Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals

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.

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Publication Details

Journal
Science
Published
2025-11-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adq4691
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Influenza Virus Research Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.71
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article

Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals

Sam J. Wilson, Kenneth G. C. Smith, Hui Min Lee, Douglas G. Stewart et al.
2 citations
Science
Influenza Virus Research Studies
2.71
article

Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals

Sam J. Wilson, Kenneth G. C. Smith, Hui Min Lee, Douglas G. Stewart, Gauthier Lieber, Katherine Harcourt, Eleanor Gaunt, Joseph Hughes, J. Kenneth Baillie, Marko Noerenberg, Rute Maria Pinto, Spyros Lytras, Paul Lyons, Ervin Fodor, Matthew L. Turnbull, Johanna S Jung, Ana da Silva Filipe, Stephanie L. Williams, Alfredo Castelló, Sara Clohisey, Katherine Smollett, Jeffery K. Taubenberger, Colin Loney, Darrell R. Kapczynski, Suzannah J. Rihn, Akira J. T. Alexander, Paul Digard, Edward Hutchinson, Simon Swingler, Simon Clare, Emma L. Davies, Ye Wang
article en
2 citations

Abstract

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.

ScienceVol. 390(6776)
National Institutes of Health (US), Roslin Institute (GB), The University of Melbourne (AU), Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (AU), University of Cambridge (GB), University of Oxford (GB), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (US), U.S. National Poultry Research Center (US), MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (GB), The University of Tokyo (JP), University of Edinburgh (GB)
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Influenza Virus Research Studies
2.71
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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