We hate to beak it to you, but there’s another strain of bird flu in the U.S. impacting the poultry industry.
New strain takes flight: H5N9 is a different strain of bird flu from H5N1, but it’s already impacting flocks of birds—and the first instance detected in the U.S. was at a duck farm in California. Someone check on the Aflac mascot. Sadly, more than 100K birds had to be euthanized because of the high transfer rate.
Duck, duck, flu: Both H5N1 and H5N9 are the bird flu virus, but they differ in composition and effects. The difference between the strains is based on the proteins found in the virus: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). The H5N1 virus was the result of a “reassortment” where H5N1 mixed with other viruses’ genetics in ducks. Ducks especially are known reservoir hosts for influenza A viruses.
Nothing to quack at: We know H5N1 has been affecting not just birds, but also dairy cattle and even one person who died from the virus in Louisiana. Government organizations are investigating the new H5N9 outbreak and monitoring the spread. Unlike H5N1, there has been no trace of H5N9 found in humans so far.