Can Gene Editing Stop Avian Flu and Protect Both Poultry and Humans?

By Oluwaseun Adeyemi

Avian influenza, popularly known as the bird flu, is a serious threat to poultry industries globally. Even more concerning, it can sometimes spread from birds to humans — a process called "zoonotic transmission. Due to the fast-evolving nature of the influenza A virus (IAV), the use of vaccines and other biosecurity measures often fall short. What if we could prevent the virus from infecting chickens in the first place while reducing the risks of humans catching it too?

Extremely precise genetic engineering can now make this possible!

A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications and conducted by Alewo Idoko-Akoh and others at the University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, UK reveals the successful creation of flu-resistant chickens by using the CRISPR-Cas9 to modify a critical gene in chicken - the ANP32A gene.

How does Gene Editing make Chickens - Flu Resistant?

The influenza A virus (IAV) relies on a chicken protein called Acidic Nuclear Phosphoprotein 32 A (ANP32A) to multiply inside its host. Because of this, ANP32A acts as a "susceptibility factor" for infection. To block the virus, the scientists used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to modify this gene. CRISPR, known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is similar to a "search function" that scans an organism’s DNA for a specific gene. Once it locates the target, the Cas9 protein acts like a pair of molecular scissors, cutting or altering the gene to produce a modified version. The team in the UK switched two precise amino acids on the ANP32A protein to create genetically edited chickens. When these chickens were exposed to IAV, 9 out of 10 were not affected by the virus. This breakthrough shows how genome editing could help prevent bird flu outbreaks and lower the risk of the virus transmitting to humans.

Challenges of Editing Susceptibility Genes in Chickens

The researchers did face one particular challenge: the influenza virus evolves rapidly! Over time, it developed mutations that allowed it to take advantage of other copies of the ANP32 protein family, not just the original ANP32A. When genetically edited chickens were exposed to higher doses of the virus, some still became infected. The researchers then again used CRISPR to either modify or remove the extra ANP32 genes and successfully stopped the multiplication of the virus in chicken cells, offering even stronger protection against bird flu.

How will gene editing affect poultry and human health?

The development of IAV-resistant chicken promises to bring great transformation to the fight against avian flu. In recent years, frequent outbreaks on poultry farms have driven up egg prices, directly affecting consumers. Recognizing the seriousness of the problem, the USDA announced in February 2025 an investment of $1 billion to combat avian flu. If the public accepts this technology, adding gene editing to selective breeding programs could allow farmers to build flocks that are naturally resistant to the virus. This would mean less need for vaccines, lower chances of outbreaks, and better food security.

Importantly, protecting chickens also helps protect people. Since poultry serves as the source/agent of transmission for many human influenzas, such as H5N1 and H7N9, production of chicken resistant to avian influenza has a great impact on human health. Reducing the incidence of avian influenza via gene editing in chickens lowers the likelihood of the virus making changes in their genetic code or evolving to new strains, thereby reducing the risk of transfer of the virus from chickens to humans.

What can we expect in the future? 

The breakthrough achieved from the creation of gene-edited chickens resistant to avian influenza highlights the importance of gene editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 in scientific research. It is a promising tool that can be leveraged in the fight against infectious disease across various species. Of course, ethical questions and thorough risk assessments are essential before making permanent changes to livestock genetics. Scientists and policymakers must carefully evaluate any unintended consequences that could arise from these interventions.

With proper public education and careful implementations, CRISPR-Cas9 could be the solution the scientific community is seeking. While some risks may remain, the benefits of gene editing in livestock production cannot be overemphasized.

So, would you embrace gene-edited poultry?

References

Garg, S., Reinhart, K., Couture, A., Kniss, K., Davis, C. T., Kirby, M. K., Murray, E. L., Zhu, S., Kraushaar, V., Wadford, D. A., Drehoff, C., Kohnen, A., Owen, M., Morse, J., Eckel, S., Goswitz, J., Turabelidze, G., Krager, S., Unutzer, A., & Gonzales, E. R. (2024). Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infections in Humans. New England Journal of Medicine, 392(9). https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2414610

Idoko-Akoh, A., Goldhill, D. H., Sheppard, C. M., Bialy, D., Quantrill, J. L., Sukhova, K., Brown, J. C., Richardson, S., Campbell, C., Taylor, L., Sherman, A., Nazki, S., Long, J. S., Skinner, M. A., Shelton, H., Sang, H. M., Barclay, W. S., & McGrew, M. J. (2023). Creating resistance to avian influenza infection through genome editing of the ANP32 gene family. Nature Communications, 14(1), 6136. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41476-3

Khwatenge, C. N., & Nahashon, S. N. (2021). Recent Advances in the Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing System in Poultry Species. Frontiers in Genetics, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.627714

Smith, M. (2024). CRISPR. Genome.gov; National Human Genome Research Institute. https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/CRISPR

USDA. (2025, February 26). USDA Invests Up To $1 Billion to Combat Avian Flu and Reduce Egg Prices. Usda.gov. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/02/26/usda-invests-1-billion-combat-avian-flu-and-reduce-egg-prices

Oluwaseun Adeyemi is a second-year PhD student in Food and Animal Science at Tennessee State University, focused on improving animal health and finding sustainable solutions for infectious and zoonotic diseases in livestock. Her research explores the use of probiotics as an alternative to antibiotics for controlling Salmonella and Campylobacter in broiler chickens.

Outside the lab, Oluwaseun enjoys nature, Christian fiction, singing, and spending time with her spouse and daughter.