{"id":151192,"date":"2024-10-10T10:58:12","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T10:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/10\/in-2024-bird-flu-posed-big-risks-and-to-far-more-than-birds\/"},"modified":"2024-10-10T10:58:13","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T10:58:13","slug":"in-2024-bird-flu-posed-big-risks-and-to-far-more-than-birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/10\/in-2024-bird-flu-posed-big-risks-and-to-far-more-than-birds\/","title":{"rendered":"In 2024, bird flu posed big risks \u00ad\u2014 and to far more than birds"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_feat.jpg?fit=1440,810&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"In 2024, bird flu posed big risks \u00ad\u2014 and to far more than birds\" title=\"In 2024, bird flu posed big risks \u00ad\u2014 and to far more than birds\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"video-embed\">\n<p>News reports of bird flu striking huge flocks of birds \u2014 including farmed poultry \u2014 have been ongoing for more than two years. Still, \u201cmost people have no idea that we are in the middle of a wildlife emergency \u2014 an animal pandemic,\u201d says Michelle Wille. A viral ecologist, she works at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"sn-conversion rich-text alignright\"\/>\n<p>She\u2019s been studying bird flu. And the current panzootic \u2014 the animal equivalent to a human <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-outbreak-epidemic-pandemic\">pandemic<\/a> \u2014 is \u201cvery concerning,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>This new variant of bird flu is what\u2019s called highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. That means this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/explainer-what-virus\">virus<\/a> is especially deadly to birds. Water birds, such as ducks, naturally carry avian flu with little or no or sign of sickness. But when flu viruses shuffle between farmed poultry and waterfowl, viral variants can emerge and spread. These may now make the virus super lethal to birds.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"wp-block-sciencenews-inline-related-post alignleft\">\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/explainer-what-are-virus-variants-and-strains\">Explainer: Virus variants and strains<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/aside>\n<p>That appears to be what\u2019s behind the new flu variants spreading around the globe. And birds are not the only victims.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, since the current outbreak emerged in Europe three years ago, bird flu has shown up in at least 50 mammal species around the globe. That\u2019s far more than the dozen or so kinds of mammals that bird flu is known to have sickened during previous outbreaks.<\/p>\n<p>Infections are hitting some animals so badly and in such large numbers, Wille says, \u201cthat this may be the nail in the coffin for some species.\u201d By that, she means they could die out.<\/p>\n<p>Influenza viruses come in many types. These are designated by numbers. This one is H5N1.<\/p>\n<p>Each numbered virus can evolve into a range of variants, too. Variants can differ greatly in how they spread, which animals they\u2019ll sicken, how sick they\u2019ll make their victims and more.<\/p>\n<p>When a variant behaves in a very new way, scientists refer to it as a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/explainer-what-are-virus-variants-and-strains\">strain<\/a>. And although H5N1 has grabbed headlines throughout 2024, the current variant actually <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06631-2\" rel=\"noopener\">emerged in Europe four years ago<\/a>. It didn\u2019t really become a big global threat until late 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, though, it\u2019s thought to have killed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/article\/bird-flu-mammals-influenza-pandemic\" rel=\"noopener\">millions of wild birds<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In Peru alone,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0006320723003737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than 100,000 wild birds<\/a>\u00a0have died.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/eid\/article\/29\/12\/23-0330_article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Russia<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.1101\/2024.01.05.574233v1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canada<\/a>\u00a0have documented tens of thousands more bird deaths. In the United States, roughly 10,000 wild birds have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aphis.usda.gov\/aphis\/ourfocus\/animalhealth\/animal-disease-information\/avian\/avian-influenza\/hpai-2022\/2022-hpai-wild-birds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tested positive for avian flu<\/a>. And in October 2023, H5N1 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bas.ac.uk\/media-post\/first-confirmed-cases-of-avian-influenza-in-the-antarctic-region\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrived in the Antarctic region for the first time<\/a>.\u00a0It killed a type of seabird \u2014 skuas \u2014 in the Falkland Islands there, as well as albatrosses and gentoo penguins.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-3122373\">A deadly version of avian influenza is behind an outbreak in wild birds, including pelicans in Lima, Peru (shown), and domestic poultry. The virus has also been detected in mammals, although there is no evidence of widespread transmission in animals other than birds.<\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-3122373\">ERNESTO BENAVIDES\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Beyond birds, a polar bear on the North Slope of Alaska, way above the Arctic Circle, died from this flu late in 2023. Last December, the state\u2019s veterinarian confirmed it had H5N1.<\/p>\n<p>That same month, news came of a devastating die-off of southern elephant seal pups in Argentina. Researchers had collected data on three beaches where the seals haul out to calve. Most of the babies died from bird flu. Indeed, by the end of November 2023, only five in every 100 pups were still alive.<\/p>\n<p>If this same rate of losses from H5N1 happened throughout the regional population last year, the researchers noted, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/mms.13101\" rel=\"noopener\">it is estimated that more than 17,400 [pups] may have died in this epidemic<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since then, H5N1 infections have been hitting poultry farms, dairy cattle \u2014 and the occasional farmer. And then there\u2019s felines. Cats big and small have sometimes died. For instance, the virus has killed at least 22 mountain lions. It also sickened at least 10 bobcats, killing at least seven of them. Other big cats to die of this virus: a captive leopard in New York and a captive tiger in Nebraska.