Worries as avian flu virus breaches species barriers
1 day, 21 hours ago

Worries as avian flu virus breaches species barriers

Hindustan Times  

In the span of a month, H5N1 has killed three tigers and a leopard in India, 11 house cats in California, and forced a teenage girl in Canada onto life support. The virus, which is better known as the avian influenza virus and is mostly prevalent in birds, spreading through dairy farms across America for much of 2024, appears to be breaching species barriers with increasing ease. “If there’s anything to worry about, it should be avian influenza that is seeing a jump from birds to animals to humans,” said Anurag Agrawal, dean of BioSciences and Health Research at Ashoka University’s Trivedi School of Biosciences. The virus continued its march through American dairy farms, with two more herds in California testing positive on New Year’s Day, bringing the total to 915 affected herds across 16 states. “The mutations evident in the Canadian case highlight the urgent need for vigilant surveillance of emerging mutations and assessment of the threat of human-to-human transmission,” said an accompanying editorial in NEJM, pointing to critical weaknesses in current monitoring efforts: genomic sequencing data from animals often lacks crucial metadata about where and when samples were collected, limiting scientists’ ability to track the virus’s spread and evolution.

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History of this topic

US records its first human death from bird flu
Trending News
1 day, 12 hours ago

US records its first human death from bird flu

Live Mint  

The first human death linked to bird flu has been reported in the United States, health authorities in Louisiana announced Monday, while noting the patient had underlying medical conditions. ‘Risk of Human-to-Human Transmission Low’ The announcement in mid-December of the patient being in “critical condition” sparked alarm that the United States could see an outbreak of a possible bird flu …

First bird flu death reported in the U.S., according to the CDC
2 days, 15 hours ago

First bird flu death reported in the U.S., according to the CDC

NPR  

First bird flu death reported in the U.S., according to the CDC toggle caption Callista Images/Getty Images The U.S. has recorded its first death of a person infected with bird flu. Sponsor Message "We have 20-plus years of data showing that it's a pretty nasty virus," said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of …

3 tigers, 1 leopard die of avian influenza in Nagpur zoo; animal husbandry dept issues advisory
2 days, 20 hours ago

3 tigers, 1 leopard die of avian influenza in Nagpur zoo; animal husbandry dept issues advisory

Hindustan Times  

Three tigers, aged three to four years, and a sub-adult leopard died at the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada Zoological Park in Nagpur due to Avian influenza H5N1 virus, said officials. On January 3, ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in the samples, marking the first significant toll on captive wildlife from Avian influenza …

‘Worrisome’ mutations found in H5N1 bird flu virus isolated from Canadian teenager
1 week, 1 day ago

‘Worrisome’ mutations found in H5N1 bird flu virus isolated from Canadian teenager

LA Times  

A California Department of Food and Agriculture technician perform tests on chickens for bird flu in 2006 at the Best Live Poultry & Fish store in Sylmar. The fate of a Canadian teenager who was infected with H5N1 bird flu in early November, and subsequently admitted to an intensive care unit, has finally been revealed: She has fully recovered. But …

Which infectious disease is likely to be biggest emerging problem in 2025?
1 week, 3 days ago

Which infectious disease is likely to be biggest emerging problem in 2025?

The Hindu  

COVID emerged suddenly, spread rapidly and killed millions of people around the world. Indeed, bird flu can infect humans with 61 cases in the U.S. this year already, mostly resulting from farm workers coming into contact with infected cattle and people drinking raw milk. Coupling this with a 30% mortality rate from human infections, bird flu is quickly jumping up …

Bird flu may be mutating to become more transmissible to humans say scientists after woman caught first severe case in the US
1 week, 3 days ago

Bird flu may be mutating to become more transmissible to humans say scientists after woman caught first severe case in the US

Daily Mail  

Bird flu could be mutating to become more transmissible to humans, scientists have warned, as the US reported its first severe case that left one woman hospitalised. So far 65 confirmed human cases of H5N1 infection have been reported in 2024, following a widespread outbreak across bird and cattle farms in the United States. Pictured: Culling has begun at infected …

Bird flu outbreak claims lives of 20 wildcats at Washington sanctuary
1 week, 4 days ago

