H5N1 strain of bird flu can spread through air, study finds
2 weeks, 6 days ago

H5N1 strain of bird flu can spread through air, study finds

India Today  

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, primarily affects birds and some cattle. The findings drew attention to the fact that while the 2005 strain of H5N1 did not demonstrate any infectious virus particles in air samples, newer strains as recent as 2022 in a European polecat and 2024 in a US dairy worker showed limited virus in the air. The air samples from these infected ferrets depicted a reduced, but present, ability to transmit the virus, which correlates with observed limited transmission patterns of these newer strains. The study also noted certain genetic adaptations, such as the PB2-E627K mutation in the dairy worker strain and PB2-T271A in the polecat strain, that might enable the virus to replicate more efficiently. The current H5N1 virus strains, particularly those linked to cattle, release very little virus into the air, which helps explain why they are not easily spread between animals or humans.

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History of this topic

Does 2022 H5N1 bind, replicate better in the respiratory tract?
2 days, 7 hours ago

Does 2022 H5N1 bind, replicate better in the respiratory tract?

The Hindu  

Since the first case of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in a farm worker in Texas was reported in April this year, the number of confirmed H5N1 cases in humans as of December 20 has shot up to 64 in the U.S., with 34 cases in California alone. The researchers of the preprint study found that the H5N1 virus that has been …

Opinion: Bird flu is coming for humans. We can either get ready or court disaster
6 days, 23 hours ago

Opinion: Bird flu is coming for humans. We can either get ready or court disaster

LA Times  

Bird flu has seen a resurgence in the U.S. this year, with California leading the pack. Since 2022, millions of egg-laying chickens have been exposed to, infected with and culled or killed by H5N1 in the U.S. What stands out this year is how widespread the infection has been among dairy cows, which are spreading it to farmworkers — the …

Mega-Farms Are Driving the Threat of Bird Flu
1 week, 2 days ago

Mega-Farms Are Driving the Threat of Bird Flu

Wired  

This story originally appeared on Inside Climate News and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. “It’s a lot of trouble.” Further north and west, in the San Joaquin Valley—the heart of the state’s dairy industry—the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, has rippled through the massive herds that provide most of the country’s milk. The Centers for Disease …

Could bird flu trigger another pandemic?
1 week, 5 days ago

Could bird flu trigger another pandemic?

Firstpost  

The deadly bird flu variant H5N1 is spreading more widely than ever before. Reuters H5N1 bird flu, a type of avian influenza, is once again making headlines after dozens of people in the United States were infected with the virus. Late last month, the headline of an opinion piece in the New York Times stated, “A bird flu pandemic would …

Bird flu may need a single mutation to spread among humans, study finds
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Bird flu may need a single mutation to spread among humans, study finds

LA Times  

Cows are milked at a Fresno dairy farm. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend: The H5N1 bird flu may be one mutation away from being a threat to humans. And here’s today’s e-newspaper The H5N1 bird flu virus may need just one mutation to be a threat to humans, a study found. “Yikes,” “Oh great” and …

A single mutation could make bird flu much worse, study finds
2 weeks, 3 days ago

A single mutation could make bird flu much worse, study finds

Salon  

As the number of human bird flu cases continues to rise and more dairy farms across the country report outbreaks, scientists are increasingly concerned that the H5N1 virus will mutate to better infect people. In the lab, the authors of the study found that a single mutation in the primary protein, hemagglutinin could give it the ability to cling onto …

Just one mutation can make H5N1 bird flu a threat to humans, California researchers say
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Just one mutation can make H5N1 bird flu a threat to humans, California researchers say

LA Times  

California researchers say the world may be just one genetic tweak away from human-to-human transmission of the H5N1 bird flu virus — a worrisome mutation that could open the door to widespread human infections and possibly even a pandemic, according to some experts. In a study published Thursday in the journal Science, Scripps Research Institute biologists determined that a single …

Five million doses of bird flu vaccine bought by UK to prepare for pandemic
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Five million doses of bird flu vaccine bought by UK to prepare for pandemic

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK government has bought more than 5 million doses of …

Bird flu worries European health agencies as they increase virus surveillance
1 month ago

Bird flu worries European health agencies as they increase virus surveillance

Salon  

As flu season nears, Europe is increasing surveillance for human cases of H5N1 influenza, also known as bird flu. “We’ve updated our guidance to include milder symptoms in individuals exposed to birds or other animals,” Angeliki Melidou, principal expert in respiratory viruses at the ECDC, told The Telegraph. “The priority is to strengthen surveillance and ensure we monitor and follow …

The number of cases of H5N1 bird flu is growing - but can it be caught by eating chicken?
1 month ago

The number of cases of H5N1 bird flu is growing - but can it be caught by eating chicken?

