Rick Bright

#H5N1 ➡️🇬🇧 UK industry welcomes new turkey vaccine trial in bird flu battle - the trial will involve a small number of birds kept under strict supervision and vaccinated using approved UK and EU vaccines - the trial’s findings on immune responses in turkeys will play a vital role in determining whether the vaccines are suitable tools for defending against H5N1 poultryworld.net/health-nutriti…

Another example of @WHO's work on pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential ➡️Surveillance data for #influenza, #RSV and #SARSCoV2 shared with @WHO through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) for weekly reporting ⬇️ who.int/publications/m…

Cambodia confirms 2nd human #H5N1 case of 2026 in a 45-year-old woman from Banteay Meanchey province. Patient hospitalized and under treatment. 2026: 2 cases, 0 deaths Since 2023: 36 cases, 15 deaths (CFR 41.7%) Since 2004: 92 cases, 52 deaths (CFR 56.5%) #AvianInfluenza

This is not the 1st time USDA has found H5N1 in RODENTS.... There have been black rats in California (dairy-associated B3.13 near LA) and several batches of mice in different states (e.g. New Mexico from B3.13-afflicted poultry facility). I find H5N1 rodent reservoirs ominous.

This is both clever work - and potential REALLY useful knowledge to optimize vaccine timing for highly mutable viruses like SARS-2 & influenza, where sub-dominant epitopes are (IMHO) desirable targets to produce more "future-proof" antibodies. @snpoehlm

Very important progress being made towards an accurate, rapid, low-cost, home-based, point of care, test for H5Nx influenza.

@HelenBranswell This #VRBPAC is a rubber stamp of WHO recommendations since, thankfully, U.S. provided extensive data & scientific input throughout full process. It would be remarkable if @US_FDA opened a window for innovation in vaccine composition that might accelerate improved vaccines.

Correction: I took down a post about Thursday's #VRBPAC meeting because it contained an error. #FDA has named 6 temporary voting members (not 2), which will bring the number for the meeting to 9. The temps are all former members. Topic: 2026-27 #flu vax composition. fda.gov/advisory-com...

This meeting is generally a rubber stamp of WHO recommendation, that included extensive data & participation from U.S. Unless there's a revelation that U.S. will allow manufacturers to develop their own composition (possibly improved), then size of this specific meeting is not alarming.

The goal is not replacing traditional influenza vaccines. Preparedness requires a portfolio of technologies working together, including egg-based, cell-based, protein, & mRNA platforms. Resilience comes from diversity, adaptability, & readiness before the crisis begins. 4/4 Paper: doi.org/10.3390/vaccin…

Pandemic preparedness should not be measured only by how many vaccine doses we can produce. It should also be measured by how quickly we can adapt vaccines as viruses evolve. Influenza changes constantly. Our vaccine systems must be able to change with it. 3/4

🧵Pandemic influenza remains one of the most credible biological threats to global health and economic stability. Yet many influenza vaccines still rely on manufacturing systems designed decades ago. In a new paper, I explore how mRNA and next-generation vaccine platforms could transform pandemic preparedness. 1/4 doi.org/10.3390/vaccin…

#H5N1 ➡️ Long Island, NY: Town Issues Safety Advisory for Bird Flu - the Town of East Hampton has issued a safety advisory for avian influenza after possible cases of the disease have been reported on the East End - it is important to remain cautious - even rare infections can start with a single contact 👍 By Hank Russell lilifepolitics.com/news/long-isla…

#H5N1 ➡️ Avian flu detected at 20 commercial poultry operations - APHIS has confirmed at least 20 H5N1 avian flu outbreaks on commercial poultry facilities this past week - includes a commercial broiler production facility in Carolina County, MD, with 95,600 birds - A facility in Hyde County, NC, had 3.2 million birds affected - a facility in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, had 1.2 million birds - five detections on facilities in LaGrange County, Indiana By Stephanie Soucheray cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenz…

#H5N1 ➡️🇳🇱 The Netherlands: New outbreak of bird flu affects 25,000 turkeys on Lolland - a flock of around 25,000 turkeys at a turkey farm near Stokkemarke on Lolland foedevarestyrelsen.dk/nyheder/presse…

Recent H5 detections on farms in Pennylvania has increased recently as seen in APHIS detections These increases may be linked to novel H5N1 D1.1 reassortants uploaded to GISAID by NVSL

NVSL has uploaded wild bird H5N1 seqs to GISAID The seqs incl location a collection dates Included are novel D1.1 reassortants from Dec 2015 collections in Pennsylvania like A/snow goose/Pennsylvania/06298-001/2025 | 12/12/25 PA and NP segs from North American wild birds

New D1.1 re-assortant appeared in 2025. New PA & NP. Could be *practically* important (e.g. altered severity, species range, or SPILLOVER RISK). At this point, we don't known. But very grateful @HNimanFC has finger on informational pulse! @KinCONN @DuckSwabber @RickABright

#H5N1 ➡️🇮🇳 India: Deaths of egrets, storks spark bird flu scare in Namakkal - Visceral samples sent to Bengaluru research lab for detailed analysis dtnext.in/news/tamilnadu…

#H5N1 ➡️ USDA Triggers ‘Secure Our Herds’ Alert As Mandatory 2026 H5N1 Dairy Testing Threatens Midwest Milk Margins - the rules of the dairy business have fundamentally changed overnight - Relying on old biosecurity checklists will not save your dairy in 2026. Instead, you need to implement extreme, clinical sanitation protocols inside the milking parlor. By: Juan Manuel Garro agroinformacion.com/en/marketsecon…