Background Articles

Scientists say they found the virus in one of five submitted chicken meat samples that the cats ate.

The highly pathogenic disease circling the globe stands out for its effects on wild birds, and experts say Alaskans should be on the lookout for cases.

Governments should consider vaccinating poultry against bird flu, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds and infected mammals worldwide, to prevent the virus from turning into a new pandemic, the head of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said.

When you see a wild bird such as a duck or seagull, think bird flu. Because it’s actually more likely than not they’re infected with the virus. And many species of wild birds are asymptomatic, meaning that they don’t show any symptoms.

State officials say Alaskans who encounter bats should avoid any physical contact. The state's last rabid bat was found last June near Juneau.

Of the 61 red foxes counted in and around Nome between February and March 2023, nearly one quarter were positive.

With geese and other wild birds returning to the region every day, New Brunswick dog and cat owners should be aware of the risk of avian influenza, says the registrar of the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association.

The big animals that roam Alaska’s largest city are carrying bacteria that cannot be killed by commonly used medicines.

This paper analyzes the evolution of the H3 subtype of avian influenza virus in China from 2009 to 2022, including its spatial and temporal distribution and genetic changes. The findings have implications for pandemic preparedness.

Three cases of H3N8 detected in China since 2022 as WHO says strain doesn’t appear to spread easily between humans. First case resulting in death occurred in China.

Climate hazards such as flooding, heat waves and drought have worsened more than half of the hundreds of known infectious diseases in people, including malaria, hantavirus, cholera and anthrax, a study says.

As cases of avian flu continue to spread across Canada, B.C. poultry farmers are implementing quarantine measures from the highly infectious virus that can cause mass death in chicken flocks.

The territorial government issued a public service announcement earlier this week, warning people about a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza. N.W.T. hunters say they are worried about harvesting birds that may have the virus.

The advice to hunters, don’t shoot or harvest game that appears sick. If you found an animal injured or dead, just leave it there. When processing, wear rubber gloves and washing the area the game was cleaned on. You should also cook game to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

While the risk to human health is low, Gerlach has said that avian influenza could pose a threat to not only the state’s domestic birds but also wild birds, including geese, shore birds, vultures and eagles. There’s no treatment for birds that are infected, and the mortality rate for poultry and raptors like hawks, eagles or owls is especially high. Possible signs of infection includes the “sudden death of multiple birds in the flock, nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing, or respiratory distress."

"Our hunters have a vast knowledge on a healthy bird. They know what a healthy bird looks like. If a goose has the symptoms of avian flu … people shouldn't eat it," said George Diamond of Cree Public Health.

Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza. Penguins may be the only birds visitors to many zoos can see right now, because they already are kept inside and usually protected behind glass in their exhibits, making it harder for the bird flu to reach them.

A lack of adequate water and sewer service and overcrowded housing combined to make the COVID-19 pandemic more severe in rural Alaska, a new study confirms.

Reports of groups of up to 10 mule deer in Southeast Alaska near Skagway have been received by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and there is evidence that fawns are being born here. Studies show that nearby populations harbor a variety of diseases that have biologists concerned.

For the first time in more than 20 years, rabies was confirmed in a river otter, officials said.