By Cole Gee | Staff Writer
The bird flu, or H5N1, a pathogen known to affect mammals, birds and — in rare cases — humans, has been slowly chipping away at America’s poultry industry since the strain was detected in the country around 2022 in wild birds. While the virus is small in its damage and effects, failure to contain it quickly could lead to another pandemic, according to some experts.
Dr. Pedro Piedra is a professor at Baylor College of Medicine and studies respiratory viruses. According to Piedra, the country has slowly begun to “put a lid” on the virus’s spread, but recent mutations may make it a more challenging ordeal.
“I want to say that we’ve been lucky so far in the sense that we have not seen true human-to-human spread,” Piedra said. “But then that becomes very worrisome because that means it can readily spread within an environment that is full of susceptible individuals.”
Moderna recently received $590 million to help develop vaccines to fight the virus. Their protein-based vaccines have had great success against other pathogens such as COVID-19, and having them in great supply could help quell any future pandemic.
“Antivirals become very important as well, and we saw that the lack of antivirals early on with SARS-CoV-2 proved to be tragic because many, many, many people died,” Piedra said. “And so we do have antivirals against the current H5N1. We need to make sure that we have adequate supply should we need it.”
While it’s still slowly being contained, the aftereffects of the virus are being felt everywhere, especially in American kitchens. Eggs for many Americans are a staple in their household diet, and thanks to recent bird flu outbreaks, it’s highly likely to see a large rise in price across the country.
According to the Associated Press, “More than 145 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have been slaughtered since the current outbreak began, with the vast majority of them being egg-laying chickens.”
Just recently in Georgia, an outbreak of bird flu arrived at a chicken plant forcing a deep clean of any infected birds and egg products as well as another rare strain found in a California duck farm.
Maurice Pitesky is a professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension and a foremost expert in pathogenic avian influenza and population health. His expertise is in pathogens like the bird flu and the economic challenges it may have.
“What we’re dealing with right now is primarily a virus that is primarily affecting domestic animals like poultry, dairy and wild animals, including wild birds and several species of marine mammals,” Pitesky said. “But the biggest issue is more on the food security side at this point where poultry, which is the most consumed animal protein on the planet, is being severely affected by the virus.”
Right now Americans should be prepared to see eggs and other poultry prices remain high until a vaccination plan is put in place to quell the spread, Pitesky said. Beyond that, staying mindful of wild birds and keeping a clean home and body is the best way to protect oneself from the bird flu.