Bird flu outbreak claims lives of 20 wildcats at Washington sanctuary

Hindustan Times  

A sanctuary in Washington state was struck with tragedy as their 20 wildcats died due to a bird flu outbreak which has affected animal lives at poultry farms, dairy cattle and even some human lives. Tragedy at Washington wildlife sanctuary as 20 wildcats die from bird flu outbreak. Washington sanctuary mourns wildcats’ death The non-profit organisation reported that various types …

This Disease Is Likely To Be Biggest Emerging Problem In 2025
Trending News
1 week, 6 days ago

This Disease Is Likely To Be Biggest Emerging Problem In 2025

ABP News  

Nottingham, Dec 26 COVID emerged suddenly, spread rapidly and killed millions of people around the world. Indeed, bird flu can infect humans with 61 cases in the US this year already, mostly resulting from farm workers coming into contact with infected cattle and people drinking raw milk. Coupling this with a 30% mortality rate from human infections, bird flu is …

Letters to the Editor: L.A. Times’ coverage of the bird flu is a great public service
2 weeks ago

Letters to the Editor: L.A. Times’ coverage of the bird flu is a great public service

LA Times  

To the editor: Thanks to The Times’ editorial staff for publishing Dr. Peter Chin-Hong’s Dec. 20 opinion piece, “Bird flu is coming for humans. We can either get ready or court disaster.” Thanks also to The Times for its excellent coverage of the spread of H5N1 across our state and nation. As a physician who cared for patients, families and …

Why scientists say we are fighting H5N1 bird flu with one hand tied behind our backs
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Why scientists say we are fighting H5N1 bird flu with one hand tied behind our backs

LA Times  

As the H5N1 bird flu virus steamrolls its way across the globe — killing wild animals, commercial livestock and even some people — scientists and health officials fear we’re on the precipice of another global pandemic. “YES.” Felicia Goodrum, a molecular virologist at the University of Arizona, said gain-of-function research could enable health officials to recognize worrisome H5N1 mutations and …

How America lost control of bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic
2 weeks, 1 day ago

How America lost control of bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic

Salon  

Keith Poulsen’s jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. “I don’t know if the bird flu will become a pandemic, but if it does, we are screwed.” To understand how the bird flu got out of hand, KFF Health News interviewed nearly 70 government officials, farmers and farmworkers, …

Opinion: Bird flu is coming for humans. We can either get ready or court disaster
3 weeks, 1 day 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
3 weeks, 4 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 …

Authorities probe whether presumptive bird flu case is connected to raw milk
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Authorities probe whether presumptive bird flu case is connected to raw milk

LA Times  

Public health authorities are seeking to determine if a Marin County child stricken with flu could have potentially contracted the illness by drinking infected raw milk that was subject to a recall. “Since announcing multiple recalls of raw milk due to contamination with bird flu, state and local public health experts have received reports of illnesses from 10 individuals who …

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

Letters to the Editor: A doctor’s fear that we’re careening toward a bird flu disaster
1 month ago

Letters to the Editor: A doctor’s fear that we’re careening toward a bird flu disaster

LA Times  

Bird flu outbreaks at dairy farms are sparking fears of a major threat to human health. To the editor: As a retired public health and emergency medicine physician, I want to thank you for your recent articles about the bird flu, most recently those articles by Times reporters Susanne Rust and Melissa Gomez. The combination of a mutating and potentially …

H5N1 strain of bird flu can spread through air, study finds
1 month 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. …

Scientists warn of the increased dangers of a new bird flu strain
1 month, 1 week ago

Scientists warn of the increased dangers of a new bird flu strain

NPR  

Scientists warn of the increased dangers of a new bird flu strain The spread of bird flu continues to trouble scientists. His experiments with infected cattle indicated bird flu was primarily spreading through virus-laden milk, not as you'd expect from a typical respiratory virus. STONE: The intervening months have made it painfully clear bird flu has a strong foothold in …

Three mysterious bird flu cases worry experts that another pandemic is looming
1 month, 1 week ago

Three mysterious bird flu cases worry experts that another pandemic is looming

Salon  

This month, two independent cases of bird flu were detected in North American children without any known exposure to infected animals, raising concerns that the H5N1 virus that causes it is inching closer to evolving in a way that allows it to spread between humans. Again, if the H5N1 virus develops the ability to efficiently spread between humans, the world …

