David

@daverino.bsky.social

There are two big problems with..H5N1 2.3.4.4b. Firstly, it is classified as “highly pathogenic” meaning it makes the animals it infects very sick. Most die. More significant, perhaps, is that the virus..is.. learning to infect more & more species, including mammals.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-30/next-pandemic-risk-h5n1-2-3-4-4b-bird-flu-avian-influenza/105104736?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

Willem van Schaik

@wvschaik.bsky.social

Exciting preprint

'Replicative selfish genetic elements [primarily Insertion Sequence ISL3] are driving rapid pathogenic adaptation of Enterococcus faecium'

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40161577/

Prof Brendan Crabb AC

@brendancrabb.bsky.social

An important long read. Key elements of highly pathogenic H5N1 incl: 1. It’s already a major ‘pandemic’ of birds with big impact, (2) it’s adapting to mammals, (3) it’s not yet in Oz, (4) we need robust pandemic preparedness, including clean indoor air strategies. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-30/next-pandemic-risk-h5n1-2-3-4-4b-bird-flu-avian-influenza/105104736?utm_source=abc_news_app