03/18/2025
Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), has multiple strains. In addition to infecting birds worldwide, it has spread to dozens of mammal species, including dairy cows in the US. While most human cases have been linked to direct exposure to infected poultry or cattle, last year Louisiana reported the first US death from the virus after an individual contracted it from a backyard flock.
The CDC states that the risk to public health remains low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission. However, scientists warn that the increasing number of infections raises the potential for mutations that could enable the virus to spread among humans.
