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Why Is The Current Bird Flu So Deadly?

What’s making the latest strain of bird flu so deadly? Avian influenza used to mostly affect poultry, and while it continues to decimate poultry populations around the world, the latest strain, H5N1, is spreading widely among wild birds. It also seems to be spreading to mammals more frequently.

“Something is quite different about this virus this go around,” Rebecca Poulson, a wildlife disease researcher at the University of Georgia, told Nature.

Researchers aren’t sure why the current outbreak hasn’t disappeared, but they believe mutations may have increased its ability to replicate or to infect a broader range of species.

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Inside Pork’s Consumer Comeback Plan | WPX 2025 with Brian Earnest

Video: Inside Pork’s Consumer Comeback Plan | WPX 2025 with Brian Earnest

At the 2025 World Pork Expo, Brian Earnest, Lead Economist for Animal Protein, spoke with Rachel Fishback about the growing opportunity for U.S. pork to reconnect with consumers.

He emphasized the need to refocus on taste, convenience, and consumer preference, noting that pork has fallen behind beef and chicken in domestic demand. With campaigns like “Taste What Pork Can Do,” the industry has a real shot at reshaping perceptions and boosting consumption at home.
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