First U.S. H5N1 Death Sparks Urgency: Scientists Warn That Bird Flu Is Mutating Faster Than Expected

By Texas Biomedical Research InstituteJanuary 19, 20256 Comments5 Mins Read

A human strain of H5N1 bird flu isolated in Texas shows mutations enabling better replication in human cells and causing more severe disease in mice compared to a bovine strain. While the virus isn’t yet spreading between humans, experts warn of its potential to evolve and stress the need for antiviral preparedness and improved animal control measures.

Researchers at Texas Biomed have identified nine mutations in a strain of bird flu found in a person in Texas. Bad news: This strain shows an increased ability to cause disease and is more effective at replicating in the brain. Good news: Current approved antiviral treatments remain effective against this strain.

Researchers at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) have identified a strain of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas that carries a distinctive set of mutations, making it more adept at replicating in human cells and causing severe disease in mice. This strain was compared to one found in dairy cattle, and the findings are detailed in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

The discovery underscores a significant concern about the H5N1 strains of bird flu currently circulating in the U.S.: the virus’s rapid mutation when it infects a new host species.

H5N1, which is naturally present in wild birds and deadly to chickens, has recently spread to a wide range of mammals and, for the first time in the spring of 2024, began infecting dairy cows.

As of early 2025, the outbreak had spread through herds across multiple states in the U.S. and infected dozens of people, mostly farm workers. So far, most people infected experience mild illness and eye inflammation and the virus is not spreading between people. The first H5N1 death in the U.S. was reported in January 2025 following exposure to infected chickens.

Luis Martinez Sobrido and Ahmed Mostafa Elsayed Texas Biomed Bird Flu Research

Professor Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Ph.D., (left) and Staff Scientist Ahmed Mostafa Elsayed, Ph.D., (right) review test results for the presence of bird flu while wearing protective equipment required for biosafety level-3 laboratories. Credit: Texas Biomed

“The clock is ticking for the virus to evolve to more easily infect and potentially transmit from human to human, which would be a concern,” said Texas Biomed Professor Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Ph.D., whose lab specializes in influenza viruses and has been studying H5N1 since the outbreak began last year. The team has developed specialized tools and animal models to test prophylactic vaccines and therapeutic antivirals.

Human vs. bovine

In the recent study, they compared H5N1 strains isolated from a human patient and from dairy cattle in Texas.

“There are nine mutations in the human strain that were not present in the bovine strain, which suggests they occurred after human infection,” Dr. Martinez-Sobrido said.

In mouse studies, they found that compared to the bovine strain, the human strain replicated more efficiently, caused more severe disease, and was found in much higher quantities in brain tissue. They also tested several FDA-approved antiviral medications to see if they were effective against both virus strains in cells.

“Fortunately, the mutations did not affect the susceptibility to FDA-approved antivirals,” said Staff Scientist Ahmed Mostafa Elsayed, Ph.D., first author of the study.

Antivirals will be a key line of defense should a pandemic occur before vaccines are widely available, Dr. Martinez-Sobrido said. This is especially true since humans have no preexisting immunity against H5N1 and seasonal flu vaccines appear to offer very limited protection, according to a separate study conducted in collaboration with Aitor Nogales, Ph.D., at the Center for Animal Health Research in Spain.

Next steps and recommendations

Texas Biomed is now exploring the human H5N1 mutations individually to determine which are responsible for increased pathogenicity and virulence. The team wants to figure out what allows H5N1 to infect such a wide range of mammal species; why H5N1 causes mild disease in cows but is lethal in cats; and why infections via cows are less harmful to people than infections from chickens.

In a third paper, Dr. Elsayed and collaborators analyzed the history of H5N1 in dairy cattle for the journal mBio and called for a One Health approach to protect both animals and people.

“A key priority will be to eradicate bird flu from dairy cows to minimize the risk of mutations and transmission to people and other species,” Dr. Elsayed said. “Steps that can be taken now include thorough decontamination of milking equipment and more stringent quarantine requirements, which will help eliminate the virus more quickly in cows.”

https://scitechdaily.com/first...aster-than-expected/

They're not controlling us anymore. We won't follow any of their phony-ass "guidelines. We won't wear masks or avoid contact with others, or alter our lives in any way, and we damn sure won't let them inject us with their deadly poison.