Why a teenager's bird-flu infection is leaving scientists concerned
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Why a teenager's bird-flu infection is leaving scientists concerned

India Today  

A teenager in Vancouver, Canada, is in critical condition after contracting an H5N1 avian influenza virus, raising concerns among researchers about the virus's potential to adapt to humans. Genome sequencing suggests that the virus has mutations that might enhance its ability to infect human airway cells, sparking fears about its evolution, according to a report in Nature. The virus shares …

Bird flu worries European health agencies as they increase virus surveillance
1 month, 2 weeks 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 …

First case of bird flu detected in child as blood tests reveal virus is more widespread than reported
1 month, 2 weeks ago

First case of bird flu detected in child as blood tests reveal virus is more widespread than reported

Daily Mail  

A child in California has tested positive for bird flu, local health officials say — the first pediatric case — amid growing fears the disease could spread between humans. But the case underscores the possibility bird flu could spread among people, after it caused an outbreak among cows in 2022 that sickened more than 500 herds and then jumped to …

The number of cases of H5N1 bird flu is growing - but can it be caught by eating chicken?
1 month, 2 weeks 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 …

Possible bird flu infection reported in California child, health department reports
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Possible bird flu infection reported in California child, health department reports

Salon  

The state of California has detected a possible bird flu infection in a child in the Bay Area. The bird flu crisis, driven by the H5N1 virus, began several years ago, but ramped up considerably in April when dairy cows started becoming infected. Related Emails reveal how health departments struggle to track human cases of bird flu Although there have …

Alameda County child believed to be latest case of bird flu; source unknown
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Alameda County child believed to be latest case of bird flu; source unknown

LA Times  

California health officials reported Tuesday that a child in Alameda County tested positive for H5N1 bird flu last week. “It worries me greatly that this virus is popping up in more and more places and that we keep being surprised by infections in people whom we wouldn’t think would be at high risk of being exposed to the virus.” A …

First case of bird flu strain reported in the UK: Protection zone set up around commercial poultry firm in attempt to contain outbreak
1 month, 3 weeks ago

First case of bird flu strain reported in the UK: Protection zone set up around commercial poultry firm in attempt to contain outbreak

Daily Mail  

A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed at a commercial poultry farm in Cornwall. The government said all poultry on the infected site, near Rosudgeon near St Ives, will be humanely culled, after a strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus was detected. Bird flu or avian influenza, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds around the globe in …

H5N1 bird flu infects five more humans in California, and one in Oregon
1 month, 3 weeks ago

H5N1 bird flu infects five more humans in California, and one in Oregon

LA Times  

As H5N1 bird flu spreads among California dairy herds and southward-migrating birds, health officials announced Friday that six more human cases of infection: five in California and one in Oregon — the state’s first. California’s state epidemiologist, Erica Pan, said that while the announcement of five cases today may sound like a sudden explosion or acceleration in cases, it was …

Canadian teen in critical condition with what is believed to be human case of bird flu
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Canadian teen in critical condition with what is believed to be human case of bird flu

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 A Canadian teen is hospitalized in critical condition with what is …

Canadian teenager infected with H5N1 bird flu in critical condition
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Canadian teenager infected with H5N1 bird flu in critical condition

LA Times  

Canadian health officials announced Tuesday that a teenager infected with H5N1 bird flu from an unknown source is in critical condition. However, Nuzzo said, while this virus could “be a lot less deadly than what we’ve seen to date,” it could also be far more deadly than any pandemic in a long time, including COVID-19. Her third concern is how …

A Canadian teen is in critical condition with what is believed to be bird flu
1 month, 3 weeks ago

A Canadian teen is in critical condition with what is believed to be bird flu

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A Canadian teen is hospitalized in critical condition with what is believed to be bird flu, a British Columbia health official said Tuesday. It’s not clear how the teenager picked up the virus, which has been detected recently in wild birds and poultry in the province, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer. Henry said the teen …

Bird flu: Canada teen in critical condition with H5 virus
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Bird flu: Canada teen in critical condition with H5 virus

