Clinical virology & viral emergence
Research themes
VIRAL is a research group dedicated to the investigation of emerging viral infections of interest for animal and human health, by combining a strong connection with the field and veterinary clinicians to the implementation of innovative technologies and environmental approaches. Our research is organized in 3 connected axis (see below) and covers a wide range of animal species, with a focus on poultry and wildlife.
Our group has very strong collaborations with other teams of the IHAP unit and an extensive collaborative network in France and abroad.
Our technical platform
Conventional and real-time PCR, digital PCR, in-situ hybridization (RNAScope), third-generation sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies), ELISA, avian viruses’ culture (cell lines or embryonated eggs).
People
Scientists
- Stéphane BERTAGNOLI, Professor, clinical virology and vaccinology, rabbit diseases
- Pierre BESSIERE, INTERFACES research Chair (endowed by the CEVA Wildlife research fund), emerging viruses and viral interfaces
- Guillaume CROVILLE, Research Engineer, molecular clinical virology, next generation sequencing
- Nicolas GAIDE, Associate professor, pathology of viral infections
- Jean-Luc GUERIN, Professor, avian medicine & virology, avian influenza
- Julien HIRSCHINGER, Contractual scientist, ecology of wildlife viral diseases
- Guillaume LE LOC’H, Associate professor, zoological medicine, viral infections of wildlife
- Sébastien SOUBIES, INRAE Junior research chair, ecology of avian influenza viruses
Technical staff
- Lilou BORTOT (Contractual technician)
- Clément CASTILLE (Contractual junior engineer)
- Cécile CAUBET (Permanent technician, ENVT)
- Marie DARD (agent cont. 50% shared with VIREMIE)
- Charlotte FORET (Engineer INRAE, shared with VIREMIE)
- Laura LEBOUTEILLER (contractual junior engineer)
- Aurélie SECULA (Permanent technician, INRAE)
PhD students
- Dilan ANDRIEUX
- Manuela CRISPO
- Lorette HIVERT
- Florent LAVIGNE
- Laetitia MONTACQ
- Mathilda WALCH
5 main publications
Croville G, Walch M, Sécula A, Lèbre L, Silva S, Filaire F, Guérin JL. An amplicon-based nanopore sequencing workflow for rapid tracking of avian influenza outbreaks, France, 2020-2022. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024 Jan 22;14:1257586.
Bessière P, Gaide N, Croville G, Crispo M, Fusade-Boyer M, Abou Monsef Y, Dirat M, Beltrame M, Dendauw P, Lemberger K, Guérin J-L, Le Loc’h G. High pathogenicity avian influenza A (H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b Virus infection in a captive Tibetan black bear (Ursus thibetanus): investigations based on paraffin-embedded tissues, France, 2022. Microbiol Spectr. 2024 Mar 5;12(3):e0373623.
Gaide N, Filaire F, Bertran K, Crispo M, Dirat M, Secula A, Foret-Lucas C, Payré B, Perlas A, Cantero G, Majó N, Soubies S, Guérin JL. The feather epithelium contributes to the dissemination and ecology of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses in ducks. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023 Dec;12(2):2272644.
Duriez O, Sassi Y, Le Gall-Ladevèze C, Giraud L, Straughan R, Dauverné L, Terras A, Boulinier T, Choquet R, Van De Wiele A, Hirschinger J, Guérin JL, Le Loc’h G. Highly pathogenic avian influenza affects vultures’ movements and breeding output. Curr Biol. 2023 Sep 11;33(17):3766-3774.e3.
Filaire F, Lebre L, Foret-Lucas C, Vergne T, Daniel P, Lelièvre A, de Barros A, Jbenyeni A, Bolon P, Paul M, Croville G, Guérin JL. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus in Dust Samples from Poultry Farms, France, 2021. Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Jul;28(7):1446-1450.