Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 NIH officials assess threat of H5N1 A wild bird on the left and a colorized transmission electron micrograph on the right showing  H5N1 virus particles (purple). H5N1 avian influenza is widespread in wild birds worldwide, and in 2024 is causing multistate outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows. Bird photo by NIAID; micrograph, repositioned and recolored by NIAID, is courtesy of CDC. HPAI H5N1 avian influenza remains a low risk to most Americans, and public health experts in the United States believe that available treatments and vaccines, as well as those in development, are sufficient to prevent severe disease. However, this does not diminish concern about the virus, according to leading NIAID officials. In a commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine, NIAID Director Jeanne M. Marrazzo and Michael G. Ison of NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases say people should find a balance between enhanced vigilance and "business as usual" with respect to HPAI H5N1. Against this backdrop, Drs. Marrazzo and Ison say there are four keys to controlling the current outbreak: effective collaborations, vigilant disease surveillance, continued development and testing of medical countermeasures, and personal action to avoid exposure to the virus.  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases  |  National Institutes of Health Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact Subscriber Help. Your subscription may be removed if you do not open our emails for a six-month period.  This service is provided to you at no charge by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).                             This email was sent to edwardlorilla1986.paxforex@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases · 5601 Fishers Lane · Bethesda, MD 20892 · 1-866-284-4107