Influenza

5 February 2026 — STAR IDAZ International Research Consortium (IRC) was referenced today during the joint FAO–WOAH event “Update on the Latest Initiatives for Avian Influenza Prevention and Control” held under the umbrella of the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF‑TADs). The session offered an overview of ongoing global efforts…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has concluded its competitive funding round offering up to $100 million for projects focused on the prevention and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This funding formed part of the USDA’s broader $1 billion strategy aimed at safeguarding the U.S. poultry industry, bolstering food security, and ultimately helping…

A study published in Nature provides evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the virus, between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon, highlighting the ability of the virus to cross species barriers. The researchers say that the spillover of HPAI H5N1 into dairy cattle and evidence for efficient and sustained mammal-to-mammal transmission are unprecedented.…