Past flu exposure may protect against H5N1 bird flu
New research suggests that past exposure to seasonal flu viruses may help protect people from severe illness caused by the H5N1 avian flu virus. Scientists at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that older adults who were exposed to flu viruses circulating before 1968 were more likely to have antibodies that recognize H5N1.
Older adults might be more resistant to bird flu infections than children
Older adults who were exposed to seasonal flu viruses that circulated prior to 1968 are more likely to have some protection against H5N1, and children would benefit more from H5N1 vaccines.
Beyond the Birds: Avian Flu Infects Other Animals
Avian flu is not just for the birds; cases have been reported in the United States in dairy cows, as well as types of cats, a fox, a seal, and most recently, rats and domestic indoor cats, according to the latest data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Your questions about cats and bird flu risk, answered
San Jose, Calif. — Bird flu isn’t just affecting chickens and cows; it’s hitting pet cats.
Nearly 85% of all California bird flu cases have been in this region
Avian flu is hitting California’s San Joaquin Valley hard — nearly 20 million chickens, ducks and turkeys have been killed in the region since 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is bird flu? Here's everything you need to know about the virus affecting chickens and dairy cattle
The ongoing bird flu outbreak has led to wild bird deaths, slaughtered livestock, and hazardous conditions for dairy industry workers.
The Latest on Bird Flu Research, Infected Cats, and More
No new human cases of avian influenza have been reported, and poultry infections are low so far in March. But infections in cats are continuing, and new research is raising concerns about the virus
Study shows widespread H5N1 bird flu infection in cattle
Scientists are sounding alarms about a genetic mutation that was recently identified in four dairy cow herds, nearly one year after H5N1 bird flu was first reported in Texas dairy cattle. The change is one that researchers have dreaded finding because it is associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity.
Explainer: How to protect cats from bird flu
While the ongoing H5N1 outbreak has affected the United States, it is good to know what the avian flu is and how the virus can hit cats.
CIDRAP9d
Cow-derived avian flu can infect pigs but doesn't spread among them, preprint suggests
Pigs are moderately susceptible to infection with a bovine-derived H5N1 avian influenza virus but don't spread it to other ...
Jefferson Public Radio5d
Oregon’s dairy cows are free of avian flu. The state is trying to keep it that way
Of the 53 cases of avian influenza in animals in Oregon, none are dairy cattle. Oregon state veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz ...
Bird flu-infected San Bernardino County dairy cows may have concerning new mutation
A new H5N1 bird flu mutation has appeared in a cluster of infected dairy cows. It's a genetic change that scientists say could not only make the virus more lethal, but increase its spread between ...
American Council on Science and Health4d
Previously Undiscovered Cases of Avian Flu in Veterinarians Are Worrisome
The discovery of silent H5N1 infections in unexpected populations, the emergence of new variants, and its potential to evolve ...
Would Connecticut be ready for an avian flu pandemic?
Most of those infections have been seen in wild bird populations, with two known instances of backyard poultry flocks ...
Medscape12d
Avian Flu Vaccine Development Is Threatened
Highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to devastate poultry flocks throughout the United States, as well as cause ...
North Country Public Radio4d
Bird flu is in the North Country. Here's what we know about the disease
Cornell University has created the Avian Flu Resource Center to compile up-to-date information about avian flu in wildlife, ...
Biosecurity Product Targets $3.2B Avian Influenza Crisis:
Since 2022, the USDA reports more than 150 million chickens and turkeys have been lost to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ...