H5N1 Bird Flu Explained: What You Need to Know About Avian Influenza and Human Health Risks
Published: December 6, 2025
Duration: 4:33
Title: Avian Flu 101: Your H5N1 Bird Flu Guide
[Host voice, calm and steady]
You’re listening to Avian Flu 101: Your H5N1 Bird Flu Guide.
Let’s start simple. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a family of flu viruses that mainly infect birds. According to the National Academies of Sciences and the CDC, the main virus worrying experts today is called H5N1, a “highly pathogenic” strain because it can cause serious disease in birds and sometimes in people.
Basic virology in plain language:
Flu viruses are tiny bundles of genet...
[Host voice, calm and steady]
You’re listening to Avian Flu 101: Your H5N1 Bird Flu Guide.
Let’s start simple. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a family of flu viruses that mainly infect birds. According to the National Academies of Sciences and the CDC, the main virus worrying experts today is called H5N1, a “highly pathogenic” strain because it can cause serious disease in birds and sometimes in people.
Basic virology in plain language:
Flu viruses are tiny bundles of genet...