Study Details Mutations In Avian Flu Virus Sweeping Across Dairy Farms

The New York Times (5/3, Mandavilli, Anthes) reported, “The bird flu virus sweeping across dairy farms in multiple states has acquired dozens of new mutations, including some that may make it more adept at spreading between species and less susceptible to antiviral drugs, according to a new study” published ahead of peer review on bioRxiv. Although “none of the mutations [are] a cause for alarm” individually, “they underscore the possibility that as the outbreak continues, the virus may evolve in ways that would allow it to spread easily between people, experts said.”