H5N1 News and Research

Latest H5N1 News and Research

Bovine H5N1 flu virus in cow milk poses significant health risks, study shows

Study characterizes the pathogenicity and transmission dynamics of the H5N1 influenza virus in bovine milk, highlighting significant public health risks and potential mammalian transmission.

10 Jul 2024

Cow's milk may spread H5N1 flu, but airborne transmission is limited

While H5N1 avian influenza virus taken from infected cow's milk makes mice and ferrets sick when dripped into their noses, airborne transmission of the virus between ferrets -; a common model for human transmission -; appears to be limited.

9 Jul 2024

Study warns of H5N1 avian flu risk from unpasteurized milk in dairy farms

Researchers found that the H5N1 avian influenza virus can persist in unpasteurized milk on milking equipment, posing an infection risk to dairy workers. They recommend protective gear and sanitization to prevent virus transmission.

4 Jul 2024

FDA commercial pasteurization process kills H5N1 bird flu virus in milk

A study by FDA and USDA confirms that commercial milk pasteurization effectively inactivates the Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza virus in cattle milk. This ensures the safety of the U.S. milk supply against this virus.

2 Jul 2024

Bird flu virus detected in Alaskan polar bear

Researchers reported a natural infection of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in a free-ranging juvenile polar bear in Alaska, highlighting the importance of wildlife health surveillance in detecting emerging pathogens.

2 Jul 2024

Study shows how milking equipment spreads bird flu risk

Bird flu, or H5N1 virus, in unpasteurized milk is stable on metal and rubber components of commercial milking equipment for at least one hour, increasing its potential to infect people and other animals, report researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Emory University in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

28 Jun 2024

Low-cost CRISPR-based paper strip test offers rapid influenza diagnosis

Fewer than one percent of people who get the flu every year get tested, in part because most tests require trained personnel and expensive equipment.

21 Jun 2024

‘We’re flying blind’: CDC has 1M bird flu tests ready, but experts see repeat of covid missteps

It's been nearly three months since the U.S. government announced an outbreak of the bird flu virus on dairy farms.

20 Jun 2024

TOMI Environmental Solutions supports partners and customers to combat global avian influenza (H5N1) bird flu outbreak

TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.® (“TOMI”), a global company specializing in disinfection and decontamination utilizing its premier Binary Ionization Technology (BIT) platform through its SteraMist brand of products, today announced that the Company is working closely with customers and partners to support efforts to combat a current outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) that is causing widespread disruption globally.

19 Jun 2024

H5N1 influenza outbreak in Texas dairy cattle sparks multi-species transmission concerns

Study identifies H5N1 influenza as the cause of an outbreak among dairy cattle in Texas, highlighting the risk of multi-species viral transmission and potential implications for human health.

11 Jun 2024

Bird flu tests are hard to get. So how will we know when to sound the pandemic alarm?

Stanford University infectious disease doctor Abraar Karan has seen a lot of patients with runny noses, fevers, and irritated eyes lately.

11 Jun 2024

WHO and FIND join forces to accelerate diagnostic innovation and access

FIND and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays the foundation for accelerating innovation and achieving equitable access to quality diagnostics for people globally.

8 Jun 2024

The chicken and egg problem of fighting another flu pandemic

Even a peep of news about a new flu pandemic is enough to set scientists clucking about eggs.

31 May 2024

Vaccination remains crucial for preventing avian influenza spread, says study

Vaccination remains the most effective strategy for avian influenza prevention and control in humans, despite varying vaccine efficacy across strains.

29 May 2024

Farmworkers face high-risk exposures to bird flu, but testing isn’t reaching them

Farmworkers face some of the most intense exposures to the bird flu virus, but advocates say many of them would lack resources to fall back on if they became ill.

29 May 2024

Clues from bird flu’s ground zero on dairy farms in the Texas Panhandle

In early February, dairy farmers in the Texas Panhandle began to notice sick cattle. The buzz soon reached Darren Turley, executive director of the Texas Association of Dairymen: "They said there is something moving from herd to herd."

23 May 2024

Health experts call for tighter biosecurity measures to monitor avian influenza

Health experts are calling for tighter biosecurity measures in global poultry production, from farms to markets, to monitor bird flu (avian influenza) following its spread among 888 cases of human infection with the avian influenza virus, also known as H5N1, have been reported from 23 countries, of which 463 were fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

21 May 2024