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 four Washington workers were part of a crew tasked with euthanizing all chickens at a farm where an outbreak of avian influenza was reported in chickens. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024

The first human infection of H5N1, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, was detected in April in a person with exposure to dairy cows in Texas. —Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 19 Oct. 2024

Her mother succumbed to avian influenza after laying her egg, and her father nearly died trying to incubate the egg by himself. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024

However, breeding did decline in the past couple of years after park managers moved all the park’s birds to protected spaces to try to keep them safe from highly pathogenic avian influenza, a highly contagious disease. —Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 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