Category: Avian Influenza
UK Leads Global Bird Flu Vaccine Trial
MedScape The UK is recruiting 3000 of the 4000 volunteers needed for a major international trial of an mRNA vaccine against bird flu, as experts warn that H5N1 remains a credible pandemic threat. H5 influenza, or avian/bird flu, remains a pandemic threat, experts said. The virus has been circulating in wild birds — and domestic poultry — […]
May 6, 2026
How an H5N1 Outbreak in Elephant Seals Can Inform Pandemic Readiness
The Scientist Regular surveillance and rapid sequencing in coastal wildlife help researchers identify viral mutations and assess their pandemic potential. The first sign that something was wrong came during a survey walk in Año Nuevo State Park, a stretch of beach along the central coast of California. In January 2026, researchers at the University of […]
May 6, 2026
Surge in HPAI infections attributed to wild-bird spillover
AVMA Poultry losses alone surpass 200 million since outbreak started in 2022. The U.S. outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, more specifically avian influenza type A H5N1), is experiencing a resurgence among commercial poultry operations, driven largely by spillover from migrating wild birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The threat of infection […]
May 6, 2026
Dairy Farms May Transmit H5N1 Virus Through Multiple Sources
Morning Ag Study suggests transmission is not limited to direct contact with contaminated milk. The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in over 700 herds of dairy cows in California, the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. A study published May 5th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology led by Seema S. Lakdawala […]
May 6, 2026
Bats might be the next bird flu wild card
TapInto Vampire bats in Peru show signs of past H5N1 infection. Bats have become the latest mammals susceptible to H5N1, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus responsible for bird flu. In Peru, over a dozen vampire bats have been found carrying H5N1 antibodies, indicating exposure to the virus, researchers report November 11 at bioRxiv.org. The finding […]
Apr 29, 2026
AI classifier flags bird flu genomes more likely to spread in mammals
Phys.org A research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has developed a machine-learning classifier capable of analyzing the genomes of influenza A viruses (IAVs) to accurately predict their potential risk of transmission among mammals. The team has successfully identified the key clues that may explain cross-species transmission […]
Apr 29, 2026
In Readiness For The Next Pandemic, Human Trials Begin Of An mRNA Vaccine For Bird Flu
IFL Science An mRNA vaccine for avian influenza, developed by pharma company Moderna, has begun Phase 3 human trials. Building on the same technology used in their highly successful COVID-19 vaccine, the aim is to shore up the world’s defences against what is widely considered to be one of the biggest viral threats facing humanity. […]
Apr 29, 2026
New mutations help the H5N1 bird flu virus infect cows but not people
Science News H5N1 bird flu viruses have acquired a molecular trick that makes them more easily infect mammary glands in cattle, but this adaptation does not appear to affect humans. To infect cells, influenza viruses latch on to certain sugars decorating cell surfaces. Some H5N1 viruses have picked up mutations that allow them to grab […]
Apr 15, 2026
Avian influenza and coronaviruses in live animal and wet markets in Laos: prevalence and public health considerations
Frontiers Background: Live animal and wet markets (LWM) serve as critical interfaces where humans closely interact with domestic and peri-domestic animals, facilitating the spillover of zoonotic pathogens. Previous outbreaks of avian influenza viruses (AIV) and coronaviruses (CoV) linked to these markets underscore their significant public health risks. Despite the high density of LWM and historical […]
Apr 8, 2026
Novel antiviral fogging tech to be tested against bird flu
Feedstuffs A research team led by Purdue University, along with partners Entomol and 1,4Group, has been awarded $2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service to evaluate a novel antiviral fogging technology to combat high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which remains a serious threat to poultry health and the […]
Apr 8, 2026