Bird Flu Update: Scientists Warn People to 'Be Alert' Following Discovery of Bird Flu Virus' Continuous Adaptation and Mutation [Study]

The bird flu virus has continued to adapt and mutate among avian and mammal clades in different parts of the world, including South America and the Antarctic region. Due to the rising threat, scientists from the University of California Davis (UC Davis), in their new study, warn people to "be alert" as the avian influenza virus is becoming more likely to infect mammals which includes humans.

Bird Flu Virus Adaptation

The warning came after UC Davis researchers concluded that the avian flu virus is "increasingly adapting to mammals." In particular, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses called H5N1 is no longer confined to domestic, wild birds, and other avians across the globe. These pathogens which causes the bird-borne disease is adapting to the mammal clade in new ways never seen before.

In a media release on Thursday, June 6, the University of California announced the unprecedented bird flu virus adaptation to mammals. This could lead to global repercussions for humans, livestock, and wild animals.

The findings of the recent study were published in the journal bioRxiv on June 1, where researchers showed evidence of increased mammal-to-mammal transmission of the virus based on an outbreak affecting elephant seals at Peninsula Valdes in Argentina.

Bird Flu Outbreak

The current bird flu outbreak is responsible for the deaths of millions of birds worldwide, as well as non-human mammals.

In 2023, a massive avian influenza outbreak in Argentina led to the deaths of thousands of elephant seals. This year, the related outbreak in the US saw the infection of at least two humans and discovery of remnants of the bird flu virus in cow milk or dairy products in groceries.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 48 states are affected and there are 1,149 bird flu outbreaks nationwide, infecting a total of 96.8 million birds such as wild aquatic birds, backyard flocks, and commercial poultry since January 2022. These are the first reported cases of HPAI in the country since 2016, according to the CDC.

Mexico Human Bird Flu Death

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the first human bird flu death in Mexico due to avian influenza (H5N2). Health experts consider the Mexico case as a "mysterious death" since the patient died from one kind of avian influenza that is not related to the US bird flu outbreak. The infected person in Mexico had health complications before acquiring the fatal disease.

It was on Wednesday, June 5, when the WHO announced the death of a 59-year-old man in Mexico and the case is the world's first confirmation of a human case of H5N2 through laboratory testing. Due to the recent human cases and the bird flu virus' continuous adaptation and mutation to marine mammals such as elephant seals, the bird flu outbreak poses an increased threat to public health.