Michelle Wille
@duckswabber.bsky.social
Avian influenza & avian virome ecology | "Expert in Ducks" | (she/her) | michellewille.com
Pasteurisation works on HPAI, but how to manage raw milk which is used for cheese, yogurt etc? Here, low pH combined with longer incubation time (24 h) is sufficient to inactivate LPAIV. Individual acid did not have an effect.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 10, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Pasteurisation works on HPAI, but how to manage raw milk which is used for cheese, yogurt etc? Here, low pH combined with longer incubation time (24 h) is sufficient to inactivate LPAIV. Individual acid did not have an effect.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
HA-based mRNA–lipid nanoparticle vaccine for lactating cattle: no adverse effects, no effect on milk production. strong antibody responses, after 2 doses cattle protected against HPAI challenge.
👉 spj.science.org/doi/10.34133...
👉 spj.science.org/doi/10.34133...
February 10, 2026 at 11:47 PM
HA-based mRNA–lipid nanoparticle vaccine for lactating cattle: no adverse effects, no effect on milk production. strong antibody responses, after 2 doses cattle protected against HPAI challenge.
👉 spj.science.org/doi/10.34133...
👉 spj.science.org/doi/10.34133...
HPAI in USA cattle: domestic economic losses between 0.06% - 0.9% of US GDP, with losses to the dairy sector between 3.4% - 20.6%. current government subsidies are ~ 1.2% (95% HDI: 1% to 1.4%) of output losses. Huge economic implications.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
February 10, 2026 at 11:45 PM
HPAI in USA cattle: domestic economic losses between 0.06% - 0.9% of US GDP, with losses to the dairy sector between 3.4% - 20.6%. current government subsidies are ~ 1.2% (95% HDI: 1% to 1.4%) of output losses. Huge economic implications.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Detection of H4N6 in a commercial duck farm in Iran. Virus in Eurasian lineage, related to. viruses sequenced in russia.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
February 10, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Detection of H4N6 in a commercial duck farm in Iran. Virus in Eurasian lineage, related to. viruses sequenced in russia.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Detection of 4 H1N1 LPAI from Common teal and spot-billed ducks, 2019–21, China. Viruses similar to those from EAAF, to wild bird and poultry viruses.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 10, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Detection of 4 H1N1 LPAI from Common teal and spot-billed ducks, 2019–21, China. Viruses similar to those from EAAF, to wild bird and poultry viruses.
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Integration of tracking data (62 species, 4000 individuals), generated co-occurance dataset. identification of hotspots for migratory bird - pathogenic evolution.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
February 10, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Integration of tracking data (62 species, 4000 individuals), generated co-occurance dataset. identification of hotspots for migratory bird - pathogenic evolution.
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
In Spain, 2021-22. 4 reassortants of HPAI, multiple bird introductions from other European countries. Andalusia hotspot for maintenance.
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
February 10, 2026 at 10:25 PM
In Spain, 2021-22. 4 reassortants of HPAI, multiple bird introductions from other European countries. Andalusia hotspot for maintenance.
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
HPAI in Aplacas in the USA. Backyard poultry farm, with HPAI in chickens detected 5 days before detection in alpacas. 4 abortions in alpacas, HPAI isolated from one of the fetal tissues.
👉 journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
👉 journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
February 10, 2026 at 10:22 PM
HPAI in Aplacas in the USA. Backyard poultry farm, with HPAI in chickens detected 5 days before detection in alpacas. 4 abortions in alpacas, HPAI isolated from one of the fetal tissues.
👉 journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
👉 journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Phylodynamic analysis of HPAI in Japan, 2021-2025. 3 distinct subgroups, prevalent in winters. Ancestors from Asia as well as N.America - increased virus migration events.
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
February 10, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Phylodynamic analysis of HPAI in Japan, 2021-2025. 3 distinct subgroups, prevalent in winters. Ancestors from Asia as well as N.America - increased virus migration events.
