A new peer-reviewed study conducted by Yoshihiro Kawaoka and his team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has raised concerns about the potential for a human pandemic caused by the cattle-derived H5N1 bird flu virus.
The study found that the virus can spread systemically in mice and ferrets, bind to human-type receptors, and show limited respiratory droplet transmission in ferrets.
Kawaoka has been involved in bird flu gain-of-function research since 1990, funded by Anthony Fauci and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He holds several bird flu-related patents, including for vaccine development.
Some experts worry that the study is being used to promote fear of the virus, expand risky gain-of-function research, push for the development of bird flu vaccines, and prepare the public for pandemic countermeasures that may restrict human rights.
The Nature study marks the first comprehensive analysis of the H5N1 strain infecting dairy cattle in the U.S. since early 2024. While the virus has not shown efficient mammal-to-mammal transmission, its ability to infect and spread in mammalian models raises questions about its pandemic potential and the effectiveness of current containment strategies.
