Scholar researchers Mayisha Alam (L) and Swazi Tshabalala (R) gather samples as a part of their work with the nonprofit BioBus.
Christine Marizzi/BioBus
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Christine Marizzi/BioBus
Scholar researchers Mayisha Alam (L) and Swazi Tshabalala (R) gather samples as a part of their work with the nonprofit BioBus.
Christine Marizzi/BioBus
Most viruses that change into epidemics in people start in different animals. It is how scientists suspect COVID-19 emerged.
And now, lower than 5 years after the beginning of the pandemic some scientists are involved about one other illness that would do one thing comparable: fowl flu, or H5N1. Over the previous yr, the virus has spilled into cows and different animals, and even contaminated some folks working intently with these animals.
Some scientists hope to construct a extra resilient public well being system by discovering methods to detect and to trace viruses as they unfold in animals.
One staff in New York Metropolis is doing this by tapping highschool college students from underrepresented backgrounds. Collectively, they create a extra equitable subject of biologists whereas additionally they sniff out what may very well be the following pandemic.
They’re serving to perceive the H5N1 outbreak. However simply this week, the CDC is investigating circumstances of a potential cluster of fowl flu whereas others are piecing collectively what has change into a panzootic — or a pandemic in animals.
Need to know extra about pandemic surveillance or virology? E-mail us at shortwave@npr.org — we would cowl it on a future episode!
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson, edited by Rebecca Ramirez and reality checked by Anil Oza and Tyler Jones. Kwesi Lee was the audio engineer.
