Dr. Etienne Evolve Quotations

The more it spreads in birds internationally, the more opportunities it has to interact with animal and human hosts, increasing the chances it could evolve into a human pandemic virus. No one knows if this will happen, or when, so it is critical to prepare for a potential human flu pandemic at the same time that we are working to prevent the spread of avian flu in birds.

As long as H5N1 remains a bird virus, the threat to human health is not grave. But influenza viruses change constantly, and the danger is that, in the future, it could evolve into a virus that is easily transmissible among humans.