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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 3h

Continued genomic surveillance is warranted, also given Perth’s international connectivity (Bali, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, others).

Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 3h

health.wa.gov.au/articles/n_r...
health.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I...

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 3h

#BA32 remains detectable in a substantial fraction of Perth clinical samples for the week ending Oct 5, though total sequence and case numbers remain low.

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 3h

Years without meeting in Germany despite many joint projects - but in Paris, we bump into each other instantly. Merci, coincidence! 🇫🇷😀

Reposted by Stefan Poehlmann

Ryan Hisner @ryanhisner.bsky.social · 3d

BA.3.2 continues to surprise. It's foothold in both Australia and South Africa is solid, so it's not going to disappear anytime soon. It's also not growing especially quickly or spreading rapidly internationally.

But given enough time to explore, it may do both before long. We'll see. 6/6

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Reposted by Stefan Poehlmann

Ryan Hisner @ryanhisner.bsky.social · 2d

BA.3.2 originally added several new glycans, so perhaps removal of the N122 glycan (as well as the posited T678 O-linked glycan with T678I) is something of a counterbalancing act.

Hard to know. Could also just be a dead-end singlet, albeit an fascinating one. 3/3
bsky.app/profile/ryan...

Ryan Hisner @ryanhisner.bsky.social · Mar 12

The new BA.3 has added 3-4 new glycans in spike at: N101 (via I101T), N185 (K187T), N354 (K356T—in 1/3 sequences), & N529 (K529N). Plus it lacks T19I, so it retains the N17 glycan that we’ve not seen since BA.1 (& which Delta also lacked due to T19R).
4/13
threadreaderapp.com/thread/17470...

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 6d

BA.3.2.2 is still around in South Africa

Josette Schoenmakers @josetteschoenma.bsky.social · 6d

After 3 months, South Africa has uploaded another BA.3.2.2.

It has 3 mutations in common with the Australian samples, which we haven't seen outside of Australia before. T1195C, C2592T and T6856C. So, it probably migrated after it gained those.

It gained some extra mutations after that.

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Reposted by Stefan Poehlmann

Ryan Hisner @ryanhisner.bsky.social · 20d

However, there's a well documented connection between spike NTD deletions & spike cleavage, as documented by @enyaqing.bsky.social, @grovearmada.bsky.social, & others. I've discussed this some in recent BA.3.2 🧵's & in this older 🧵 dedicated to the subject. 4/4
threadreaderapp.com/thread/15690...

Thread by @LongDesertTrain on Thread Reader App

@LongDesertTrain: BA.2, driven to near-zero levels by BA.5, still haunt us, spawning monstrous viruses that, after vanishing for months, burst forth, gnarled & hideous, in novel antibody armor. The la...

threadreaderapp.com

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 8d

Not sure about EPI_ISL_20192607 - labeled as BA.3 from Ireland. The limited spike sequence available carries some BA.3.2-like mutations but overall looks more like BA.3 with unique changes.

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 22d

Lu Zhang reporting on the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 at #EMVZ, St Raphael, France. Great job, Lu!

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 23d

Great presentation by Nianzhen Chen on inhibition of MERS- CoV by soluble DPP4.
#EMVZ

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 24d

Such a joy to present at the European Meeting on Viral Zoonoses (#EMVZ) in beautiful Saint-Raphaël 🇫🇷 — amazing science, lively discussions, and an unforgettable setting. Can’t wait for the next one!

VIGILANT_EU @vigilant-eu.bsky.social · 24d

VIGILANT theme highlighted by Stefan Pöhlmann at the 11th European Meeting on Viral Zoonoses (Saint-Raphaël, Sept 20–23, 2025). Focus: how Sec61 targeting disrupts filovirus glycoprotein function and infectivity.
#ViralZoonoses #EMVZ #SaintRaphael

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 25d

But: it does matter for precautions - especially for vulnerable groups when weighing boosters and Long COVID risk.

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 25d

👉 Does this mean full hospitals? No.
👉 Changes in clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or preventive practice? No.

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 25d

Some newer variants have relearned how to efficiently enter lung cells. If this feature appears in the right genetic background, increased capacity to cause disease might be the consequence.

Isaac Bogoch @isaacbogoch.bsky.social · 26d

Although the genetic fingerprint has shifted a bit, there is absolutely nothing new from a clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or preventive perspective.

Are we really going to do this every time the virus mutates, which it will continue to do frequently & indefinitely?

Link: tinyurl.com/3kt32bm9

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 27d

You mean accelerate viral spread in the population beyond that observed for previous variants/predicted by models? I cannot say at this point. Let’s see whether the existence of the recombinant virus can be confirmed.

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · 27d

Very interesting. This might boost cell entry and maintain antibody evasion - the combination that’s needed for high transmissibility.
#BA32

Federico Gueli @siamosolocani.bsky.social · 29d

EPI_ISL_20175638 is the first possible recombinant with Jn.1 if real and not artifact or contamination or coinfection it would be BA.3.2.2/NB.1.8.1/BA.3.2.2/NB.1.8.1 getting from 245 to 439 in the spike from NB.1.8.1 and getting back orf7ab/Orf8 and acquiring Orf9b:I5T all from NB.1.8.1

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Sep 12

www.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I...

Virus WAtch

A weekly report of the activity of viruses responsible for influenza-like illness, viral gastroenteritis and viral rashes in WA in the previous 8 weeks. It summarises information from a range of sour...

www.health.wa.gov.au

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Sep 12

Been traveling with little internet & almost missed it: BA.3.2 shows high frequency in infections but low in wastewater. Start of a JN.1-like spread, or just the last blip of a fading variant?

#BA32

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Sep 7

David Baltimore, Nobel-Winning Molecular Biologist, Dies at 87 www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/s...

David Baltimore, Nobel-Winning Molecular Biologist, Dies at 87

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Stefan Poehlmann

VIGILANT_EU @vigilant-eu.bsky.social · Sep 6

Ebola poses a serious global threat. We hope for swift containment and are committed to research for future prevention.

CNN @cnn.com · Sep 6

A new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is suspected of causing 15 deaths among 28 people with symptoms, the health ministry in the central African country said Thursday.

New Ebola outbreak in DR Congo suspected of causing 15 deaths | CNN

A new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is suspected of causing 15 deaths among 28 people with symptoms, the health ministry in the central African country said Thursday.

www.cnn.com

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Sep 4

Furin activates viruses but blocking it specifically and potently is challenging. This study found a way 👀

VIGILANT_EU @vigilant-eu.bsky.social · Sep 4

1/
The protease furin activates dangerous viruses like H5N1. But since it has many close relatives, specifically targeting furin is a huge challenge.
#Virology #DrugDiscovery

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Sep 4

Interesting, thanks

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Stefan Poehlmann @snpoehlm.bsky.social · Aug 31

Many thanks. I will need some time to look at the data.
Just to clarify - are you suggesting that if fecal shedding of JN.1 were truly markedly enhanced, then observed case numbers should have been lower than predicted, but in fact they were not?

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