Avian influenza

Anne Miller decided to name her hens Thelma and Louise after one of them temporarily flew the coop. This is Louise.

CDC rules out human bird flu transmission in Missouri health workers

Sarah Fentem

The agency tested the blood of health care workers who had been in contact with a Missouri patient who tested positive for the virus without animal contact.

Fifth graders at The Soulard School take turns feeding and caring for chickens in the school's yard.

Health, Science & Environment

Federal health officials investigate Missouri transmission of avian flu

Sarah Fentem

A routine flu screening in late summer found the H5N1 virus in a Missouri patient. Unlike the other reported cases, this person did not report being in recent contact with animals.

H5N1 avian flu viruses (seen in gold) grow inside canine kidney cells (seen in green).

News Briefs

CDC confirms the first human case of H5 bird flu in Missouri but says public risk is low

Andrea Y. Henderson

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services detected the first human case of H5 bird flu in Missouri. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case. Infection transmission among the public remains low.

Your Thanksgiving dinner will be more expensive this year, largely because of inflation. And even with a virus that has impacted turkeys this year, you'll still be able to get a turkey, but an economist says it may be a smaller bird than what you usually have.

Economy & Business

Thanksgiving dinner will cost more this year due to inflation and a virus that impacts turkeys

Katie Peikes

Surveys say the price of Thanksgiving dinner, including turkey, is up this year. Economists attribute the price increase largely to inflation. While experts say there’s no shortage of turkeys, 8 million birds have died or been culled this year because of a viral disease.

Leah Shaffer, of St. Charles, picks up Gertie, her 1-year-old Barred Rock Chicken, on Monday, April 4, 2022, outside of her home in St. Charles, Mo. Shaffer purchased four chickens to care for at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Health, Science & Environment

As bird flu sweeps across U.S. even small, backyard flocks are at risk

Katie Peikes

State officials and scientists are cautioning backyard flock owners to be on high alert for bird flu. The highly contagious disease has reached small flocks in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

Five separate outbreaks of H7N9 avian influenza have surfaced over the past six years, sickening more than 1,500 people. Researchers at SLU are now working to test a new vaccination against the virus.

Health, Science & Environment

SLU Seeks Volunteers To Test Bird Flu Vaccination

Shahla Farzan

Researchers at St. Louis University are recruiting volunteers to test a new vaccination for avian influenza.The vaccination targets the H7N9 strain, which…