CNN  

CNN — A Canadian teenager is hospitalized in critical condition with bird flu, health officials reported Tuesday. People with ARDS typically need help breathing with machines such as a ventilator, but officials did not offer specifics on the teen’s treatment except to say they’re receiving antiviral medications. These cases have all been among adults, however, and Henry said it’s possible …

Canada's first human H5 bird flu case detected in British Columbia, doctors call it a ‘rare event’
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Canada's first human H5 bird flu case detected in British Columbia, doctors call it a ‘rare event’

Hindustan Times  

Canada has detected its first-ever presumptive human H5 bird flu case. British Columbia reported the case on Saturday after a teenager tested positive for avian influenza caused by the H5 influenza virus, according to an official statement published on the official website of the western province. Image used for representational purposes only First presumptive human H5 bird flu case detected …

Canada detects first presumptive human bird flu case, teen infected
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Canada detects first presumptive human bird flu case, teen infected

India Today  

Canada has detected its first presumptive case of H5 bird flu in a person, a teenager in the western province of British Columbia, health officials said on Saturday. H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and US dairy cows, with several recent human cases in US dairy and poultry workers. Bird flu …

‘Rare event’: Canada records its first human bird flu case
Trending News
1 month, 4 weeks ago

‘Rare event’: Canada records its first human bird flu case

Al Jazeera  

A teenager from British Columbia tested positive for the H5 avian flu, and health authorities are investigating. Canada has confirmed its first human case of bird flu after a teenager tested positive for the virus, according to health authorities. 1/ The Office of the Provincial Health Officer in British Columbia has reported a presumed human case of H5 avian influenza …

The first case of bird flu has been found in a pig at an Oregon farm
2 months, 1 week ago

The first case of bird flu has been found in a pig at an Oregon farm

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 Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Federal officials …

1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threat
2 months, 1 week ago

1st US case of bird flu in a pig raises concerns over potential human threat

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It's the first time the …

First US Case of Bird Flu in a Pig Raises Concerns Over Potential Human Threat
2 months, 1 week 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
2 months, 1 week 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 …

Bird flu has been found in a pig for the first time in the U.S.
2 months, 1 week ago

Bird flu has been found in a pig for the first time in the U.S.

NPR  

Bird flu has been found in a pig for the first time in the U.S. toggle caption Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC/AP NEW YORK — A pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been detected in U.S. swine and raises concerns about bird …

Alarming development as mutated bird flu strain that is 30x deadlier leaves American infected
2 months, 1 week 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 …

No Evidence of Bird Flu Spreading Between People in Missouri
2 months, 2 weeks ago

No Evidence of Bird Flu Spreading Between People in Missouri

Associated Press  

No evidence of bird flu spreading between people has been found in Missouri after an investigation into a mysterious infection. The illness was different from the 30 other bird flu infections in people in the U.S. so far this year, and there was no known contact with an infected animal. The patient had preexisting health problems and was hospitalized in …

As California bird flu outbreak worsens, a Missouri patient who caught it is alarming experts
2 months, 4 weeks 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
3 months, 1 week 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". …

Swabbing poop to track bird flu and other viruses : Short Wave : NPR
3 months, 1 week ago

Swabbing poop to track bird flu and other viruses : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Here are the high schoolers tracking the bird flu virus in New York City Enlarge this image toggle caption Christine Marizzi/BioBus Christine Marizzi/BioBus Most viruses that become epidemics in humans begin in other animals. And now, less than five years after the start of the pandemic some scientists are concerned about another disease that could do something similar: bird flu, …

Bird flu tests being developed as number of human cases rise across the country
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Bird flu tests being developed as number of human cases rise across the country

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 Several labs will work with federal health authorities to develop a …

Just How Deadly Is Bird Flu to Humans?
3 months, 4 weeks 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 …

Alarming development as Missouri patient becomes first American to catch H5N1 bird flu with no exposure to animals
4 months ago

Alarming development as Missouri patient becomes first American to catch H5N1 bird flu with no exposure to animals

Daily Mail  

A person in Missouri has become the first American to be diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu without coming into contact with animals, in a potentially worrying development. A person in Missouri has become the first American to be diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu without coming into contact with animals There have also been 196 herds of dairy cows infected with …

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