Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 2/2/22


Several cases of “bird flu” have been detected in North Carolina and other eastern states. But what exactly is bird flu? Why is it important? Does it affect humans? What can we do about it?

To answer all of these questions, we reached out to Matt Koci, a virologist and immunologist whose work focuses on host-microbe interactions in birds. Koci is a professor in NC State’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science.

The Abstract: When people refer to “bird flu,” what exactly are they referring to?

Matt Koci: “Bird flu,” sometimes called “avian flu” or “avian influenza,” is essentially the slang term the media uses to differentiate influenza viruses in birds from seasonal flu viruses in people.

It can be a confusing term because there are a lot more types of influenza viruses that infect birds than there are types of influenza that infect people. This term can be used to refer to any one of over 140 different virus subtypes of the virus in birds. However, it’s mostly used to refer to a handful of influenza virus subtypes that cause severe disease in chickens and turkeys. These viruses are also called highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.

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