Avian influenza, or “bird flu,” is a contagious viral disease. Currently, there is no treatment, and outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza lead to mass depopulations of poultry flocks, disrupting the poultry industry and economy.
Avian influenza viruses spread from bird to bird (and to other animal species) through direct contact with infected birds and their saliva, mucus, feathers and feces and via contaminated surfaces and materials.
With funding support from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, scientists at more than 25 universities are working together to develop and share the information, tools and strategies needed to prevent, detect and manage avian influenza.
Supported by NIFA’s Hatch Multistate Research Fund, these projects are addressing avian influenza in a variety of ways. Part of that work is focused on understanding the genetic bases of immunity and resistance to avian influenza, which lays the foundation for breeding disease-resistant poultry and developing better vaccines. Other projects are focused on detection tools, poultry facility designs, and production practices that protect poultry health and welfare. Read more about the impact these projects are having.
