Eggflation has soared – Grade A eggs now cost upwards of $5 a dozen. The biggest culprit: the bird flu, the serial killer of 85 million poultry birds since 2022. Within recent years, though, the Avian Influenza or HN51 has increasingly spread its highly pathogenic wings on to new incubators. As of May 25, the bird flu has infected 55 dairy-cow herds in nine U.S. states, according to federal and state officials. Representing the first time the virus has been detected in U.S. cattle, the Avian Influenza may just keep flying our way: on May 22, a dairy worker from Michigan tested positive for the virus after having contact with infected dairy cows – the second of two confirmed human cases in May.
While the virus has also spread to other mammals such as seals, sea lions and dolphins in the past, scientists aren’t sure whether bird flu can transmit from animals to humans. As for the cattle, it is possible that the infected cows contracted the virus independently, especially if they had shared a contaminated water and food supply. Considering the rapid pace at which the disease is spreading, however, the U.S.D.A has not ruled out cow-to-cow transmissions. This kind of mammal-to-mammal transmission would be worrisome; if a virus were adapted to spread among other mammalian species, there is potential it will unpredictably evolve to spread among humans.
Luckily, scientists have indicated that a bird flu pandemic in the human population is by no means inevitable. Many factors would have to align for another COVID-esque pandemic to ignite: first, the HN51 virus would have to mutate to the extent that it spreads easily between people. Like the seasonal flu, it would likely have to spread person-to-person in the form of a respiratory infection: through coughing, sneezing and breathing. These mutations could happen through genetic reassortment, a process in which two flu viruses infect the same animal, shuffling their genetics to create a concoction of new variations. For each new animal species – 126 so far – that suffers the virus, more opportunities are created for HN51 to evolve, experiment, and expand on to humans.
The 126 species the virus has latched onto so far should also be a reminder to humans of our role in the proliferation of epizootics. Unsustainable activities such as climate-warming emissions, factory farming and habitat destruction, to name a few, have turned the natural phenomenon of zootopian diseases into anthropogenic fiascos. While wild birds are routinely exposed to viruses, populations have rarely been decimated by them, as under normal circumstances, bird populations can bounce back from die-offs. However, human activity inhibits future recoveries and creates a picturesque reservoir for disease. A warming climate is detrimental to animals’ immune systems, and frequent interaction among birds sharing what little habitat remains makes infections easier to spread.
Factory farming has only exacerbated the destructive devastation of the avian crisis. When hundreds of thousands of animals are crammed into unhygienic conditions, often waddling in their own waste, it is difficult to imagine more delightful conditions for infectious disease. The origin of today’s HN51 virus strand, for example, emerged in 1966 when the virus infecting domestic waterfowl in Southern China leaked into wild populations. Pigs in particular, especially in foul factory farming conditions, are prone to both avian and human strains of disease, creating petri dishes for viruses to mutate into forms that could transmit to humans.
When the bird flu hits highly dense factory farms, oftentimes, the only realistic precaution to contain it is by culling entire flocks. These cullings are popularly performed by turning up the heat in barns and turning off the ventilation, cooking the foul for several hours until they die of overheating. Ventilation shut downs, along with other cruel culling methods has resulted in the death of tens of millions of hens since 2022.
There are many actions that can be taken to limit the impact of the Bird Flu on both animals and humans. Hand washes should be frequent after handling birds or being in areas with close proximity to, such as petting zoos. Additionally, dead wild birds should be reported to authorities, and raw poultry or undercooked poultry should be avoided. With the current HN51 strand holding a 50% mortality rate in humans, the Bird Flu poses a public health risk that warrants action.
