H5N1 avian flu strain poses existential threat to poultry industry, human health risk.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu is responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of birds in the U.S. and countless more worldwide. This season’s outbreak is the worst in U.S. and U.K. history, with nearly 58 million bird deaths in the U.S. and farmers in England ordered to keep their birds indoors in a poultry “lock down” of sorts. The virus has a near 100% fatality rate among birds, killing most infected within 48 hours. This has caused economic and food supply issues, such as doubling of the price of eggs and an increase of 25% in oven-ready chicken prices in the U.K.
Humans have also been affected by the virus, with seven individuals having been sickened since 2020. The virus has a mortality rate of greater than 50% among humans, and symptoms are typically much more severe than the seasonal flu. These symptoms can include fever, weakness, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, abdominal pain, chest pain, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, and/or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The seasonal flu vaccine does not cover H5N1, and while candidate vaccines have been developed, they are not ready for widespread use.
The 1918 Spanish Flu is thought to have avian origins, and the similarities between H5N1 and the Spanish Flu are concerning. Autopsies of Spanish Flu victims revealed “lungs choked with debris from the excessive inflammation”, and H5N1 can lead to similar inflammation in human bronchial cells. While the likelihood of human-to-human transmission of H5N1 is “very low”, if it were to occur in a sustained manner, it could rock the globe in a way not seen since the 1918 Spanish Flu.
The poultry industry is in “deep trouble”, and biosecurity procedures must be changed to keep the virus away from flocks. Air-handling considerations must be taken into account, as H5N1 is transmitted in an airborne manner. Bob Iger has put his foot down and told Disney employees to come back into the office, but the poultry industry may not be able to “sustain itself in countries like the U.S. if we continue to see annual surges”.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu is a serious threat to the poultry industry and to human health. Although the likelihood of human-to-human transmission of the virus is “very low”, the similarities between H5N1 and the Spanish Flu are concerning, and the potential impact of sustained transmission could be significant. Economic and food-supply issues have already arisen, and biosecurity procedures in the poultry industry must be changed in order to prevent further spread. It is important to remain vigilant and to take all necessary precautions to protect against this virus.
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