NEW YORK (AP) — In the last two years, bird flu has wreaked havoc, causing millions of wild and domestic bird deaths worldwide. It has also affected various other animals such as seals, sea lions, minks, cats, dogs, skunks, foxes, and even a polar bear.
Despite this widespread impact on animals, the virus has had minimal effects on humans.
Experts like Richard Webby, a flu researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, attribute this to differences in how the virus infects different species at a microscopic level.
However, the uncertainty of whether this situation will change in the future is a cause for concern among scientists.
There is speculation that bird flu strains could potentially evolve into deadly human contagions, as seen in previous pandemics like the one in 1918. While some experts believe the current strain is unlikely to cause a global pandemic, the possibility cannot be ruled out completely.
Although U.S. health officials are preparing vaccines and other measures as a precaution, there is a reluctance to take drastic action due to the lack of severe cases in humans and no evidence of person-to-person transmission.
The H5N1 virus, which first appeared in birds in 1959, has caused human infections primarily through direct contact with infected birds. In the United States, reports of animal outbreaks on dairy cow farms and poultry flocks have been on the rise.
While the virus has led to some severe cases in humans, most infections have been mild or asymptomatic. Some animals, like cats and foxes, have experienced more severe illnesses due to the virus’s ability to attack the brain and nervous system.
The virus’s transmission among cows has been mainly through direct contact rather than airborne droplets, possibly through shared milking equipment or farm workers. Variations in the susceptibility of different species to the virus are also a factor in its spread.
The potential for the virus to mutate into a more lethal or easily transmissible form raises concerns among scientists, especially regarding the role of animals like pigs as potential mixing vessels for different flu viruses.
Overall, the unpredictability of influenza and the possibility of a new deadly flu pandemic underscore the importance of continued vigilance and research in this area.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group, with the AP being solely responsible for all content.