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As the number of human bird flu cases have continued to …

H5N1 bird flu might be more prevalent among humans than public health data shows
1 month, 1 week ago

H5N1 bird flu might be more prevalent among humans than public health data shows

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As H5N1 bird flu …

First US Case of Bird Flu in a Pig Raises Concerns Over Potential Human Threat
1 month, 3 weeks ago

First US Case of Bird Flu in a Pig Raises Concerns Over Potential Human Threat

Associated Press  

A pig at an Oregon farm has been found to have bird flu, marking the first instance of the virus in the United States. The infection poses a potential threat to human health due to its ability to spread to humans. Genetic tests have shown no mutations that suggest the virus is gaining an increased ability to spread to people. …

A concerning development: H5N1 bird flu has infected a pig in Oregon, officials say
1 month, 3 weeks ago

A concerning development: H5N1 bird flu has infected a pig in Oregon, officials say

LA Times  

Oregon state and federal officials confirmed Wednesday that H5N1 bird flu was found in a pig living in Crook County — the first such swine infection reported in the current outbreak. “Experts and commentators have minimized the outbreak to date, saying, ‘but it’s not in pigs yet.’ Well, now it seems to be, and just in time for the other …

Alarming development as mutated bird flu strain that is 30x deadlier leaves American infected
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Alarming development as mutated bird flu strain that is 30x deadlier leaves American infected

Daily Mail  

Doctors are expressing alarm about a mutated form of bird flu that infected a farm worker in Texas. Government-backed researchers took a sample of the virus, infected mice and ferrets with it and found it had evolved to become far deadlier than the wild strain currently spreading on US farms. Researchers have suggested that drinking unpasteurized milk from an infected …

As California bird flu outbreak worsens, a Missouri patient who caught it is alarming experts
2 months, 1 week ago

As California bird flu outbreak worsens, a Missouri patient who caught it is alarming experts

Salon  

The H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, has created an enduring crisis this year, massacring millions of birds and other wild animals, while stirring outbreaks in dairy farms across the U.S. As the number of confirmed bird flu cases continues to climb in various states across the country, many public health experts are anxiously awaiting results from testing performed …

Australia's bird flu outbreak has claimed the lives of 2 million chickens, but experts fear the worst is yet to come
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Australia's bird flu outbreak has claimed the lives of 2 million chickens, but experts fear the worst is yet to come

ABC  

In the small country town of Meredith, about 70 kilometres west of Melbourne, a lone dead tree stands in the centre of a paddock, looming over two long red furrows clawed into the ground. He's just spent most of this year trying to lead Victoria's response to avian influenza outbreaks, and says the state is "finally on the home stretch". …

Just How Deadly Is Bird Flu to Humans?
3 months, 1 week ago

Just How Deadly Is Bird Flu to Humans?

Slate  

This story was originally published by Undark and has been republished here with permission. Compared to the H1 and H3 proteins in the influenza A viruses responsible for seasonal flu, H5 proteins trigger a weaker response from the immune system, said Peiris: “People may be getting mildly infected, but it’s not enough to elicit an antibody response.” Peiris and other …

Bird flu outbreak worries Australia
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Bird flu outbreak worries Australia

China Daily  

With eggs in short supply and avian influenza spreading across Australian farms, the outbreak has the country on edge. "The bird flu situation in Australia is increasingly alarming, particularly due to the threat posed by the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain, which has not yet reached the continent," said associate professor Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist with the …

US Bird flu outbreak: From vaccine to transmission, all you need to know
4 months, 3 weeks ago

US Bird flu outbreak: From vaccine to transmission, all you need to know

Hindustan Times  

After H5N1 bird flu was detected at dairy farms, researchers confirmed the respiratory virus had spread to other animals. In a study, rush-released by the journal Nature on July 25 after an initial peer review, the researchers reported a “spillover of HPAI H5N1 virus in dairy cattle herds.” They were also able to detect cattle-to-cat and cattle-to-raccoon transmission, highlighting, as …

Australia hit by bird flu outbreak of highly pathogenic strain
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Australia hit by bird flu outbreak of highly pathogenic strain

China Daily  

FILE PHOTO: A person holds a test tube labelled "Bird Flu", in this picture illustration, January 14, 2023. "The bird flu situation in Australia is increasingly alarming, particularly due to the threat posed by the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain, which has not yet reached the continent," said associate professor Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist with the Jeffrey …

