# Bird Flu Basics From a Rutgers Health Infectious Disease Expert | Rutgers University

> A Rutgers infectious disease expert explains H5N1 bird flu basics, noting more than 136 million US birds affected since 2022 and over 5 million egg-laying hens lost in early 2025. Fewer than 100 human cases have been reported, most linked to close contact with sick birds.

- Date: 2025-01-24 · published 2025-01-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16036-bird-flu-basics-from-a-rutgers-health-infectious-disease-expert-rutgers
- Commodities: [Lean Hogs](https://feedsoft.ai/c/HOGS.md), [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

This is a general explainer on disease risk. The heavy layer losses it cites are already reflected in known outbreak reports, so it adds little new price information.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HOGS | 2024-12-13 | [First H5N1 Bird Flu Infections in Pigs Raises Concerns \| Infectious Diseases \| JAMA \| JAMA Network](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16037-first-h5n1-bird-flu-infections-in-pigs-raises-concerns-infectious-diseases-jama.md) | +0.2% | -1.9% |
| HOGS | 2021-04-26 | [Who wants to be a ‘disease detective’ - The University of Sydney](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47476-who-wants-to-be-a-disease-detective-the-university-of-sydney.md) | +0.7% | +4.2% |
| HOGS | 2023-07-12 | [Surging bird flu outbreaks raise human-infection risk, UN agencies warn \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16168-surging-bird-flu-outbreaks-raise-human-infection-risk-un-agencies-warn-reuters.md) | -0.6% | +2.7% |
| HOGS | 2017-07-20 | [Bird flu outbreak: University of Pretoria weighs in \| CNBC Africa](https://feedsoft.ai/events/69833-bird-flu-outbreak-university-of-pretoria-weighs-in-cnbc-africa.md) | -1.4% | -12.4% |
| HOGS | 2021-12-08 | [Animal health experts: US ag needs to be prepared for disease outbreaks - Farm and Dairy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16314-animal-health-experts-us-ag-needs-to-be-prepared-for-disease-outbreaks-farm-and.md) | +1.0% | +9.2% |
| SBM | 2021-04-26 | [Who wants to be a ‘disease detective’ - The University of Sydney](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47476-who-wants-to-be-a-disease-detective-the-university-of-sydney.md) | +1.2% | -4.4% |
| SBM | 2023-07-12 | [Surging bird flu outbreaks raise human-infection risk, UN agencies warn \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16168-surging-bird-flu-outbreaks-raise-human-infection-risk-un-agencies-warn-reuters.md) | +5.0% | +3.5% |
| SBM | 2017-07-20 | [Bird flu outbreak: University of Pretoria weighs in \| CNBC Africa](https://feedsoft.ai/events/69833-bird-flu-outbreak-university-of-pretoria-weighs-in-cnbc-africa.md) | -2.1% | -9.8% |

## Sources

- rutgers.edu: https://www.rutgers.edu/news/bird-flu-basics-rutgers-health-infectious-disease-expert

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.