834 - Bird Flu Is Escalating

Public Health On Call

About this episode:

The U.S.’s first reported human death from bird flu is another sign that the virus is not going away anytime soon. In this episode: why it’s time to double down on efforts to limit H5N1 transmission among cattle and birds, concerns about cats and other mammals, and how response measures need to scale up quickly and more broadly to try and prevent the virus from gaining a foothold in humans. The experts also discuss why bird flu poses an existential threat to the dairy industry.

Guests:

Dr. Meghan Davis is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine.

Dr. Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering. Host:

Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Show links and related content:

• Bird flu H5N1 claims first human life in U.S.: “We remain vigilant”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza—USDA

• Defend The Flock: Biosecurity Practices—USDA

Contact us:

Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.

Follow us:

• @‌PublicHealthPod on X

• @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram

• @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook

• @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube

• Here's our RSS fe