonto Faburay, Klaus Osterrrieder, Michelle D. Zajac,Vinay Sinjay, all of the Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology at Kansas State University and CEEZAD, and William C. Wilson, of NBAF.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) in ungulates and humans is caused by a mosquito-borne RVF phlebovirus (RVFV). Live attenuated vaccines are used in livestock (sheep and cattle) to control RVF in endemic regions during outbreaks. The ability of two or more different RVFV strains to reassort when co-infecting a host cell is a significant veterinary and public health concern due to the potential emergence of newly reassorted viruses, since reassortment of RVFVs has been documented in nature and in experimental infection studies.
Due to the very limited information regarding the frequency and dynamics of RVFV reassortment, CEEZAD researchers evaluated the efficiency of RVFV reassortment in sheep, a natural host for this zoonotic pathogen. Co-infection experiments were performed, first in vitro in sheep-derived cells, and subsequently in vivo in sheep. Two RVFV co-infection groups were evaluated: group I consisted of co-infection with two wild-type (WT) RVFV strains, Kenya 128B-15 (Ken06) and Saudi Arabia SA01-1322 (SA01), while group II consisted of co-infection with the live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccine strain MP-12 and a WT strain, Ken06.
In the in vitro experiments, the virus supernatants were collected 24 hours post-infection. In the in vivo experiments, clinical signs were monitored, and blood and tissues were collected at various time points up to nine days post-challenge for analyses. Cell culture supernatants and samples from sheep were processed, and plaque-isolated viruses were genotyped to determine reassortment frequency.
The researchers’ results show that RVFV reassortment is more efficient in sheep-derived cells compared to sheep. In vitro, the reassortment frequencies reached 37.9% for the group I co-infected cells and 25.4% for the group II co-infected cells. In contrast, just 1.7% reassortant viruses from group I sheep co-infected with the two WT strains, while no reassortants were detected from group II sheep co-infected with the WT and LAV strains.
The results indicate that RVFV reassortment occurs at a lower frequency in vivo in sheep when compared to in vitro conditions in sheep-derived cells. Further studies are needed to better understand the implications of RVFV reassortment in relation to virulence and transmission dynamics in the host and the vector. The knowledge learned from these studies on reassortment is important for understanding the dynamics of RVFV evolution.
Monday, Juy 1, 2024
Ten students gain knowledge from CEEZAD’s 2024 BSL-3 Summer Training Program
A CEEZAD recent summer workshop has given 10 future veterinary researchers a chance to explore the full range of professional opportunities that will be available to them when they complete their studies. It also acquainted those candidates with recent developments in the field of veterinary infectious disease studies in high level biocontainment.
The USDA BSL-3 Training Program for Research Support Personnel is an annual exercise in which CEEZAD gathers experts in the fields of biosecurity, virology, pathobiology and related fields in order to educate promising candidates who are interested in veterinary research in those fields. It was held June 10 through June 20. Most of the sessions took place at the Biosecurity Research Institute, a level 3 biocontainment facility at Kansas State University.
The program was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.
The participants, most of them DVM/PhD or PhD students, received instruction on protocols and procedures for working in a BSL Level 3 biocontainment environment, and gained experience with protective gear used in such environments. They also listened to internationally recognized experts in the fields of veterinary or zoonotic research and veterinary pharmaceuticals which discussed opportunities and present findings concerning their areas of expertise.
Here are brief biographies of the students along with their observations of what they gained from the experience:
Zachary Barrand is a PhD candidate and research associate at the Translational Genomics Research Institute at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. His research interests focus on vector genomic and microbiome influences on the maintenance, evolution and transmission of vector-borne diseases between reservoir, wildlife and human hosts.
He said the CEEZAD Summer Training Program intrigued him because of his interest in vector-borne zoonotic diseases. His goal is to be a principal investigator “at an academic institution or in a government position,” potentially with the Centers for Disease Control or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Estefany Cotto-Lopez is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota. Holder of masters degrees in OneHealth from the University of Florida and Environmental Health from the University of Puerto Rico, she has been a research assistant in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She hopes to use her summer experience to facilitate her long-term professional goal of conducting research to develop innovative technologies to combat infectious diseases.
