Blythe Terrell

That is 100% the question, right? Because that, if that starts happening, Wendy, like that's when we're like, we've got an outbreak. Yes. And we start freaking out about a pandemic, right? Exactly.

Exactly. So is that happening? Here's what Seema told me about what's been going on in the U.S.

Exactly. So is that happening? Here's what Seema told me about what's been going on in the U.S.

So basically, there are a few cases of people who've gotten bird flu, and we just don't know how.

So basically, there are a few cases of people who've gotten bird flu, and we just don't know how.

The big thing scientists are watching is exactly that, Wendy. Like, it's exactly the genetics of the virus. Like, they're watching how this thing mutates, right? Because what they want to see is if it ends up mutating in a way that makes it way easier to spread from one person to another.

The big thing scientists are watching is exactly that, Wendy. Like, it's exactly the genetics of the virus. Like, they're watching how this thing mutates, right? Because what they want to see is if it ends up mutating in a way that makes it way easier to spread from one person to another.

And one of the scientists who is watching this is a guy named Richard Webby. He's a virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. I did come across an article that called you the flu catcher. What do you think about that nickname?

And one of the scientists who is watching this is a guy named Richard Webby. He's a virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. I did come across an article that called you the flu catcher. What do you think about that nickname?

What's he do? What's he doing on our bird flu episode then? He was mostly like, my kids aren't in daycare anymore.

What's he do? What's he doing on our bird flu episode then? He was mostly like, my kids aren't in daycare anymore.

So Richard tells me that flu viruses, including bird flu viruses, are generally really good at mutating. And that's partly because when they get inside an animal or a person and start making copies of themselves, they tend to make a whole bunch of little mistakes. And then in some cases, those mistakes are very helpful and like help them adapt.

So Richard tells me that flu viruses, including bird flu viruses, are generally really good at mutating. And that's partly because when they get inside an animal or a person and start making copies of themselves, they tend to make a whole bunch of little mistakes. And then in some cases, those mistakes are very helpful and like help them adapt.

Yeah, exactly. And so I asked Richard, at this point, how likely do you think it is that this H5 virus will start moving from human to human?

Yeah, exactly. And so I asked Richard, at this point, how likely do you think it is that this H5 virus will start moving from human to human?

Yeah, like they look like the virus that you're pulling out of a goose or a chicken or a turkey or whatever. I mean, they haven't like really adapted to be good at infecting humans. Got it. Generally.

Yeah, like they look like the virus that you're pulling out of a goose or a chicken or a turkey or whatever. I mean, they haven't like really adapted to be good at infecting humans. Got it. Generally.

So scientists don't think it'll take that much mutating at all to get to a version that could have the capacity to spread more easily. And actually, there was like a big paper that was looking at this in the lab and actually identified one mutation. They were like, oh, if you flip this switch.

So scientists don't think it'll take that much mutating at all to get to a version that could have the capacity to spread more easily. And actually, there was like a big paper that was looking at this in the lab and actually identified one mutation. They were like, oh, if you flip this switch.

That's a version that'll probably be easier to get into people. Uh-huh. And we do know that this bird flu can get certain mutations like this out in the wild. Because you know those two patients, Wendy, who got really sick and one of them died? Yeah, yeah. They were sick for so long that scientists think the virus did mutate inside their bodies.