Extreme heat may have increased spread of H5N1 at poultry farm
5 months, 1 week ago

Extreme heat may have increased spread of H5N1 at poultry farm

LA Times  

An H5N1 outbreak that recently infected five poultry workers and 1.8 million chickens in northeast Colorado may have been fueled in part by heat wave conditions and slaughtering methods, according to federal health authorities. At a press conference Tuesday, Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the human infections occurred as poultry …

US: Four human bird flu infections found in Colorado, health dept warns H5N1 could cause pandemic
5 months, 1 week ago

US: Four human bird flu infections found in Colorado, health dept warns H5N1 could cause pandemic

India TV News  

Colorado reported four confirmed infections of H5N1 bird flu virus in poultry workers, and is checking on the status of a fifth suspected case, health authorities said on Sunday. Human infections with H5N1 avian flu could cause severe disease and even a pandemic if the virus were to change and acquire the ability to spread easily between people, the US …

Bird flu infections spread among workers at Colorado poultry farm
5 months, 1 week ago

Bird flu infections spread among workers at Colorado poultry farm

LA Times  

A California Department of Food and Agriculture technician swabs a chicken to test for avian influenza. Five poultry workers at a farm in northeast Colorado have been infected by the H5N1 virus, according to Colorado’s department of public health. The workers were culling birds at a commercial poultry farm that had been affected by the virus. “An assessment of these …

Bird flu seems to be slowly mutating to better infect humans. Experts warn the time to act is now
5 months, 1 week ago

Bird flu seems to be slowly mutating to better infect humans. Experts warn the time to act is now

Salon  

In late March, a worker on a commercial dairy farm in Texas developed a case of pink eye. “There's good news and bad news,” co-author of the study Keith Poulson, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, told Salon. Indeed, in the last part of the study scientists discovered that unlike older strains of H5N1, this one has the capacity …

Health experts raise alarm over US response to bird flu
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Health experts raise alarm over US response to bird flu

China Daily  

Three months after the first detection of bird flu in US dairy cows, experts are expressing growing concern about the government's response and the potential for a deadly pandemic. Since avian influenza A, also known as "bird flu", was for the first time detected in dairy cows on March 25, the number of infected herds continues to rise. "In the …

Bird flu spreads to cats and dogs as infections jump to mammals in 31 states: Here’s what to know
6 months ago

Bird flu spreads to cats and dogs as infections jump to mammals in 31 states: Here’s what to know

Hindustan Times  

A highly infectious type of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has shown concerning zoonotic transmission in recent weeks. Previously limited to wild birds and domestic poultry, the virus has been detected in cats across 31 states, with isolated cases identified in dogs. Bird flu spreads to cats and dogs as infections jump to mammals in 31 states: Here’s …

Does H5N1 pose a threat for humans? | Explained
6 months ago

Does H5N1 pose a threat for humans? | Explained

The Hindu  

The story so far: The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 strain has been affecting cattle across several States in the U.S., and for the first time, three cases of human infection in dairy farm workers were also reported, raising fears of the risks of a wider transmission of this virus from cattle to humans. The districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and …

Bird flu? Swine flu? A guide to H5N1 viruses and beyond
6 months ago

Bird flu? Swine flu? A guide to H5N1 viruses and beyond

Hindustan Times  

Ever been confused by the names for bird flu or Spanish flu H1N1? Those are examples of "Type A" influenza viruses — classed as highly infectious pathogens and a significant threat to influenza viruses that make the news. Type A influenza viruses often originate in aquatic birds and spread among bird species — that's then known as avian influenza or …

Ex-CDC Director Makes Alarming Bird Flu Prediction
6 months ago

Ex-CDC Director Makes Alarming Bird Flu Prediction

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Former CDC Director Robert Redfield suggested that a bird flu pandemic among humans is inevitable ― and would be extremely lethal. “I really do think it’s very likely that we will, at some time ― it’s not a question of if, it’s more of a question of when ― we will have a bird flu pandemic,” Redfield …

First human case of H5N2 died from multiple factors, not a death attributable to H5N2: WHO
6 months, 2 weeks ago

First human case of H5N2 died from multiple factors, not a death attributable to H5N2: WHO

Firstpost  

H5N1 first emerged in 1996 but since 2020, the number of outbreaks in birds has grown exponentially, alongside an increase in the number of infected mammals Based on available information, the United Nations' health agency assesses the current risk to the general population posed by the virus as low Image Courtesy Reuters The WHO said on Friday that a man …

Mexico man dies from first human case of bird flu: What is the H5N2 strain
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Mexico man dies from first human case of bird flu: What is the H5N2 strain

