A new pandemic? Top virologist warn of further spread of bird flu virus. What to know in Tennessee
Virologists around the world are raising warning flags about the spread of the avian flu virus H5N1, which affects birds, animals and humans.
The bird flu, which has decimated poultry in the United States, has spread into cattle herds, and reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are showing human cases happening after they are in contact with animals that carry the disease. While the CDC rates H5N1 as a low risk as of May 1, virologists from 40 different countries are concerned about the spread to humans.
In a paper published in The Lancet Regional Health–Americas, virologists warned that it could lead to another pandemic.
"The recent emergence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infections in dairy cows and humans in the U.S. has raised alarms regarding the potential for a pandemic," Global Virus Network (GVN) scientists wrote in the commentary. "Over 995 dairy cow herds and at least 70 humans have been affected, including cases of severe disease and the first reported H5N1-related death in the U.S."
H5N1 is not a new virus. It is the same influenza that has been killing off millions of chickens in the U.S., leading to the price of eggs skyrocketing over the last few months.
Variants of bird flu have been around for years, but the H5N1, an influenza A virus, variant was detected in 2024 and continues to plague the poultry industry. It has also started affecting large swaths of dairy herds in 17 states and has been transmitted to humans, according to CDC reports.
The H5N1 bird flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease that primarily affects birds, but can be spread to other animals and even humans.
The rise in human infections has spurred Global Virus Network (GVN) scientists to issue a warning and plea to world governments to improve surveillance, implement biosecurity measures and prepare for potential human-to-human transmission.
'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,' the scientists wrote. 'Concurrently, the virus continues to circulate in wild birds, backyard flocks, and hunted migratory species, further amplifying the risk to humans and domestic animals.'
The concerns have led scientists to call for "urgent, proactive measures to prevent widespread outbreaks, leveraging lessons learned from prior pandemics."
According to the CDC, nearly 1,000 dairy cow herds and more than 168 million poultry have been affected since 2022.
The CDC has also reported 70 known cases of the H5 bird flu in humans and one death due to the virus.
"While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures," read a statement from the CDC.
Bird flu can cause coughing, body aches, fatigue, fever, pneumonia and other symptoms in humans.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: A new virus? No, but virologists warn bird flu could be next pandemic
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