Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. At least 58 people in the U.S. have been infected by the H5N1 bird flu virus this year, according to federal statistics. All but ...

Avian influenza viruses typically require several mutations to adapt and spread among humans, but what happens when just one change can increase the risk of becoming a pandemic virus? A recent study ...

The virus that causes COVID-19 is accumulating genetic mutations, one of which may have made it more contagious. The number of virus strains present in each zip code in Houston during the second wave ...

Have you ever wondered why you have to get a flu shot every year, but some vaccines are one-and-done? It all has to do with how and how fast viruses evolve - and that depends on mutation rates.

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . Since May 2023, a combination of neuraminidase mutations has been detected in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses.

Chinese researchers have identified a key mutation in the Ebola virus that may explain why one of the deadliest outbreaks in recent history spread so widely and persisted for so long. Their findings ...

Helen Branswell covers issues broadly related to infectious diseases, including outbreaks, preparedness, research, and vaccine development. Follow her on Mastodon and Bluesky. You can reach Helen on ...

Combined infection with bird flu and human flu could lead to mutations of new viruses that could have dangerous public health consequences, agencies have warned. This is following the news that ...

Huge die-offs of elephant seals occurred after the virus gained nearly 20 troublesome new mutations, scientists found. By Apoorva Mandavilli Elephant seals in South America died in massive numbers ...

A 13-year-old girl in British Columbia who was hospitalized with bird flu for several weeks late last year harbored a mutated version of the virus, according to a report published this week in the New ...

Viruses closely related to the deadly MERS coronavirus are lurking in bats and one group, known as HKU5, may be just one mutation away from making the jump to humans. A new study reveals how these ...