India Today  

A person who already had health complications and contracted bird flu a while back died in Mexico in April, confirmed the World Health Organisation. KNOW ALL ABOUT THE H5N2 STRAIN OF BIRD FLU Bird flu has been rampantly spreading across farms in countries like the US, UK, France, Japan and Australia, among others. According to the US Centres for Disease …

As avian flu outbreaks spread around the world, experts weigh in on the risk of a future pandemic, and how the world can prepare
6 months, 3 weeks ago

As avian flu outbreaks spread around the world, experts weigh in on the risk of a future pandemic, and how the world can prepare

ABC  

When Victorian health officials confirmed Australia's first human case of an avian influenza known as H5N1 last week, there were a few key details that struck some of those listening as odd. Later that day, Victorian health officials confirmed Australia's first human case of a different highly pathogenic strain, H5N1 — the child who picked up an infection in India. …

H5N1 bird flu: Centre asks States to be vigilant
6 months, 3 weeks ago

H5N1 bird flu: Centre asks States to be vigilant

The Hindu  

The Centre has asked all States to be vigilant for any unusual deaths amongst the domestic birds and poultry, and share the information with the Animal Husbandry Department immediately so that public health action can be initiated as per the national action plan for Avian influenza. A joint advisory issued on May 25 by the National Centre for Disease Control …

US reports 2nd human case of bird flu linked to dairy cow outbreak. Details
7 months ago

US reports 2nd human case of bird flu linked to dairy cow outbreak. Details

Hindustan Times  

A dairy farm worker in Michigan has been diagnosed with the bird flu H5N1 virus - the second case linked to an outbreak in dairy cows in the United States. US reports 2nd human case of bird flu linked to dairy cow outbreak “Two specimens were collected from the patient. The first case of the virus was reported in March …

Australia confirms first human case of bird flu
7 months ago

Australia confirms first human case of bird flu

India Today  

Australia has confirmed its first human case of avian influenza in a child who may have been "infected by the virus in India" but has now since fully recovered. "This is the first confirmed human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Australia," said Dr Claire Looker, Victoria's chief health officer, in a statement. NEW STRAIN OF BIRD FLU IN …

Inadequate bird flu testing is making pandemic experts concerned we're "flying blind" with H5N1
7 months, 1 week ago

Inadequate bird flu testing is making pandemic experts concerned we're "flying blind" with H5N1

Salon  

After public health officials confirmed H5N1, the virus also known as bird flu, jumped from poultry to cows and recently infected an American, they’ve warned that if the virus strain made its way to pigs, it could be a time to press the panic button. This specific trait might allow the virus to sp “The biggest question is whether cows …

H5N1 outbreak: route of mammalian transmission among cattle unclear
7 months, 2 weeks ago

H5N1 outbreak: route of mammalian transmission among cattle unclear

The Hindu  

What started as a mystery disease in one cattle herd in Texas in March and quickly confirmed as Avian Influenza A H5N1 has now quickly grown to 36 herds across nine states in the U.S. With wider testing of cattle herds ongoing, this number is likely to go up significantly. Firstly, the route of mammalian transmission among cattle herds is …

New bird flu variant in American cows unlikely to impact Britain, says chief vet
7 months, 2 weeks ago

New bird flu variant in American cows unlikely to impact Britain, says chief vet

The Telegraph  

The new hybrid variant of bird flu spreading in American cows is no more dangerous to human health and the public should be “reassured” it is unlikely to impact Britain, the chief vet said. Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, told The Telegraph the genetics of the flu strain in cattle in the US “have changed a bit” …

H5N1 strain of bird flu is found in MILK for first time in 'very high concentrations,' World Health Organization warns
8 months ago

H5N1 strain of bird flu is found in MILK for first time in 'very high concentrations,' World Health Organization warns

Daily Mail  

Officials have ensured that the pasteurized milk supply is still safe The H5NI virus has been detected in 'very high concentrations' in raw milk Bird flu has been detected in 'very high concentrations' in milk, health officials announced. The World Health Organization said Friday that bird flu, also known as H5N1, has been found in raw milk, which is milk …

Bird flu outbreak in Kerala's Alappuzha: Causes, symptoms and prevention tips of H5N1 flu
8 months ago

Bird flu outbreak in Kerala's Alappuzha: Causes, symptoms and prevention tips of H5N1 flu

India TV News  

There has been a recent outbreak of bird flu or avian influenza by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. According to Dr Monalisa Sahu, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad, the H5N1 strain has infected avian birds, sea birds, and mammals across the globe. Signs and symptoms: The signs and symptoms of this Influenza virus are …

