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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 fluExamples of avian influenza in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Waffle House has temporarily raised its prices as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) know as bird flu ravages the nation's farms.
—
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025
Bird flu, formerly known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), was confirmed in a commercial flock in the U.S. three years ago.
—
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2025
But outdoor cats can also catch avian influenza from wild birds.
—
Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025
The more cats that eat raw food, the more chances for an infection and a species crossover event to occur, says Ian Gill Bemis, a Ph.D. student who studies avian influenza in cats at the University of Maryland Department of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Public Health.
—
Sarah Boden, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1965, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near avian influenza
Cite this Entry
“Avian influenza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avian%20influenza. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
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 fluMore from Merriam-Webster on avian influenza
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about avian influenza
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