What is H5N1? Experts warn new virus spreading across all 50 states, fears of new pandemic
While bird flu has been around for decades, the discovery in 2024 that the deadly pathogen spread from a wild bird to a cow came as a surprise to virus watchers, according to news officials. In just over a year, the virus has ravaged America's dairy herds, poultry flocks and other mammals — humans.
The Global Virus Network (GVN) has issued warning to world governments to address the threat of the H5N1 outbreak by improving surveillance, implementing biosecurity measures, and preparing for potential human-to-human transmission.
"Understanding the current landscape of H5N1 infections is critical for effective prevention and response," said Sten H. Vermund, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of the GVN. "The virus' ability to infect both animals and humans, combined with recent genetic changes, underscores the importance of proactive surveillance and rapid response measures."
According to GVN, the new virus outbreak has affected nearly 1000 dairy cow herds, resulted in more than 70 human cases and one confirmed death in the U.S. and has caused the loss or culling of more than 168 million poultry since 2022.
'In the U.S. sporadic human infections with no known contact with infected animals highlight the possibility of viral adaptation for efficient human-to-human transmission,' GVN scientists said in a report. 'Concurrently, the virus continues to circulate in wild birds, backyard flocks, and hunted migratory species, further amplifying the risk to humans and domestic animals.'
In a CBS news interview with Veterinarian Dr. Kay Russo, she warned that time to stop the bird flu is 'running out'. She said while it's not clear how the virus was spreading from cow to cow, 'milking equipment is a prime suspect' and workers in milking parlors have also fallen sick with flu-like symptoms.
Infectious disease physician Dr. Kamran Khan said in the same interview, that his company, BlueDot, was among the first to flag the virus in China that became the COVID pandemic. He said 'the bird flu is just as concerning' and explained how fast the virus has spread among dairy cattle.
H5N1 is a specific strain of influenza A virus, also known as bird flu. The avian flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease that primarily affects birds, but can also infect other animals, including mammals like dairy cows and humans.
Symptoms can be mild to severe and in some cases, even fatal.
The symptoms of H5N1 infection may include fever (often high fever, over 100.4 degrees) and malaise, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches. Other early symptoms may include conjunctivitis and other non-respiratory symptoms. The infection may progress quickly to severe respiratory illness, pneumonia and neurologic changes (altered mental status or seizures), according to the World Health Organization.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: New virus pandemic 2025 spreading: What is H5N1 avian bird flu?
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