UMD-led study tracks arrival and spread of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) decimating wild birds, impacting poultry and pushing up egg prices
The current outbreak of Avian Influenza is killing wild birds that were unaffected by previous outbreaks, like bald eagles.
Image Credit: Murray Foubister / Wikicommons
A highly pathogenic avian influenza has been spreading in the U.S., making headlines as the price of eggs soared at the start of the year and fears of the next zoonotic pandemic creep into popular media. A University of Maryland (UMD)-led team of researchers tracked the arrival and progression of the deadly bird flu (H5N1) in North America to determine how this outbreak is different from previous ones.
The team found that the deadly impact on wild birds and a shift from seasonal to year-round infections signal dangerous changes in avian influenza in the U.S. They concluded that there is an urgent need for unprecedented coordination at a national and regional-scale to manage the spread of a disease reaching across jurisdictions and disciplines. The team also suggests that H5N1 will likely become endemic, potentially posing risks to food security and the economy.
The paper was published April 19, 2023, in the journal Conservation Biology.
“We’ve been dealing with low pathogenic avian influenza for decades in the poultry industry, but this is different.” said Jennifer Mullinax, assistant professor in the UMD Department of Environmental Science & Technology and a co-author of the study. Low pathogenic disease is less contagious and easier to contain than the highly pathogenic variety.
Dr. Jennifer Mullinax answers four key questions in 30-seconds:
- What did this paper do?
- What makes this outbreak different?
- What could happen if nothing is done?
- How should the U.S. respond?
Watch the full eight-minute video interview with Dr. Mullinax.