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
👉 academic.oup.com/ve/advance-a...
Assessed pathogenicity of 2016 Indian 2344b H5N8 in chickens. No mortality in 10^2 EID50 group. 66% and 100% in 10^4/10^6 group, significant lesions.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
February 10, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Assessed pathogenicity of 2016 Indian 2344b H5N8 in chickens. No mortality in 10^2 EID50 group. 66% and 100% in 10^4/10^6 group, significant lesions.
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
61 wild birds tested in Costa Rica with different diagnostics. 17 positive by qPCR, inculding pelicans, falcons, boobies and frigatebirds. Unclear if H5 or not. Birds in rescue centres all negative.
👉 revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/...
👉 revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/...
February 10, 2026 at 10:08 PM
61 wild birds tested in Costa Rica with different diagnostics. 17 positive by qPCR, inculding pelicans, falcons, boobies and frigatebirds. Unclear if H5 or not. Birds in rescue centres all negative.
👉 revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/...
👉 revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/...
self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccine in poultry: effective protein translation after different routes. Chickens had H5 HI titles indicative for protection, and titres remained high for 6 weeks.
👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
February 10, 2026 at 10:03 PM
self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccine in poultry: effective protein translation after different routes. Chickens had H5 HI titles indicative for protection, and titres remained high for 6 weeks.
👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Ecological niche models for HPAI in 2015–20 + 2020–22. Environmental predictors: chicken + duck population density, human density, distance to water bodies, land cover variables. Changes observed in the 2020-22 dataset.
👉 elifesciences.org/articles/104...
👉 elifesciences.org/articles/104...
February 10, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Ecological niche models for HPAI in 2015–20 + 2020–22. Environmental predictors: chicken + duck population density, human density, distance to water bodies, land cover variables. Changes observed in the 2020-22 dataset.
👉 elifesciences.org/articles/104...
👉 elifesciences.org/articles/104...
Cross species transmission of HPAI into mammals comes with emergence of key mutations. Turns out, for influenza A, there is reduction in GC content following emergence in mammals. May facilitate virus entry, replication, transmissibility.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
February 10, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Cross species transmission of HPAI into mammals comes with emergence of key mutations. Turns out, for influenza A, there is reduction in GC content following emergence in mammals. May facilitate virus entry, replication, transmissibility.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Michelle Wille
![Comic. [2x2 chart. Top left quadrant: seem like dinosaurs x are dinosaurs. Silhouettes of dinosaurs stegosaurus, triceratops, tyrannosaurus, velociraptor, and long-neck dinosaur. Top right quadrant: seem like dinosaurs x are not dinosaurs. Silhouettes of mosasaur, quetzalcoatlus, dimetrodon, plesiosaur, and pteranodon. Bottom left quadrant: don’t seem like dinosaurs x are dinosaurs. Silhouettes of penguin, egret, ostrich, pigeon, falcon. Bottom right: don’t seem like dinosaurs x are not dinosaurs. Silhouettes of squirrel, stapler, plant, person, and bicycle.]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihcxd5wcrrf5nxz3g4riglsrccbucmdns6kxrtmtj6gjgwqibp3fi@jpeg)
February 9, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Michelle Wille
To evaluate the impact of the influenza virus (HPAIV) in the Peregrine Falcon, Integrated Population Modelling was used. The analyses revealed drastic declines in adult survival, suggesting a shift in HPAIV dynamics compared to the previous epizootics. Read more: doi.org/10.1111/1365...
