In celebration of One Health Day, the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) hosted a special event as part of its Research, Innovation, Discovery, and Education (RIDE) Seminar Series, “Avian Influenza, Bird Flu, High Path: Exploring H5 Influenza.” The interdisciplinary program highlighted the necessity of a One Health framework—recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health—to effectively manage this evolving global threat.

The event featured a series of expert presentations and flash talks. CVM Dean Laura Molgaard and Associate Dean for Research Alonso Guedes opened the program with remarks about the One Health model, underscoring the college's role in this vital area and setting the stage for the complexity of the H5 influenza challenge.

Shenglai Yin (University of Oklahoma) shared crucial epidemiological and modeling insights in his video presentation, "Integrating host diversity, movement, and landscape dynamics to model avian influenza transmission." Yin opened by grounding the significance of the problem, noting, “a zoonotic disease like avian influenza could be more dangerous than a nuclear disaster—and we’re not ready for it.” He noted that the disease is becoming more frequent and jumping to more species over time. Among other findings of his research, he discussed how different characteristics (functional traits) of bird species influence how the disease spreads, and how changes in land use (such as habitat loss or development) can make it easier for the virus to spread to poultry.

A talk by CVM’s Dana Franzen-Klein, medical director of The Raptor Center, focused on "Evaluating H5N1 Disease epidemiology in North American raptors." Since HPAI arrived in the state in March 2022, her team has screened over 4,600 raptors and conducted research to expand our understanding of HPAI in raptors. Of particular note, Franzen-Klein shared results from a serology study suggesting that raptors can survive infection.

The seminar also delved into rapid diagnostics and public health coordination. CVM professor Declan Schroeder discussed "Surveillance of H5 in wildlife," describing the unusual and persistent nature of the H5 virus. He described a current project to build a network of groups that collect and provide samples from wildlife around the state, for which his team performs whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in order to create a comprehensive picture of avian influenza in Minnesota’s wildlife.

Beth Thielen (Medical School), an internist, pediatrician, and infectious disease specialist, presented on "Mounting a public health response to an H5 outbreak." As part of a Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence site in Minnesota, her work includes hypothetical case exercises, curriculum development, and remote household surveillance efforts. She discussed how these cross-disciplinary activities support preparedness for disease outbreaks.

The concluding flash talk and discussion emphasized the long-term, multi-sectoral solutions needed. In her presentation "Don’t forget the poultry," Carol Cardona, Pomeroy Endowed Chair in Avian Health at CVM, stressed that "stamping out" susceptible species is not a sustainable solution, and that we must learn to live sustainably with the virus. She highlighted the importance of the Secure Poultry Supply Plan to help producers manage movement and create on-farm mitigation strategies.

Cardona concluded with a powerful call for greater collaboration, noting that finding effective modes of communication across fields and disciplines is crucial to finding the necessary solutions to complex problems such as H5 influenza. The formal program was followed by an informal Q&A and reception, allowing for direct, interdisciplinary engagement.

The program also included an expert video from Martha Nelson (National Institutes of Health), which could not be screened at the event but is available on the recording below. Nelson’s talk detailed the multi-species outbreak of H5N1 in cattle and poultry in Minnesota's Stearns County, offering a direct case study for the One Health approach.

Watch the full event recording below.