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Animal-Transmitted Diseases

Animal-transmitted diseases impact human and animal health. The National Academies research zoonotic pathogens, surveillance, and prevention strategies to reduce risks.

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What to Know About the Current State of Bird Flu in the U.S.: A Conversation with Shawn Gibbs

Feature Story

As summer approaches, infectious diseases such as H5N1 — commonly known as bird flu — can spread more easily and potentially mutate. Bird flu cases in humans are still relatively rare, and the virus has not yet been known to spread from person to person, but farm workers have contracted the virus after close, prolonged, and unprotected contact with infected animals. We caught up with Shawn Gibbs, dean of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, to get his thoughts on what should be done to mitigate exposure risks.

May 22, 2026
Workers in chicken farm
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