WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - According to a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health, a rare bird flu strain called H5N9 has been found among sick ducks in a farm in California.
The investigation, which began in Merced County on November 23, confirmed on January 13 that 'this is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States.'
'Clinical signs included increased mortality. State officials have quarantined the affected premises,' the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted.
The scientist explained that the bird flu viruses are classified based on the two types of proteins - the hemagglutinin, such as H5 or H3, and the neuraminidase, such as N1 or N9. The blend of these proteins along with other genetic mutations determine the severity of the virus.
'This is bad news. It suggests reassortment of circulating H5N1 viruses with viruses containing N9,' NA.Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, posted on X/Twitter.
'Although this indicates reassortment with avian viruses, it's still bad. Reassortment makes pandemics. The last 3/4 flu pandemics (and maybe 1918 too) were reassortant viruses.'
Following the detection of the virus, the state officials have quarantined the affected poultry farm and initiated the culling procedure to control the spread of the virus.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