February 4, 2026 at 10:07 AM
To evaluate the impact of the influenza virus (HPAIV) in the Peregrine Falcon, Integrated Population Modelling was used. The analyses revealed drastic declines in adult survival, suggesting a shift in HPAIV dynamics compared to the previous epizootics. Read more: doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Reposted by Michelle Wille
🦉🌎🧪 New #MigratoryShorebirdProject study confirms #shorebirds are in trouble across the entire Western Hemisphere. These findings fill a critical data gap, strengthen support for current programs, and help guide future conservation action. Learn more: shorturl.at/6slxg
January 27, 2026 at 12:48 AM
🦉🌎🧪 New #MigratoryShorebirdProject study confirms #shorebirds are in trouble across the entire Western Hemisphere. These findings fill a critical data gap, strengthen support for current programs, and help guide future conservation action. Learn more: shorturl.at/6slxg
H5N2 HPAIV from a peregrine falcon on Amami-Oshima Island, Japan - reassortant between H5N8 and LPAI. PA protein contained uncommon residues, S224P and N383D, associated with enhanced pathogenicity
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 27, 2026 at 12:11 AM
H5N2 HPAIV from a peregrine falcon on Amami-Oshima Island, Japan - reassortant between H5N8 and LPAI. PA protein contained uncommon residues, S224P and N383D, associated with enhanced pathogenicity
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
>1000 seabirds across 14 species sampled in Atlantic Canada, 2022-2023. Highest prevalence in Common Murres in 2022 (64%), followed by Kittiwakes. Variation in seroprev across years. No active infection in 2023, but continued seropositivity.
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
January 27, 2026 at 12:05 AM
>1000 seabirds across 14 species sampled in Atlantic Canada, 2022-2023. Highest prevalence in Common Murres in 2022 (64%), followed by Kittiwakes. Variation in seroprev across years. No active infection in 2023, but continued seropositivity.
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
Human case in Canada - 13 year old girl, D1.1 genotype. Cytokine storm, recieved antiviral therapy, renal replacement therapy, therapeutic plasma exchange, and invasive mechanical ventilation support. She recovered.
👉https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S147330992500773X
👉https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S147330992500773X
January 27, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Human case in Canada - 13 year old girl, D1.1 genotype. Cytokine storm, recieved antiviral therapy, renal replacement therapy, therapeutic plasma exchange, and invasive mechanical ventilation support. She recovered.
👉https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S147330992500773X
👉https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S147330992500773X
H5Ny 2.3.4.4b viruses bind core 3 sialyl-Lewisx and Sia-Gal-β3GalNAc, which are O-linked glycans not recognized by classical H5 or other avian viruses. Broadened glycan recognition may help these viruses infect novel tissues or host species.
👉 journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
👉 journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
January 26, 2026 at 11:58 PM
H5Ny 2.3.4.4b viruses bind core 3 sialyl-Lewisx and Sia-Gal-β3GalNAc, which are O-linked glycans not recognized by classical H5 or other avian viruses. Broadened glycan recognition may help these viruses infect novel tissues or host species.
👉 journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
👉 journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Can H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle be contained in the US? Great overview with lots of data of factors driving cattle outbreak, with genetic data. Of course, latest serologic detection suggests the cat is out of the bag!
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 26, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Can H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle be contained in the US? Great overview with lots of data of factors driving cattle outbreak, with genetic data. Of course, latest serologic detection suggests the cat is out of the bag!
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Annual epidemiological report for 2024 on zoonotic influenza. Report by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
👉 www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
👉 www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
January 26, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Annual epidemiological report for 2024 on zoonotic influenza. Report by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
👉 www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
👉 www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
Great overview of HPAI H5N1 in Europe, a review which is part of the 11th international symposium on avian influenza proceedings.
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
January 26, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Great overview of HPAI H5N1 in Europe, a review which is part of the 11th international symposium on avian influenza proceedings.
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....
How to make serology for H5N1 less challenging? Here, evluation of V-PLEX Respiratory Panel 7 (IgG) and the H5 Bridging Serology serologic assays, which can specifically detect H5
👉 wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...
👉 wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...
January 26, 2026 at 11:37 PM
How to make serology for H5N1 less challenging? Here, evluation of V-PLEX Respiratory Panel 7 (IgG) and the H5 Bridging Serology serologic assays, which can specifically detect H5
👉 wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...
👉 wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...