Health Affairs September 20, 2024
In an article recently published in Nature, the authors raised concerns that avian influenza (H5N1) has become transmissible from birds and animals to humans and between humans at an unprecedented level. They found that, for the first time, bovine H5N1 binds to both avian-like and human-like sialic acid receptors. In other words, the current strain can potentially become the next pandemic threat to humans.
Despite that potential, it is not inevitable that H5N1 will develop into a pandemic — if we act now. Unfortunately, instead of urgent action, we have seen only delayed reactions.
For example, the best way to track this virus is through dairy herd and poultry flock testing and reporting. Unfortunately, that testing is voluntary. Consequently,...
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