Bird flu Northern Ireland: QUB professor explains why avian flu is now a summer threat and how a human version could emerge

A professor of virology at QUB has explained why bird flu has now become a summer threat to birds across NI and why he is part of European efforts to closely monitor any suggestion it might become transmissible between humans.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
By Philip Bradfield
Published 25th Aug 2023, 14:01 GMT
Updated 25th Aug 2023, 18:49 GMT

Last month the Department of Agriculture confirmed there had been a change in the circulation of bird flu in the wild bird population since 2022, with cases now continuing throughout the summer months as well as winter across the UK, Republic of Ireland and in Europe.

QUB Prof of virology Bert Rima told the News Letter that because the virus has begun to infect wild birds which do not suffer any ill effects from it, instead of dying such birds are now able to spread the virus around many other birds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked how concerned he is about the virus being able to mutate and cause problems for humans, he notes that at present fatalities in the far from Bird Flu east have remained in single figures and have only been due to people being directly in contact with infected birds.

Dead black headed gulls at RSPB Belfast's Window On Wildlife reserve in Belfast Harbour this summer. The RSPB NI said there had been an outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu at the reserve. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA WireDead black headed gulls at RSPB Belfast's Window On Wildlife reserve in Belfast Harbour this summer. The RSPB NI said there had been an outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu at the reserve. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Dead black headed gulls at RSPB Belfast's Window On Wildlife reserve in Belfast Harbour this summer. The RSPB NI said there had been an outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu at the reserve. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Despite ample strains of the virus across numerous species of birds and animals - which provides large opportunities for mutation - scientists are reassured that the virus has not been able to mutate into a version that is infectious from human to human.

However, those same ongoing processes across many species across the world also cause scientists concern that this could indeed happen.

They are particularly concerned about mammals becoming infected after eating infected birds, which has been happening. It is not clear they can transmit it from one mammal to another yet.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the scenario with pigs, for example, could be concerning.

QUB Prof of virology Bert Rima says they are watching closely how bird flu mutates internationally.QUB Prof of virology Bert Rima says they are watching closely how bird flu mutates internationally.
QUB Prof of virology Bert Rima says they are watching closely how bird flu mutates internationally.

"We have had a number of human viruses infecting pigs, which are susceptible to infection from some of the avian viruses [bird flu] as well. And once you get animals like pigs getting infections from both sides and possibly at the same time, then a completely new virus combination can occur."

As a result, he is part of the European consortium that is monitoring the issues very closely.

"Because when this virus originally appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, it killed about one out of three people it infected. By contrast Covid-19 killed only about 2% of the people it infected."

Related topics:Northern IrelandBird fluRepublic of IrelandCovid-19Department of Agriculture