Fresh bird flu pandemic fears as WHO warns outbreak is of 'enormous concern' and would have 'extraordinarily high' death rates
8 months ago

Fresh bird flu pandemic fears as WHO warns outbreak is of 'enormous concern' and would have 'extraordinarily high' death rates

Daily Mail  

The increasing spread of bird flu to humans is an 'enormous concern', the World Health Organization has warned. Experts at the World Health Organization said the strain humans face an 'extraordinarily high' mortality rate if it were to take hold, currently killing more than half of those infected. Jeremy Farrar, the UN health agency's chief scientist, said: 'This remains I …

Human bird flu cases ’an enormous concern’: WHO flags surge in H5N1 cases with ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality
8 months ago

Human bird flu cases ’an enormous concern’: WHO flags surge in H5N1 cases with ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality

Live Mint  

The World Health Organization has voiced concern as bird flu or avian influenza continues to cross the species barrier with increasing frequency. The UN health body said on Thursday that the strain has become “a global zoonotic animal pandemic” with human victims displaying an “extraordinarily high” mortality rate. Other animals infected with avian influenza viruses may have virus present in …

WHO says bird flu cases spreading to humans an enormous concern
8 months ago

WHO says bird flu cases spreading to humans an enormous concern

India Today  

The World Health Organisation has raised concerns about the spread of H5N1 bird flu to humans. The global health organisation flagged that the bird flu has an “extraordinarily high” mortality rate in humans. Jeremy Farrar, the chief scientist at the WHO, sounded the alarm over the bird flu cases spreading to humans at a press conference in Geneva. In a …

More than a dozen states quarantine COWS to halt spread of bird flu - as experts grow increasingly worried about outbreak in people
8 months, 1 week ago

More than a dozen states quarantine COWS to halt spread of bird flu - as experts grow increasingly worried about outbreak in people

Daily Mail  

Farms in several states are quarantining cows amid fears of rapidly spreading bird flu. Health officials in 18 states have placed restrictions on imports of cattle from states where the bird flu, also known as H5N1, has been confirmed in dairy cows. Although officials say the risk to humans who eat beef is 'very low,' some experts are concerned about …

What is avian influenza H5N1, also known as bird flu, and why has it been found in US dairy cows?
8 months, 1 week ago

What is avian influenza H5N1, also known as bird flu, and why has it been found in US dairy cows?

ABC  

Viruses are tricky things. Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious virus that affects bird species and can spread to other species, including humans. A dead farm cat and an unusually high number of dead pigeons were clues that suggested the cows had bird flu — domestic cats in the United States were known to have …

What to know about the latest bird flu outbreak in the US
8 months, 2 weeks ago

What to know about the latest bird flu outbreak in the US

Associated Press  

A poultry facility in Michigan and egg producer in Texas both reported outbreaks of avian flu this week. The latest developments on the virus also include infected dairy cows and the first known instance of a human catching bird flu from a mammal. U.S. health officials have stressed that the current public health risk is low and that there is …

What We Know About Bird Flu in Dairy Cows and People
8 months, 3 weeks ago

What We Know About Bird Flu in Dairy Cows and People

Bloomberg  

A strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza that’s been decimating wild and captive flocks of birds since 2020 is now spreading among US dairy cows — and has infected a person in Texas exposed to the sick animals. US officials say milk from affected cows hasn’t entered the food system, and if it did, the pasteurization process would kill pathogens …

White House's secret bird flu scare: Biden admin fears H5N1 could start next PANDEMIC after being briefed last week that a Texan farmer had caught virus from a COW
8 months, 3 weeks ago

White House's secret bird flu scare: Biden admin fears H5N1 could start next PANDEMIC after being briefed last week that a Texan farmer had caught virus from a COW

Daily Mail  

The White House is on red alert for bird flu after health officials revealed a Texan dairy farmer caught a deadly bird flu strain from a cow. Person in Texas infected with bird flu Tests revealed that an unknown number of cows have tested positive for bird flu Type A H5N1 in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. The Texan was …

Avian flu cases in Mammals raise concerns in US states as scientists warn against ‘high-likely’ spread to humans
9 months, 1 week ago

Avian flu cases in Mammals raise concerns in US states as scientists warn against ‘high-likely’ spread to humans

Hindustan Times  

The US officials have warned citizens about the risk of contracting avian flu, also known as H5N1, that is spreading to marine mammals. In the US, avian flu has been common among wild birds, particularly poultry, with over 82 million animals affected in 48 states. Avian flu in US For decades, the virus has been common among wild birds, particularly …

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