Category: Avian Influenza
Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people
WHO At the present time, based on available information, FAO-WHO-WOAH assess the global public health risk of influenza A(H5N1) viruses to be low, while the risk of infection for occupationally exposed persons is low to moderate depending on the risk mitigation measures in place. Transmission between animals continues to occur and, to date, a limited […]
Aug 14, 2024
Will bird flu be the next pandemic? Vaccines are prepped, just in case.
USA Today A quiet effort to prevent the next global pandemic began rolling off an assembly line this summer behind the gates of an office complex in suburban Raleigh. In this sprawling factory, sheltered by thick pine groves, workers at CSL Seqirus are bottling millions of doses of a new vaccine targeting the H5N1 bird […]
Aug 13, 2024
USDA to take ‘additional step’ in testing beef from former dairy cattle for bird flu
Iowa Capital Dispatch The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to embark on a year-long study beginning next month that will test samples for evidence of highly pathogenic avian influenza from former dairy cattle moved into meat production. Emilio Esteban, the undersecretary for food safety at the USDA, told reporters on a call Tuesday the new […]
Aug 13, 2024
On front lines of bird flu: dead chickens, biohazard suits and shrugs
USA Today The federal scientists in biohazard suits outside a massive ‒ but virtually deserted ‒ chicken farm don’t need to say a word to indicate that something is very wrong. On a normal day, the farm’s driveway would be filled with trucks, some arriving with feed and others departing with cases and cartons of […]
Aug 7, 2024
Portugal: Bird flu found in seagulls in Aveiro, Algarve
Portugal Resident With many saying that the developed world is being prepped for a new pandemic ‘and it is probably going to be bird flu’, bird flu has been detected in seagulls in the districts of Aveiro and Faro – but Portugal remains free of this disease in poultry. So say national veterinary authorities, the DGAV, which […]
Aug 7, 2024
Animal apocalypse: Deadly bird flu infects hundreds of species pole-to-pole
Mongabay Brown skuas and south polar skuas, two gull-like species that nest in Antarctica, are sometimes called the “pirates of the Southern seas.” These migratory seabirds are fierce, competitive predators that hunt or scavenge anything, from eggs and adult birds to seafood, mammals or garbage. “They’re really tough animals — and they’re dying,” says Antonio […]
Aug 7, 2024
16-Year-Old Cambodian Girl Tests Positive For Bird Flu
MENAFN hnom Penh, Aug 4 (IANS) A 16-year-old girl from southeast Cambodia’s Svay Rieng province was confirmed to have H5N1 bird flu, bringing the total number of cases to nine since the start of 2024, according to a Ministry of Health’s statement. “Laboratory results from the National Institute of Public health showed on Saturday that the girl was positive […]
Aug 6, 2024
Scientists Show How Bird Flu Spreads Between Mammals — As H5N1 Pandemic Fears Grow
Forbes Scientists have proven how cows have spread H5N1 bird flu across the country and infected other cows, wild birds and even mammals like cats and raccoons, according to research published in Nature Wednesday, findings that suggest it may be capable of spreading effectively between people in the future as outbreaks on poultry and dairy farms spark […]
Aug 6, 2024
Blowflies are potential vector for avian influenza virus at enzootic area in Japan
Nature High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) poses a significant threat to both domestic and wild birds globally. The avian influenza virus, known for environmental contamination and subsequent oral infection in birds, necessitates careful consideration of alternative introduction routes during HPAI outbreaks. This study focuses on blowflies (genus Calliphora), in particular Calliphora nigribarbis, attracted to decaying animals and […]
Aug 6, 2024
Blowflies carry bird flu virus
Cosmos New research has identified a potential new transmission route for bird flu – blowflies of the genus Calliphora. Japanese scientists collected blowflies near a wild crane colony in Izumi city, Kagoshima Prefecture, during an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Of the 648 blowflies collected, 14 were found to be carrying the virus. “While 14 […]
Aug 6, 2024