Converging threats: The intersection of seasonal influenza surges and zoonotic highly pathogenic avian influenza

Abstract

The global landscape of influenza is becoming increasingly complex. In the Northern Hemisphere, seasonal influenza activity is exhibiting a pattern of "early onset, high intensity". At the same time, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to circulate widely among wild birds and poultry, with a growing tendency to spillover into mammals, including dairy cattle, thereby substantially increasing the zoonotic risk. This convergence exposes the limitations of control systems that manage human and animal influenza separately. Given the ongoing cross-species adaptive evolution of influenza viruses at the human–animal–environment interface, global strategies need to pivot toward a fully integrated One Health paradigm as the organizing principle for preparedness and response. By synthesizing surveillance data and research capacity across human, animal, and environmental health sectors, the international community can build a more resilient defense network that both reduces the current disease burden and helps pre-empt the emergence of novel pandemic strains arising from viral reassortment.