Blythe Terrell

So when bird flu gets really bad in a person, they can get this terrible fever, they can't breathe, they might go into respiratory failure, and sometimes their organs will fail too. They can get inflammation in their brain. It can be really bad. So bird flu has been going around for a while now, every now and then, killing people over the last 20 years.

So over the years, there's been all these different types. And I mean, I've been talking about H5N1, sort of this umbrella type. But then several years ago, something changed the game here. So H5N1 has been making virus babies, let's call them. Each one a little different. These are different clades. Clades is what they're called. And then this one called 2344B popped up.

So over the years, there's been all these different types. And I mean, I've been talking about H5N1, sort of this umbrella type. But then several years ago, something changed the game here. So H5N1 has been making virus babies, let's call them. Each one a little different. These are different clades. Clades is what they're called. And then this one called 2344B popped up.

Yeah, I know. I know. We didn't realize most of the time it's these really nerdy number names that are a little bit hard to keep track of.

Yeah, I know. I know. We didn't realize most of the time it's these really nerdy number names that are a little bit hard to keep track of.

Yeah. And I mean, that's because when it started showing up in wild birds, it was clear that something was really different about this guy. Okay. I talked about this with Seema Lakdawalla, who is a virologist at Emory University. And so Seema came across this because she works with other nerds who monitor bird flu like worldwide.

Yeah. And I mean, that's because when it started showing up in wild birds, it was clear that something was really different about this guy. Okay. I talked about this with Seema Lakdawalla, who is a virologist at Emory University. And so Seema came across this because she works with other nerds who monitor bird flu like worldwide.

And she remembers first hearing about this virus from some other scientists out of the U.K.,

And she remembers first hearing about this virus from some other scientists out of the U.K.,

Wait, like, wait, they were, like, literally falling out of the sky dead?

Wait, like, wait, they were, like, literally falling out of the sky dead?

I actually watched a video of this bald eagle with bird flu, and it's, like, flying down to the ground, and it stumbles, and it, like, can't really land, and it's trying to walk, and it's going around in circles, and it's just, like, shaking its head, shaking its head all over the place. Oh, gosh. It's really sad.

I actually watched a video of this bald eagle with bird flu, and it's, like, flying down to the ground, and it stumbles, and it, like, can't really land, and it's trying to walk, and it's going around in circles, and it's just, like, shaking its head, shaking its head all over the place. Oh, gosh. It's really sad.

And of course, what can happen with bird flu is that it moves with the birds who also move. So it makes its way to other countries, including the U.S. And we start seeing it in wild birds and in chickens. And this is like late 2021, 2022. And so in the U.S., what we do when this happens, when it shows up on like a poultry farm, whatever, we kill those birds. And we are killing millions of birds.

And of course, what can happen with bird flu is that it moves with the birds who also move. So it makes its way to other countries, including the U.S. And we start seeing it in wild birds and in chickens. And this is like late 2021, 2022. And so in the U.S., what we do when this happens, when it shows up on like a poultry farm, whatever, we kill those birds. And we are killing millions of birds.

Which is definitely, like, one thing that can make eggs more expensive, right? You've got fewer birds, you've got fewer eggs. Right. So overall, as this happens, though, when it first kind of pops up, it's not ringing, like, huge alarm bells for humans, right? Like, it's crappy, but we're kind of used to bird flu and birds. Right.

Which is definitely, like, one thing that can make eggs more expensive, right? You've got fewer birds, you've got fewer eggs. Right. So overall, as this happens, though, when it first kind of pops up, it's not ringing, like, huge alarm bells for humans, right? Like, it's crappy, but we're kind of used to bird flu and birds. Right.

But then this virus starts showing up in, like, more and more mammals. And scientists always keep an eye on that. Because... Once a virus starts like jumping species, maybe adapting to these different hosts, you start to worry that it could get to a point where it is easier for it to move from human to human.

But then this virus starts showing up in, like, more and more mammals. And scientists always keep an eye on that. Because... Once a virus starts like jumping species, maybe adapting to these different hosts, you start to worry that it could get to a point where it is easier for it to move from human to human.

So we're finding this new bird flu in all these different animals. But the important thing that happens next in our story is when it shows up in this particular mammal.