H5N1 Bird Flu: What You Need to Know About Transmission, Risks, and Prevention in Humans and Poultry
Published: December 24, 2025
Duration: 4:12
You’re listening to Avian Flu 101: Your H5N1 Bird Flu Guide.
Let’s start simple. Bird flu is an infection caused by influenza A viruses that mainly live in birds. Health agencies like the CDC and World Health Organization say one subtype, called H5N1, is especially worrying because it can make birds and some mammals very sick, and occasionally infect humans with severe illness.
Basic virology, in plain language: A virus is like a tiny set of instructions wrapped in a coat. It cannot live on its own, so it breaks into your cells and...
Let’s start simple. Bird flu is an infection caused by influenza A viruses that mainly live in birds. Health agencies like the CDC and World Health Organization say one subtype, called H5N1, is especially worrying because it can make birds and some mammals very sick, and occasionally infect humans with severe illness.
Basic virology, in plain language: A virus is like a tiny set of instructions wrapped in a coat. It cannot live on its own, so it breaks into your cells and...