Nirupama Vaid and Anil Kothari

Avian influenza, commonly known as “bird flu”, is a viral disease primarily infecting domestic poultry and other migratory birds. However, it has recently grabbed global headlines due to the surge in new mammalian species being infected. Though human cases of bird flu have been reported for more than a decade, the last few years have seen incidences of bird flu cases being detected in other species, for example, in marine mammals in South America from 2023, dairy cattle from the USA in 2024, sheep from the UK in 2025, and cats in India and other European countries since 2024. Additionally, in a few species of wild carnivores, both in captivity and in the wild, from different countries. 

The bird flu spillover incidents in new mammalian species have raised alarm bells globally, requiring an understanding of the potential shift in the virus’s behaviour to jump species, transmission dynamics, risk factors posed to humans, and the possible threat of a new pandemic. The risk of spillover in densely populated countries like India is far greater because of close human-animal contact. Understanding the nature of this virus, its transmission routes, and preventive strategies is crucial at this juncture…read more NOPR