Avian influenza spillover to humans: Are we prepared to deal with another potential pandemic?

Abstract

Avian influenza, known as bird flu, is caused by influenza type-A viruses, primarily adapted to bird species, including domesticated and poultry. Bird flu can infect entire flocks within days and is transmitted through respiratory secretions, faeces and saliva [1–3]. The transmission can occur directly and through contaminated feed and water. Notably, bird flu viruses are extraordinarily resistant and can survive for prolonged periods, even in low temperatures [1–3]. Based on pathogenicity standards, avian flu strains are divided into high pathogenic and low pathogenic. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a highly transmissible variation of bird flu, is linked predominantly to the H5N1 and H7N9 strains of influenza type-A viruses.