The global outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza A virus (HP H5N1) has had an unprecedented impact on wild birds including raptors, but long-term population impacts have not been addressed. To determine if raptors survive infections with HP H5N1, raptors from the upper Midwest …

In this article, we present an assessment of the risk of the potential introduction and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in cows in Bulgaria. In the spring of 2024, we witnessed an unprecedented spread of the virus in dairy herds in the USA. This crossing of interspecies barriers b …

Seabirds are frequently infected by avian influenza virus (AIV), which prior to 2021 primarily consisted of low-pathogenic AIV with limited reports of disease during infection. However, since highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b was introduced to North America in late 2021, HPAIV outbre …

Bird flu transmission to humans does pose a “credible threat” to those working in poultry farms as instances of spread to mammals becomes more common world...

The news comes as skyrocketing egg prices have become a national political issue, noted by President Donald Trump.

You may have heard the story how the USDA, for the first time, confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza in rats. This is of course .....

Columnist Sid Salter writes that USDA officials confirm that H5N1 Bird Flu detections have been made in Mississippi in backyard and commercial poultry operations from 2022-2024.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture implements a plan every year to monitor wild birds for highly pathogenic avian influenza. This national plan could not be implemented without the engagement of State partners, the National Flyway Council, the Department of the Interior, and other agencies. This coordinated effort is revised annually based on new science and data shared through the Interagency Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Surveillance in Wild Migratory Birds. Biological samples from hundreds of thousands of live-captured, apparently healthy wild birds; hunter-harvested birds; and dead wild birds contribute to these surveillance efforts. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center is USDA’s primary partner for testing sick and dead migratory birds for avian influenza.Learn more: USGS science on avian influenza

Where we are, what we know, what we don't know and how Trump is making things worse

Exploring preventative strategies to reduce human and animal infection risk during the current bird flu outbreak.

Since 2022 and as of epidemiological week (EW) 8 of 2025, a total of 19 countries and territories in the Americas Region reported 4,713 animal outbreaks of avian influenza A(H5N1) to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), representing 325 additional outbreaks, since the last epidemiological update published by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) on 24 January 2025.

Australia saw small outbreaks of other strains of bird flu in recent months and managed to "close those down," expert says.

As H5N1 influenza A (bird flu) spreads, the need for a vaccine grows. Do seasonal flu vaccines protect against H5N1? What current H5N1 vaccines exist—and what developments are underway?

Michigan epidemiological investigation finds shared personnel, vehicles and frequent visitors are potential risk factors for dairy and poultry avian influenza transmission.

These veterinarians, flu scientists, and biosecurity experts are watching with growing concern the rise in H5N1 avian influenza in cats.

It’s better to prepare for a crisis that never arrives than to scramble after one that does.

Traws Pharma reports positive ferret study results for tivoxavir marboxil against H5N1 bird flu, supporting further development. |

New infections in animals should heighten concern of human H5N1.

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu travelled 6,600 kilometres over the sea to Kerguelen Island, which is just 440km from Australia's Heard Island.

We live in an era when human activities are negatively modifying the world at alarming rates. We are experiencing a massive species extinction due to environmental damage caused by human land use change, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species.

Major cities in China including Beijing and Shanghai have a warning for their citizens: cases of bird flu inflecting humans are on the rise. Despite that, the Chinese CDC still failed to give details on the emerging public health concern.

Reports of human infections with influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses associated with outbreaks in dairy cows in the United States underscore the need to assess the potential cross-protection conferred by existing influenza immunity. We serologically evaluated ferrets previously infected with an …

The global dissemination of H5 avian influenza viruses represents a significant threat to both human and animal health. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide siRNA library screening against the highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus, leading us to the identification of 457 cellular cofactors (44 …

It has been almost 1 year since the detection of an unprecedented spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in dairy cows in the USA. Although there is still no evidence of human-to-human transmission and human deaths have been rare, concern over the potential impacts on human health remains high. The B3.13 genotype has predominated in cattle and human beings, causing largely mild disease, but there have been worrying recent developments. In the past couple of months a new genotype, D1.1, resulted in the death of a person in Louisiana—the first death in the USA from H5N1—while a teenager in Canada was critically ill for several months.

Discover the initiatives addressing Bird flu in British Columbia as researchers tackle H5N1 subtype risks and human infections.

A recent study suggests that prior infections with seasonal H1N1 flu may strengthen immunity and reduce the severity of H5N1 bird flu.

Current biosecurity protocols prevent separating healthy birds from infected ones, resulting in “stamping out” entire flocks and disrupting the food supply chain.

NEJM Journal Watch reviews over 150 scientific and medical journals to present important clinical research findings and insightful commentary

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression, exerting post-translational control through mRNA silencing or degradation. These molecules play pivotal roles in host–pathogen interactions, particularly in modulating antiviral immune responses. The global public health threat posed by the H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus necessitates urgent exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Our investigation revealed significant dysregulation of miR-18a-5p following influenza virus infection, observed consistently across both in vitro and in vivo models. Experimental evidence demonstrated that miR-18a-5p overexpression effectively inhibits H5N1 virus propagation through multiple mechanisms: (1) in vitro studies using A549 cells transfected with miR-18a-5p mimics showed a substantial reduction in viral replication; (2) animal models (mice and chickens) with elevated miR-18a-5p expression exhibited markedly suppressed AIV replication, reduced pathogenicity, and improved survival rates. The therapeutic potential of miR-18a-5p was particularly evident in its ability to significantly decrease mortality rates in H5N1-infected animals. Furthermore, this miRNA demonstrated robust protective effects against virus-induced lung damage, suggesting its dual role in both preventing and treating H5N1 infections. These findings position miR-18a-5p as a promising candidate for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral interventions, offering a novel strategic approach to combat this serious public health challenge.