They should print out their studies and recommendations on sturdy legal-size paper, then take each sheet, crumple them into wads, and cram them up their ass as far as they can get them. Repeat until the entire stack is gone.

Where is the Gain-of-function research being conducted for Bird Flu?

Well, start (testing) isolating cattle and chickens, get robotics employed to process cattle and chicken into food.

Have means to disinfect the machinery and facilities.

Let those that must deal with the processing equipment and facilities, "gear up" and get that beef, milk, eggs and poultry to market!


Rather than the knee jerk reaction of the GDCs to destroy all that "food" and create shortages, hoarding, higher prices and all the bullshit associated with the fear mongering.


Ain't no such thing as a Fluburger.

Hey, it worked once, better than they ever dreamed, why not try again?

quote:

Originally posted by 41: This is especially true since humans have no preexisting immunity against H5N1 and seasonal flu vaccines appear to offer very limited protection, according to a separate study conducted in collaboration with Aitor Nogales, Ph.D., at the Center for Animal Health Research in Spain.

That isn't quite correct. H5N1 has been around for decades. Even though it hasn't yet spread efficiently between humans, almost everyone has had some low level exposure to it and thus developed some degree of natural immunity.

See how ivermectin works against it. Oh wait, not enough money in it.

Oh, here we go again. Everyone is going to die again. Same old shit every year.

How much credibility is deserved? Not. One. Iota.

Fuck these "scientists" even if there are elements of truth. They've burned their proverbial pedestal in spectacular fashion. If I catch something and die, so be it. I'll not be swayed by their lies and sensationalism to garner attention and money.

The lone death is someone who had multiple health problems before bird flu.

We’re not buying the hype again.

One person. A person with poor health. They think we gave them a fight when they were in charge? They’re in for a completely ballgame.

!00% pure Bullshit!

Lord don't let it get to the cheese. Not the cheese..

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
They're not controlling us anymore. We won't follow any of their phony-ass "guidelines. We won't wear masks or avoid contact with others, or alter our lives in any way, and we damn sure won't let them inject us with their deadly poison.

They should print out their studies and recommendations on sturdy legal-size paper, then take each sheet, crumple them into wads, and cram them up their ass as far as they can get them. Repeat until the entire stack is gone.

A crainial-rectal extraction ? I've heard of this procedure before, it's reported to have some positive effects.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
They're not controlling us anymore. We won't follow any of their phony-ass "guidelines. We won't wear masks or avoid contact with others, or alter our lives in any way, and we damn sure won't let them inject us with their deadly poison.

They should print out their studies and recommendations on sturdy legal-size paper, then take each sheet, crumple them into wads, and cram them up their ass as far as they can get them. Repeat until the entire stack is gone.

A crainial-rectal extraction ? I've heard of this procedure before, it's reported to have some positive effects.

Apologies, I got it mixed with with a cranial-rectal compaction, almost as effective.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
They're not controlling us anymore. We won't follow any of their phony-ass "guidelines. We won't wear masks or avoid contact with others, or alter our lives in any way, and we damn sure won't let them inject us with their deadly poison.

They should print out their studies and recommendations on sturdy legal-size paper, then take each sheet, crumple them into wads, and cram them up their ass as far as they can get them. Repeat until the entire stack is gone.

A crainial-rectal extraction ? I've heard of this procedure before, it's reported to have some positive effects.

Apologies, I got it mixed up with a cranial-rectal compaction, almost as effective.

This is very bad, my memory gets worse each year. Here's Mayo Clinic's take on the condition:

http://image2.slideserve.com/3842592/slide5-n.jpg

^^^ Damn, man, why are you quoting yourself repeatedly and consecutively to add a sentence or two?

Put some masks on the cows and see if that fixes it

Bird flu sure as shit ain’t slowing these bills down that I have to pay.

Our public health overlords think they are in charge of this sort of thing. They don't even realize that they have been fired. I don't care if the damn Andromeda Strain is afoot, I will not participate in any government mandated behavior.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, here we go again. Everyone is going to die again. Same old shit every year.