Will Stone

And just to refresh listeners, a bird flu infection starts when the protein on the virus binds to a receptor on the cell it wants to take over. This is the HA protein on the bird flu virus. Luckily, the version of H5N1 spreading in cattle has not evolved to target the receptors that dominate upper airways in humans in the way that people get infected with seasonal influenza every year.

And just to refresh listeners, a bird flu infection starts when the protein on the virus binds to a receptor on the cell it wants to take over. This is the HA protein on the bird flu virus. Luckily, the version of H5N1 spreading in cattle has not evolved to target the receptors that dominate upper airways in humans in the way that people get infected with seasonal influenza every year.

That would be a key step in the path to this becoming a pandemic.

That would be a key step in the path to this becoming a pandemic.

That would be a key step in the path to this becoming a pandemic.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.