Could Avian Influenza Be The Next Covid-19?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the public in early April that an individual in Texas had tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu. This person’s only symptom was conjunctivitis—or redness of the eyes—after being exposed to dairy cattle that were presumed to be infected with HPAI. This was the second documented human case of avian influenza in the United States since 2022 and has escalated concerns about a large outbreak—or potentially a pandemic—in the human population.

What Is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza?

Influenza viruses, which cause annual epidemics of mild to severe respiratory illness, are not unique to humans. Certain subtypes of influenza circulate among animals, including birds, swine, horses, dogs and bats. Infection in some animals, such as wild waterfowl, may be asymptomatic (i.e., no disease results from the infection) and these animals are considered a natural reservoir for the virus. However, transmission of the virus to other animals, such as backyard bird flocks or commercial poultry, may have devastating consequences.