Nearly 2 million chickens were slaughtered earlier this week after a number of the animals tested positive for bird flu at a Texas egg production plant. The culling is the latest effort by agricultural companies to ward off the spread of the virus, which has affected more than 82 million birds across the US since 2022 (stats here).
Classified as H5N1, the virus is a variant of influenza A—the family that includes strains responsible for the seasonal and epidemic flu in humans (see overview). The proteins on the H5N1 surface correspond to receptors found in many bird species, and infection in humans (who lack such receptors) is rare and typically results in mild symptoms. Globally, fewer than 500 human deaths have been linked to H5N1 since 2003.
Cal-Maine Foods, the nation's largest egg producer, said the affected poultry represented less than 4% of its flock. The second-ever human case reported in the US was confirmed in Texas this week—incidentally contracted from infected cattle.
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