Avian Influenza Viruses — The Emerging Threat Grows

Novel, highly pathogenic avian flu reassortants are crossing species barriers — and oceans — causing infections in birds and humans on new continents.

Since the first description in 1996 of avian type A influenza virus (AIV) H5N1 and its ability to infect humans lethally, there has been concern about novel strains arising from gene reassortment. Zhu and colleagues now describe increasing infections in poultry and humans in China caused by a novel reassortant influenza A(H5N6), which has replaced H5N1 as the dominant AIV subtype in Asian poultry and will probably be more readily transmissible to humans. As with other AIV infections, exposure to live poultry was the most common factor in H5N6 acquisition, and the most common presenting symptoms were fever and cough (hampering the initial distinction from other respiratory illnesses). Among 66 cases in 2021, risk for severe disease was 94% a…

Reviewing Author

Stephen G. Baum, MD

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Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

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Editorial BoardsMedical Letter

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsMedical Letter

Avian Influenza Viruses — The Emerging Threat Grows

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Reviewing Author