<\/p>\n<p>Here, we answer some questions about how worried we should be as this virus continues to wend its way through animals around the globe.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A calico kitty holds a dead bird in her mouth and doesn't look like she's one bit sorry about it.\" class=\"wp-image-3140031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-680x383.jpg 680w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-330x186.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-1030x580.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat-1380x776.jpg 1380w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/053024_TS_cat-bird-flu_feat.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-3140031\">Cats are well-known predators of birds. But catching a wild bird may expose kitty to H5N1 bird flu, which can be deadly to them.<\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-3140031\">Mariia Siurtukova\/moment\/getty images plus<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If cows are infected, can we get bird flu from drinking the milk or eating cheese?<\/h2>\n<p>Traces of bird flu virus have been showing up in milk on U.S. grocery shelves. That\u2019s led many people to wonder: Can drinking that milk make me sick? And the short answer is no. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<p>This past spring, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sampled grocery store milk in regions where infected cows had turned up. And FDA did find H5N1 viral fragments in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/food\/alerts-advisories-safety-information\/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about 1 in every 5 samples of the milk it tested.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Those fragments were viral <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-rna\">RNA<\/a>. That doesn\u2019t mean the whole virus was present, notes Michael Osterholm. He directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. It\u2019s in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n<p>Raw milk \u2014 meaning it is unpasteurized \u2014 could host the virus. But grocery store milk has been heat-treated to a temperature that will kill bacteria and viruses. So it\u2019s not surprising to find genetic remains of the flu virus in this milk, Osterholm says. This also means, he says, \u201cwe don\u2019t have to be concerned about \u2018Are we ingesting infective material?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Multiple cows on a dairy farm eat hay while some black birds eat from the same hay piles\" class=\"wp-image-3138203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-680x383.jpg 680w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-330x186.jpg 330w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-1030x580.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat-1380x776.jpg 1380w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/040224_eg_birdflu-qa_feat.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-3138203\">Dairy farms in at least 13 states have reported cases of bird flu in cattle, and four people exposed to an infected cow have developed symptoms (usually mild, such as pinkeye or a cough). The risk to people remains low, but cow-to-cow spread appears likely, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.<\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-3138203\">Dusty Pixel photography\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What\u2019s more, H5N1 is an \u201cenveloped\u201d virus. This type wraps itself in a blanket borrowed from the membrane of a cell from its host animal.<\/p>\n<p>These viruses are \u201cjust a little bit wimpier than non-enveloped viruses,\u201d says Meghan Davis. And that makes them \u201ca little bit easier to inactivate.\u201d It also means \u201cthere\u2019s some reassurance that pasteurization ought to be working,\u201d she says.\u00a0Davis is an environmental epidemiologist, or disease detective. She works at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\n<p>All this explains why experts warn that people should not drink unpasteurized (raw) milk. It might still have infectious bird flu virus in it.<\/p>\n<section class=\"newsletter-signup__wrapper___lZ0W1 wp-block-house-ads wp-block-newsletter-signup\">\n<picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/themes\/sciencenews-sns-child\/client\/src\/images\/cta-module@1x.png 1x,&#10;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/themes\/sciencenews-sns-child\/client\/src\/images\/cta-module@2x.png 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/themes\/sciencenews-sns-child\/client\/src\/images\/cta-module-sm@1x.png 1x,&#10;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/themes\/sciencenews-sns-child\/client\/src\/images\/cta-module-sm@2x.png 2x\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"newsletter-signup__background___Eym8W\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/themes\/sciencenews-sns-child\/client\/src\/images\/cta-module-sm@2x.png\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n<\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__container___srNOL\" data-component=\"newsletter-signup\">\n<h3 class=\"newsletter-signup__heading___0EHmb\">\n\t\t\tEducators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet\t\t<\/h3>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__message___pemaq\">\n<p>Weekly updates to help you use <em>Science News Explores<\/em> in the learning environment<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"newsletter-signup__thankyou___K6GGN\">Thank you for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-signup__error___hCsJI\">There was a problem signing you up.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If chickens are getting infected, is it safe to eat their meat \u2014 or that of turkeys and ducks? And what about eggs?<\/h2>\n<p>People will not get bird flu by eating properly prepared poultry, according to the FDA. The first step: Always cook both the eggs and the meat of these birds to temperatures that will kill off germs.<\/p>\n<p>Next, make sure to wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after touching eggs or raw poultry. Similarly, counters, knives and cutting boards \u2014 or any kitchen equipment that touches eggs and raw meat \u2014 should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p><div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"EfgcFqrIHTg\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Scientists concerned over eggs for bird flu vaccine\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EfgcFqrIHTg?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To curb the U.S. spread of the H5N1 bird flu in 2024, farmers killed millions of their chickens. But scientists worry that this culling could slow the development of vaccines against the virus. Why? Because chicken eggs are used to grow the virus used to make most flu vaccines today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Keep in mind, most birds harbor some germs. So these safe-handling rules will help keep other commonly found germs, too, from sickening cooks and diners. Those germs include <em>Salmonella, E. coli<\/em> and <em>Campylobacter.