With spring migration under way, scientists continuing to monitor avian influenza outbreak

As millions of birds enter the peak of their annual spring migration back north, scientists are continuing to monitor the status of the ongoing global avian influenza outbreak that has so far killed millions of birds and also crossed over to some species of mammals.

While the risk to humans remains low, in an interview with the Mayo Clinic News Network, Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., director of Mayo Clinic’s Clinical Virology Laboratory, said the fact the virus has crossed over to some mammals indicates that it’s adapting to become more efficient at infecting mammalian cells, which more closely resemble human cells.

Read more and watch the full interview.