The outbreak of bird flu in mammals has doubled worldwide over the past year, increasing the risk of the virus potentially spreading to humans, an international agency has warned.

Avian influenza has spread around the world like never before in recent years, leading to mass culling of domestic birds, a surge in egg prices, and the deaths of several people who had been in contact with infected animals.

Although the overall risk of human infection remains low, the outbreak of avian influenza among mammals such as cattle, dogs, and cats increases the likelihood that the virus will adapt and spread between humans, according to a new report by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

The number of outbreaks among mammals rose to 1,022 in 55 countries last year, compared with 459 in 2023, according to the Paris-based agency, which monitors animal diseases worldwide.

“This is worrying because it is a change in the epidemiological pattern of the virus,” said WOAH Director General Emmanuel Soubeiran.

Health experts are sounding the alarm about the potential pandemic threat from bird flu, which is showing signs of mutation as it spreads, particularly among dairy cows in the United States.

The new report comes at a time when the budgets of US health and science agencies have been cut by the Trump administration.

This included the dismissal earlier this year of staff from an epidemiological program known as the “disease detectives.”

“Global emergency”

Avian influenza “is more than an animal health crisis—it is a global emergency that destabilizes agriculture, food security, trade, and ecosystems,” the report warns.

According to the agency's first annual report on the state of animal health worldwide, over 630 million birds have died from avian influenza or been culled because of it in the last two decades.

Wild birds have also suffered massive die-offs, although the exact number is difficult to estimate.

The report highlights the role that vaccination can play in stopping epidemics among birds, which in turn reduces the risk to mammals and humans.

The report cites the example of France, which began vaccinating domestic ducks against avian influenza in 2023.

Modeling by the Veterinary School of Toulouse estimated that there would be 700 outbreaks in France this year. In the end, according to the report, there were only 10.

Subéran said this was a “win-win situation” because it reduced human exposure to infection and meant there were more poultry products available for export.

However, she stressed that vaccines are not a “magic wand” and are not suitable for every situation.

Biological security, surveillance, greater transparency, and global cooperation are also important tools in combating the threat of avian influenza, Subéran added, calling for more investment in these areas.

Reducing the use of antibiotics

Last month, Mexico reported the first human death from bird flu, a three-year-old girl.

The first death in the US was reported in January, and there have been two deaths in Cambodia this year.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 50% of bird flu infections are fatal.

The organization notes that the cases detected in humans so far have been mainly linked to people who have been in close contact with infected birds and other animals or with an infected environment.

The WOAH report also warns more generally of the growing risk of animal diseases being transmitted to humans as climate change pushes species into new areas.

According to the report, nearly 70% of newly emerging diseases reported to the agency in the last 20 years are considered a potential threat to human health.

Another danger is the growing resistance of some diseases to antibiotics, which is “one of the greatest threats to global health, food security, and economic stability,” the report says.

The good news is that antibiotic use in animals fell by 5% between 2020 and 2022.

The largest decline was in Europe, at 23%, the report adds, calling for further reductions. |BGNES