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Also, because flu-sickened birds show symptoms swiftly, \u201cthe chance of infected poultry or eggs entering the food [supply] is extremely low,\u201d according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Farmers will see their animals are sick and cull them.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s not just up to farmers. USDA also tests flocks for signs of infection. It sends inspectors to farms and to shops where birds are slaughtered to make sure all recommended steps to limit the risk of infection are being taken.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"453\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sciencenews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_inline2.jpg\" alt=\"Kooiker Teun de Vaal of the Netherlands uses a cotton swab to test one of his ducks.\" class=\"wp-image-3122382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_inline2.jpg 680w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_inline2-575x383.jpg 575w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_inline2-675x450.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_inline2-279x186.jpg 279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-3122382\">For years, researchers and farmers around the world have been monitoring for bird flu on farms. They\u2019re trying to scout early threats to their livestock. Here, Kooiker Teun de Vaal of the Netherlands uses a cotton swab to test one of his ducks on January 12, 2022.<\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-3122382\">SANDER KONING\/ANP\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a vaccine for this virus like there is for the COVID virus?<\/h2>\n<p>Over the past few years, three companies have developed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-vaccine\">vaccines<\/a> for use against the H5N1 virus. All three received FDA approval to limit or prevent disease. So far this type of flu hasn\u2019t posed a huge risk to people. But if things change, these human vaccines can be rolled out for widespread release.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"wp-block-sciencenews-inline-related-post alignleft\">\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/explainer-what-vaccine\">Explainer: What is a vaccine?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/aside>\n<p>One concern: Scientists note it could be hard to make a lot of vaccine quickly. The virus used in making a vaccine is usually grown in chicken eggs. But when bird flu is especially widespread, farmers may kill off many chickens that are sick or have been exposed to this virus. That can limit the availability of eggs for vaccine production.<\/p>\n<p>Some companies are working to develop vaccines that could be made more quickly.\u00a0 These shots use the same technology that the COVID-19 vaccine does. But they are far from being ready to use in people.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p><div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"6K9Q_Ij8P-o\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Scientists testing bird flu vaccine\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6K9Q_Ij8P-o?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Scientists are testing vaccines to curb H5N1 transmission in people. For now, few people other than workers on farms with infected livestock appear to face much of a risk of infection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If I get bird flu, how sick will it make me?<\/h2>\n<p>In general, H5N1 is very deadly to birds, such as chickens. But so far, it\u2019s sickened few people. Right now, people working with animals that might be infected are at highest risk.<\/p>\n<p>Four farmers with infected dairy cows got sick. So did nine workers who had contact with infected chickens or turkeys. One <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/bird-flu\/spotlights\/h5n1-response-09132024.html\" rel=\"noopener\">person in Missouri got H5N1<\/a> despite having no contact with cows or poultry. Someone that person lives with also got sick. So did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/bird-flu\/spotlights\/h5n1-response-09202024.html\" rel=\"noopener\">two health care workers who had contact with that first Missouri person<\/a>. These others hadn\u2019t been formally tested for bird flu. As of late September, they were due to get tests for antibodies that should show whether they, too, had bird flu.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group cheat-sheet-cta\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Do you have a science question? We can help!<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/YbhPosFTMqjbSNnV7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Submit your question here<\/a>, and we might answer it an upcoming issue of\u00a0<em>Science News Explores<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Starting in March 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, set up a national program to watch for signs of human risk from the H5N1 virus. As of mid-September, it had monitored more than 4,800 people. It tested more than 240 who had been exposed to infected animals. Of those, it found only 14 cases in people.<\/p>\n<p>Worldwide, only 29 human cases have turned up across nine countries. Seven people have died. By comparison, seasonal flu kills an estimated 300,000 people or more each year.<\/p>\n<p>Some bird flu infections are mild. You might have no symptoms. But if you do get sick, you might have a cough, sore throat, pinkeye (conjunctivitis), a runny or stuffy nose, headaches or body aches. You might find yourself short of breath. Some people develop a fever and get very tired. More severe cases may cause diarrhea, vomiting, pneumonia \u2014 even seizures.<\/p>\n<p>But the important thing to keep in mind is that so far, there\u2019s been no sign of person-to-person spread of H5N1.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"sn-conversion rich-text\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/bird-flu-2024-mammal-human-health\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>News reports of bird flu striking huge flocks of birds \u2014 including farmed poultry \u2014 have been ongoing for more than two years. Still, \u201cmost people have no idea that we are in the middle of a wildlife emergency \u2014 an animal pandemic,\u201d says Michelle Wille. A viral ecologist, she works at the Peter Doherty [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":151193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/022723_eg_h5n1_feat.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[606],"tags":[995,1336,1449,22771,13828,650],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151192"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151194,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151192\/revisions\/151194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}