She said her participation in the Summer Training Program “opens the door for more high-containment training.” She wants to work in that type of facility, and finds it helpful to be able to see and hear from “people who are doing the (high-containment) research.”
Meghan Donaldson is a PhD student in the biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology program at Pennsylvania State University. She has a degree in microbiology from Colorado State University and has been a doctoral research fellow for Dr. Jose Joyce at Penn State. Her aspiration is to pursue educational and professional experiences relevant to BSL-3 and BSL-4 lab facilities.
Meghan, who has researched COVID-19 and Zika virus, hopes to work in a BSL-3 or BSL-4 environment. “My dream has always been to work in high-containment,” she said. Meghan found one of the most valuable aspects of the institute to be the opportunity to “grow my network” of knowledgeable professionals.
Daryn Erickson is a PhD student in the College of the Environment, Forestry and Natural Sciences at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. Her (?) research interests include non-invasive viral surveillance methods to improve proactive mitigation strategies. Her doctoral studies have focused on surveillance of RNA viruses in complex, sometimes non-traditional sample types such as wastewater, mosquito pools and residual rapid test swabs.
Daryn has gained experience as a user of the Select Agent facility at Northern Arizona and sought to broaden her experience with Level 3 facilities through the Summer Training Program. “There are strict guidelines at all Level 3 facilities,” she said, “but when it gets to procedural things you will see slight differences,” she added. She also wants to research ways “to make what we’re doing less scary to the public.”
Kayla Buck Garrett is a doctoral student and associate wildlife biologist with the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia. Holder of a masters in forest resources at Georgia, she hopes to use her summer training institute experience to expand her research capabilities to BSL-3 facilities, enabling her to work on a wider range of pathogens.
Kayla found the program “incredibly useful” because she came to it with little exposure to BSL-3 operations. “This program has been useful in teaching me how to do BSL-3 work,” she said.
Hayley Masterson is a doctor of veterinary medicine who is a PhD student at Washington State University. She has worked in a research laboratory and hopes to use her summer experience to enhance her ability to develop and perform laboratory research with a particular interest in tick-transmitted disease.
Hayley said she “really likes the “clinical part of research” because of the opportunity it provides to do laboratory work.
Greyson Moore is a PhD candidate in biomedical and veterinary science at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va. Greyson has a degree in biology and hopes to use the Summer Program experience to help him fulfill he ambition for a career “at the intersection of translational medicine … to drive scientific discovery in relation to clinical and public applications.”
Greyson found the opportunity for “networking and learning about career paths” to be a valuable aspect of the program .
Kade Shomin is a graduate of the microbiology program at Michigan STATE or UM??. He is in the process of applying to veterinary schools with the hope of studying zoonotic high-consequence pathogens.
“I thought this (summer program) was an awesome opportunity,” Kade said. He hopes to focus his studies on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which he said he is “fascinated by.”
Jason Thornton is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps and a PhD student in infectious diseases and immunology at the University of Florida. He is also board-certified in veterinary anatomic pathology. Following completion of his PhD work, he hopes to serve in a high-priority position within the U.S. Medical Research and Development Command or the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
He is now working on a Tier 1 select agent that requires BSL-3 experience. He hopes some day to work at the Army’s USAMRIID facility at Frederick, Md., using both his military and veterinary research expertise.
Morgen VanderGiessen is a doctoral student in the Infectious diseases Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA. She has a degree in biochemistry and a masters in life sciences. Her doctoral research focuses on intersecting neurological pathways of traumatic brain injuries, organophosphate exposure and encephalitic alphavirus infections. She hopes to use her summer experience to obtain BSL-3 lab research training, especially as it relates to large animal research.
She said she was interested in the summer program because she had previously met CEEZAD Director Dr. Juergen A. Richt, and “I knew they would know the right people’ to further her professional pursuits. She is undecided between a government or industry career, but wants to work with BSL-3 Ag pathogens.