H5N1

Influenza A (H5N1) virus – also called “H5N1 virus” – is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds, is highly contagious among birds, and can be deadly to them. H5N1 virus does not usually infect people, but infections with these viruses have occurred in humans.

What is Bird Flu (H5N1)?

Bird flu or avian flu is a highly contagious viral infection that is transmitted between birds and on rare occasions, from birds to humans.

Bird Flu (H5N1) Genetics

Bird Flu (H5N1) Prevention

Bird Flu (H5N1) Treatment

Bird Flu (H5N1) Epidemiology

Bird Flu (H5N1) Symptoms

Latest H5N1 News and Research

Air sampling detects 70–90% of poultry viruses and reveals 50 more hidden threats

Researchers found that environmental sampling in live-bird markets detects 70–90% of poultry viruses, often outperforming traditional swab methods, and identified 50 additional viruses, some from non-avian sources.

26 Feb 2025

Study finds strong evidence that bird flu spreads through the air between farms

Researchers provided genetic and meteorological evidence suggesting that windborne transmission of HPAI H5N1 over 8 km is possible, highlighting its role in poultry farm outbreaks.

24 Feb 2025

Fungal component may protect against flu-related lung damage

A component found in all fungi may provide a shield against flu-related lung damage, according to a new study.

18 Feb 2025

Single dose of antibody shields macaques from severe H5N1 influenza

National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists and their colleagues report that a single dose of a broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) administered prior to virus exposure protects macaques from severe H5N1 avian influenza.

11 Feb 2025

House cats with bird flu could pose a risk to public health

More than 80 domestic cats, among many other types of mammals, have been confirmed to have had bird flu since 2022 — generally barn cats that lived on dairy farms, as well as feral cats and pets that spend time outdoors and likely caught it by hunting diseased rodents or wild birds.

10 Feb 2025

On the front lines against bird flu, egg farmers say they’re losing the battle

Greg Herbruck knew 6.5 million of his birds needed to die, and fast.

7 Feb 2025

Pasteurization destroys influenza viruses in milk, reinforcing dairy safety

Pasteurization at 63°C and 72°C effectively inactivates influenza A viruses in milk, ensuring its safety for human consumption while viral RNA may still be detected.

2 Feb 2025

Antibody therapy provides protection against severe H5N1 avian flu in monkeys

A prophylactic antibody-based immune therapy protects monkeys against severe disease caused by H5N1 avian flu, University of Pittsburgh and NIH Vaccine Research Center researchers report today in Science.

30 Jan 2025

Trump administration’s halt of CDC’s weekly scientific report stalls bird flu studies

The Trump administration has intervened in the release of important studies on the bird flu, as an outbreak escalates across the United States.

30 Jan 2025

Led by RFK Jr., conservatives embrace raw milk. Regulators say it's dangerous.

In summertime, cows wait under a canopy to be milked at Mark McAfee's farm in Fresno, California. From his Cessna 210 Centurion propeller plane, the 63-year-old can view grazing lands of the dairy company he runs that produces products such as unpasteurized milk and cheese for almost 2,000 stores.

29 Jan 2025

What losing WHO membership means for the U.S.

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization, of which the U.S. was a founding member and is an integral part, raises questions on how it might affect Americans and people around the world, especially in an anxious, post-pandemic era of infectious disease and global health threats.

24 Jan 2025

SHEA calls for continued U.S. partnership with the World Health Organization

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) wants to emphasize the importance of global partnerships in addressing health threats that impact all of us, as Americans and global citizens. We urge President Trump to reconsider the decision to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

21 Jan 2025

Study reveals dangerous mutations in H5N1 bird flu

One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

16 Jan 2025