avian influenza

noun

: highly variable influenza A of birds caused by any of the subtypes of the causative orthomyxovirus of which some strains have been or may be transmitted to other vertebrates including humans especially after undergoing mutation

called also avian flu

compare bird flu

Examples of avian influenza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The announcement comes amid a national outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) among dairy cows that was first confirmed late last month. —Joe Hernandez, NPR, 24 Apr. 2024

Occurring at a company facility in Palmer County, positive tests for pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) resulted in the slaughter of nearly two million chickens, including 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets, or young hens. —Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Apr. 2024

Bird flu for humans is low risk The first case of avian influenza in a person in the United States was reported in Colorado in April 2022. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024

Cal-Maine Foods on Tuesday announced chickens at its facility in Parmer County, in the state's southwestern panhandle, tested positive for pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) resulting in slaughter of nearly 2 million chickens − 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets (young hens). —USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

The highly lethal form of avian influenza circulating the globe since 2021 has killed tens of millions of birds, forced poultry farmers in the United States to slaughter entire flocks and prompted a brief but alarming spike in the price of eggs. —Andrew Jacobs, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024

By Jamie Ducharme April 1, 2024 3:33 PM EDT In a rare case, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on April 1 that a person in the U.S. has tested positive for avian influenza, also known as bird flu. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 1 Apr. 2024

In rare cases, avian flu has jumped from birds to humans, most notably during an avian influenza outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997, according to the World Health Organization. —Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024

Antarctica and Australia are currently the only continents this avian influenza has yet to reach—as far as scientists can tell. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 12 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

avian influenza

noun

variants or avian flu

: influenza of birds that is caused by any of several subtypes (such as H5N2 or H7N7) of an orthomyxovirus (species Influenza A virus of the genus Influenzavirus A) of which some strains have been transmitted to other vertebrates including humans especially after undergoing mutation

Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry (e.g., domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys) or surfaces contaminated with secretion/excretions from infected birds.

—The Tennessee Tribune (Nashville)

And as you read this, millions of birds are being eliminated in Asia and elsewhere in an effort to contain avian flu.

—Barry Gewen, The New York Times Book Review

called also fowl pest, fowl plague

see bird flu