Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Rector of Near East University and a medical microbiologist, drew attention to the fact that avian influenza cases have reached their highest levels in recent years, warning that early diagnosis, rapid diagnosis, and advanced diagnostic kits have become a strategic priority in terms of pandemic preparedness and national health security.
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, who is also a medical microbiologist and Rector of Near East University, emphasized that the rapid increase in avian influenza cases across Europe indicates that the disease is no longer merely a seasonal veterinary problem, but a multifaceted threat that must be addressed directly in terms of public health, food safety, and biosecurity.
Highest Number of Cases Reached Since 2016
Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ drew attention to the latest assessment reports published by EFSA and ECDC. Şanlıdağ stated that the reporting of 2,896 highly pathogenic avian influenza cases in a three-month period in the autumn of 2025 alone was the highest level recorded for Europe since 2016. Pointing out that the majority of cases were observed in wild birds, significantly increasing the risk of transmission to poultry through environmental contact, Şanlıdağ said that approximately 80% of the poultry outbreaks reported in the autumn of 2025 were due to indirect, rather than direct, environmental contact, clearly illustrates this picture.
Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ emphasized that while the current risk to human health is low for the general population, a concrete risk of transmission at the animal-human interface still remains. Şanlıdağ said, “According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, when examining findings from the America continent in particular since the beginning of 2024, a total of 71 human cases of Influenza A (H5) have been analyzed. It is noteworthy that these cases involved a history of contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Although human-to-human transmission has not yet been detected, it clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis and rapid notification mechanisms are vital for preparedness.”
Early Diagnosis is Vital for Occupational Risk Groups
Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ also reminded that the World Health Organization has warned that if the virus continues to circulate in bird populations, human exposure may increase, and that early detection, rapid notification, and effective diagnostic capacity are vital, especially for occupational risk groups such as those involved in animal husbandry, farm workers, bird hunters, veterinarians, and laboratory personnel.
Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ also touched upon the warnings of the WHO and European reference laboratories. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ stated that the occurrence of cases in some regions, even among vaccinated poultry, shows that current monitoring and diagnostic approaches alone are insufficient, adding, “This situation further increases the need for diagnostic systems that are applicable in the field, rapid, and capable of distinguishing multiple subtypes simultaneously.”
Noting that the difference between official monitoring data and genome sequencing data for 2026 reveals that avian influenza viruses have a silent and large-scale circulation potential, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “Tens of thousands of genome sequences uploaded to the GISAID database show that official notifications do not fully reflect the true epidemiological burden in the field. This indicates that unreported or late-reported cases may increase the risk of new variants emerging.”
Therefore, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ emphasized that the fight against avian influenza cannot be based solely on passive reporting systems, and that the development of rapid, sensitive diagnostic kits capable of detecting multiple subtypes simultaneously within universities and research centers is no longer just a scientific goal. He added that pandemic preparedness is a strategic necessity in terms of biosecurity and national health security.