Glacier FarmMedia — The threat of H5N1 bird flu spreading to humans could spark another global pandemic, warned the Global Virus Network in a recent study calling for proactive measures to prevent widespread outbreaks.
The coalition of virologists published their findings in the Lancet Regional Health — Americas on April 28.
“Understanding the current landscape of H5N1 infections is critical for effective prevention and response,” said Dr. Sten H. Vermund, chief medical officer of the GVN, adding “the virus’s ability to infect both animals and humans, combined with recent genetic changes, underscores the importance of proactive surveillance and rapid response measures.
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GVN advocates for a multi-faceted approach to pandemic preparedness, which includes:
- Enhanced surveillance
- Faster genomic data sharing
- Improved farm biosecurity
- Preparedness plans for the roll-out of tests
- Strengthening public health infrastructure
- Investment in phenotype prediction from genetic data
- Investment in rapid vaccine development
- Preparedness plan for the roll-out of vaccines and therapeutics
- Preparedness plan to allow for rapid clinical studies
- International collaboration
Bird flu has killed nearly 170 million egg-laying hens, turkeys and other birds in the U.S. in an outbreak that began in 2022. An estimated 1,000 dairy herds and 70 people in the U.S. have also been infected, with one person dying.
In Canada, there are 14 current outbreaks of avian influenza in Canadian poultry, according to Canadian Food Inspection Agency data. No cases have been found in Canadian cattle. Canada has reported one human case of the disease — a teenage girl in British Columbia who was hospitalized with H5N1 avian influenza late last year.
