Expanding Horizons: Host Range Evolution and Treatment Strategies for Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza
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Avian influenza viruses (AIVs), including H5N1 and H7N9, from the Orthomyxoviridae family present substantial public health concerns. Unlike H7N9’s limited host range, H5N1 infects birds, various mammals, and humans. Recent concerns include widespread H5N1 infection of U.S. dairy cattle across 17 states affecting over 1000 herds with 41 human infections. Key observations include cow-to-cow transmission, viral presence in milk, and transmission to humans, mainly through occupational exposure. Evidence of mam-mal-to-mammal transmission has been documented in European and Canadian foxes and South American marine mammals. Standard pasteurization effectively inactivates the virus in milk. The continuing mammalian adaptations, particularly mutations like PB2-E627K, suggest potential for further evolution in new hosts, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance to mitigate pandemic risks.