Human seasonal influenza is caused by a widespread and highly variable

virus. One type (Type A) can cause serious influenza epidemics, of which the

most well-known is the pandemic of 1918, which killed between 20-40 million

people. Influenza A viruses also cause infections in animals and humans and

animal hosts can share these viruses. Currently the world is seeing a major

epidemic of a Type A H5N1 virus in avians, which is decimating wildlife bird

populations globally. Recently this epidemic has spilt over into other

domestic and wildlife animals including cats, sealions and mink. However,

so far, only a few human cases, including one death, have been detected

worldwide. The topic of this presentation is to look at why this virus has,

to date, not established transmissible infections in humans and what would

be required to enable that to happen.