bird flu
noun
: avian influenza
specifically
: severe often fatal influenza A caused by strains of a subtype (H5N1) of the causative orthomyxovirus that have produced epidemics in domestic birds especially in Asia with sporadic associated human infections
Examples of bird flu in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By Alice Park April 5, 2024 1:05 PM EDT
The ongoing outbreak of bird flu has infected at least one person in the U.S. and has raised questions about how safe poultry meat and eggs are to eat right now.
—
Alice Park, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Last week sick dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas tested positive for bird flu.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the person tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.
—Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The cases come just days after a group of young goats contracted bird flu on a Minnesota farm.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 31 Mar. 2024
The National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed the presence of bird flu in a Michigan herd that recently received cows from Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.
—Alastair Marsh, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
The war in Ukraine and the avian influenza, or bird flu, compounded already skyrocketing inflation costs.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
That may not be the case for much longer given egg prices were up 3.4% last month from December as bird flu once again is striking the industry.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024
Cal-Maine's stock rose nearly 3% after the egg giant reported Wednesday evening that an outbreak of bird flu at some of its Kansas facilities affected about 1.5 million of its hens, or 3% of its flock.
—Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2024
Alice Park, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Last week sick dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas tested positive for bird flu.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the person tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.
—Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The cases come just days after a group of young goats contracted bird flu on a Minnesota farm.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 31 Mar. 2024
The National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed the presence of bird flu in a Michigan herd that recently received cows from Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.
—Alastair Marsh, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
The war in Ukraine and the avian influenza, or bird flu, compounded already skyrocketing inflation costs.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
That may not be the case for much longer given egg prices were up 3.4% last month from December as bird flu once again is striking the industry.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024
Cal-Maine's stock rose nearly 3% after the egg giant reported Wednesday evening that an outbreak of bird flu at some of its Kansas facilities affected about 1.5 million of its hens, or 3% of its flock.
—Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bird flu.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1972, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bird flu
Cite this Entry
“Bird flu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird%20flu. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Medical Definition
bird flu
noun
: avian influenza
specifically
: severe often fatal influenza A caused by strains of a subtype (H5N1) of the causative orthomyxovirus that have produced epidemics in domestic birds especially in Asia with sporadic associated human infections
More from Merriam-Webster on bird flu
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bird flu
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