Avian Influenza Virus

The avian influenza (AI) virus, which is the type A influenza virus adapted to an avian host, has been an important pathogen for the poultry industry worldwide for many years. Although the cause was unknown at the time, one of the first recognized outbreaks of highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) virus occurred in Europe in the 1870s. Since 1955, when the AI virus was first identified, there have been about 24 outbreaks of the HPAI virus in domestic poultry worldwide. Of those, perhaps the most cons...