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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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Season 6, Episode 10: Defining Resiliency and the Research Driving Swine Health Forward

Video: Season 6, Episode 10: Defining Resiliency and the Research Driving Swine Health Forward

Genetic research and new technologies continue to influence the future of swine health and production efficiency. In this episode, we explore how research and technology are being used to support stronger, more resilient pigs, while also improving overall production outcomes. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, geneticist with Topigs Norsvin, to discuss both routine and emerging strategies for improving piglet, pig, and sow livability. She outlines two primary approaches to enhancing resiliency: gene editing and traditional selective breeding. Continuing the resiliency conversation, we also hear from Dr. Lucina Galina, director of technical research projects at the Pig Improvement Company. She shares insights into ongoing gene-editing work focused on PRRS, detailing the pathway to success, regulatory and practical considerations, and the questions that still remain as the technology evolves. Together, these conversations provide a closer look at how research, genetics and innovation are shaping the future of swine health and livability.