Avian Influenza News and Research

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Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Global Virus Network monitors spreading avian influenza in Australian mammals

The Global Virus Network (GVN) is closely monitoring detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu, in several mammal species in Australia as the virus continues to spread among birds and mammals worldwide.

18 Sep 2026

Far-UVC light tested to combat avian influenza on farms

When a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, tore through U.S. poultry farms in early 2025, farmers culled tens of millions of birds and egg prices soared.

3 Sep 2026

Yeast-based nanoparticle vaccine could make annual flu shots obsolete

The world mostly relies on an 80-year-old method for producing flu vaccines from chicken eggs - a slow, costly process that struggles to quickly adapt to new, mutant strains.

24 Aug 2026

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

A two-year cohort study of 428 people exposed to H5N1-infected birds in England found fewer than 1% met criteria for infection, with no severe disease or secondary human transmission. The findings support continued PPE use, biosecurity, and targeted surveillance while highlighting challenges around occupational exposure, mucosal contamination, and pandemic preparedness.

10 Aug 2026

Wild bird surveillance reveals how H5Nx flu keeps returning to China

Long-term wild bird surveillance across China revealed shifting H5Nx avian influenza patterns, with H5N1, H5N8, and clade 2.3.4.4b viruses changing over time and across migratory flyways. Genomic analyses suggest recent H5Nx detections in China largely reflect repeated reintroductions through migratory birds rather than sustained local circulation.

26 Jul 2026

Foodborne threats demand stronger pandemic planning, review says

A Perspective review in npj Science of Food argues that pandemics can weaken food safety systems even when the pathogen is not foodborne. The authors call for One Health planning that integrates food safety into pandemic preparedness, surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce readiness, and regulation.

2 Jul 2026

Scientists find mechanism behind bird flu infections in dairy cattle

When H5N1 bird flu first began infecting U.S. cattle in early 2024, diagnosis was elusive, because in cows, the disease looked completely different.

19 Jun 2026

Wastewater analysis offers novel approach to track HIV burden

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) detection in wastewater offers a novel approach to monitor the virus in communities.

15 Jun 2026

Just ten viral particles can infect cows with bird flu

Just 10 viral particles of the H5N1 bird flu that caused hundreds of influenza outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle can cause infection in cows, a new study shows.

15 Jun 2026

Infectious H5N1 virus detected in dairy farm air

Findings from California dairy farms show H5N1 in air and wastewater, indicating overlooked transmission routes and implications for outbreak management.

8 May 2026

H5N1 spreads through multiple routes on infected dairy farms

The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in over 700 herds of dairy cows in California, the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S.

5 May 2026

Childhood flu infection leaves lasting immune imprint

A study reveals how childhood flu infections impact long-term mortality risk, highlighting implications for vaccination and future outbreak management.

17 Apr 2026

One Health Summit drives a new wave of coordinated action for global health threats

On World Health Day, global leaders gathered in France for a milestone "One Health Summit", where the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners announced a new wave of concrete actions to better protect people, animals and the planet from future health crises.

7 Apr 2026

Waterfowl movement patterns influence spread of avian influenza outbreaks

The movement patterns of waterfowl, including ducks, swans and geese, may affect the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in bird populations, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.

7 Apr 2026

Novel mucosal vaccine offers broad protection against diverse influenza viruses

A novel vaccine platform has been developed to induce broad, protective immunity against numerous influenza virus infections, showing promise as an effective mucosal vaccine strategy, according to a study published by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

3 Apr 2026

Environmental swabs reveal hidden avian viral diversity

Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School have found that viruses circulating in live poultry markets can be detected more effectively by sampling the surrounding environment than by testing individual birds. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that environmental sampling can uncover a broader range of poultry viruses-including highly pathogenic avian influenza strains that traditional surveillance may miss.

5 Mar 2026

Natural fungal supplement strengthens vaccine protection without increasing side effects

Researchers at University California San Diego School of Medicine have found that a natural fungal supplement taken at the time of COVID-19 vaccination reduced short-term vaccine side effects and helped antibodies - the body's natural immune defenders - last longer in people who had not previously been exposed to the virus.

4 Mar 2026

Preexisting flu immunity may offer baseline protection against avian influenza

Are seasonal flu antibodies also effective against avian flu? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has shown that a specific type of antibody associated with the former virus—already present throughout the population—may offer baseline protection against the latter.

10 Feb 2026

Binghamton University receives $2.5 million to develop a next-generation avian flu vaccine

Outbreaks of avian flu at U.S. poultry farms led to more than $1.5 billion in losses over the last two years and drove egg prices to all-time highs in 2025.

6 Feb 2026

Six years after COVID-19: Lessons learned and pandemic preparedness

Six years ago, the Director-General of the World Health Organization sounded the highest global alarm available under international law at the time, declaring the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease (later known as COVID-19) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

3 Feb 2026