DoomsdaysCWAs #BirdFlu wreaks havoc in the Midwest, researchers say #vaccines offer a way out
Researchers say vaccinating poultry is crucial for reining in H5 and reducing the stress on farmers and consumers hit by high egg prices. Vaccination could also help reduce the number of infections and the threat of a pandemic.
By Brian Allnutt
April 2, 2025
Excerpt: "Spring and fall bird migrations could add to bird flu threat
"Spring and fall bird migrations could add to the H5 threat as birds congregate in areas near farms and mix with waterfowl, which are key hosts for the virus.
"In the Great Lakes region, a combination of migratory bird flyways, waste grain missed during harvest, and abundant lakes and reservoirs attracts large numbers of migrating birds—and potentially high levels of avian flu virus, says Matthew Hardy, a waterfowl ecologist and co-founder of #AgriNerds, a company that tracks bird movements to help farms prevent outbreaks.
"Hardy pointed to Darke and Mercer counties in northwest Ohio, near Dayton, as areas where some of these factors may have contributed to major outbreaks in poultry facilities in late 2024 and early 2025.
" 'There’s going to be continued outbreaks and likely mass die-offs in places where birds stage,' Hardy said, referring to the areas where birds come together and rest during migration.
"Wetland loss could make this issue worse, pushing birds closer to farms.
"Changing temperatures, weather patterns, and human activity have driven the loss of natural wetlands that waterfowl and other species depend on, Hardy said. This has brought them closer to farms as they search for food and suitable habitat. The rate of wetland loss, primarily driven by agriculture, has increased in recent years in the Upper Midwest, Grist reports.
"Cardona, with the University of Minnesota, said fall may pose a more significant threat for disease spread than spring. Birds flying north in spring often have some immunity from exposure to viruses the previous year. But those hatched in fall don’t have immunity and may be more vulnerable and likely to spread the virus, especially in the Upper Midwest.
" 'The birds are breeding and propagating up near the Arctic Circle or in colder areas … As they fly south, those birds mix and mingle and share and reassort viruses,' she said.
"Birds develop antibodies on their southward migrations, reducing the amount of virus they shed over time, Cardona said. This could explain why so many H5 outbreaks occurred in the upper part of U.S. flyways in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and the Dakotas, which also have large numbers of turkeys and laying hens that are especially susceptible to H5.
"She emphasized the difficulty of making predictions about H5.
" 'The only predictable thing about influenza is that it’s entirely unpredictable,' she said."
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