U.S. Reports First Outbreak of Rare Bird Flu Strain on California Duck Farm
H5N9 is a franken-virus, created from a combination of the genetic material from all sorts of other bird flu viruses.

Just as you thought the drama related to bird flu died down, a new strain has been reported in California.
The H5N9 strain of bird flu is a newly emergent and rare subtype of avian influenza virus that has recently been detected for the first time in the United States. This highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPIA) strain was identified on a duck farm in Merced County, alongside the more common H5N1 strain (which is the one we have been covering for the past 2 years).
This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States,” the US Department of Agriculture said in a report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Monday.
The positive test at the Merced County farm has led to “comprehensive epidemiological investigations and enhanced surveillance,” the government report noted.
H5N9 is a rare form of the common H5N1 bird flu, which has recently spread aggressively around the US, leading to the culling of hundreds of millions of poultry.
It turns out that this is a franken-virus, created from a combination of the genetic material from all sorts of other bird flu viruses.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, it is a reassortant virus combining elements from H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2 subtypes. Scientists are studying whether this strain could potentially infect humans or lead to a pandemic.
Federal and state animal health officials, in collaboration with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), have begun an epidemiological investigation and enhanced surveillance efforts.
Globally, bird flu has prompted the culling of hundreds of millions of poultry since 2022, and its economic impact continues to grow.
A search of my usual databases indicates that prior to this recent outbreak, there is no significant historical record of H5N9 outbreaks. The strain was first identified in China in 2015.
In terms of the other components of this virus, multiple outbreaks of avian influenza A H5N1 and H7N9 in domestic poultry have been reported since 1997. The most recent outbreak of H5N1 started at the end of 2020 and killed more than 100 million birds.
H9N2 is classified as a low-pathogenic avian influenza virus. The virus primarily replicates in the trachea of infected birds, making respiratory and contact transmission the most common routes of spread.
Since 1998, there have been 86 reported cases of human infection with H9N2 viruses. Most human infections result from direct contact with infected poultry and such infections are typically mild.
The recent outbreak in California led to the culling of approximately 119,000 birds to prevent further spread.
So if people wonder why poultry and eggs have gotten more expensive, this is part of the challenge our poultry farmers have had to face.

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Comments
So, this is the farm’s first outbreak?
Scientists now suspect that bird flu vaccinations are increasing the virus’ evolution in to new strains.
China…
Virus…
Do the math
Discovered in a flock in California, which may not be relevant.
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Very interesting – flu vaccinations are suspected to increasing strains. Wonder, if true, are the variations of flu vaccines, apparently “updated” yearly even tracked? tested?
Just looked at the chart for vaccines – appears to be an awful lot of them for such small bodies….
whatevs
Well, isn’t this just ducky?
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“The most recent outbreak of H5N1 started at the end of 2020 and killed more than 100 million birds.”
No, the government has required the killing of more than 100 million birds. Because, if detected, in order to get compensation, the farmer must kill every bird and fertile hatching egg on the farm.
This means we will never be able to genetically develop birds that are resistant or immune to the flu,
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