Dear Colleagues,

With the continuous epidemic and spread of avian influenza, some new characteristics have emerged, such as an expansion of the range of the epidemic spread, cross-host spread, human–animal co-infection, the emergence of new subtype strains and mutated strains, waterfowl experiencing complications of the infection and becoming the disease gene donors for the emergence of new strains, the differentiated virus pathogenicity according to the difference in the host (for example, the early H7N9 subtype avian influenza strain had no pathogenicity in avian species but presented high pathogenicity and mortality rate in humans), and less effective or even ineffective vaccines. Across different countries, the pertinent institutions and researchers have engaged in avian influenza control research and have carried out much work and made remarkable achievements, targeted at the abovementioned new characteristics of the avian influenza, contributing greatly to the global prevention and control of it. Specifically, researchers and institutions have developed effective prevention and control strategies at the national level, isolated new strains in different hosts, conducted tremendous work in epidemiology, clarified the pathogenic mechanism of the virus to different hosts, obtained adjuvants and immune enhancers that can improve the immune efficacy of vaccines, and developed over time H5 and H7 subtype recombinant vector vaccines and waterfowl vaccines specific to the variant strains and waterfowl hosts. The COVID-19 outbreaks and recent geopolitical conflicts have posed threats to people's health and safety, food security, and public health across the world. In order to reduce and avoid the harm avian influenza could potentially add to the current situation, it is our sincere hope that our global community of colleagues who are engaged in the research, prevention, and control of bird flu could share the belief of “one world, one safety” and “sharing is caring”, and publish your valuable research results in the Special Issue of our journal titled "The Changing Avian Influenza and Its Effective Prevention and Control" in order to to play an important part in the effective prevention and control of avian influenza around the world.

Dr. Yin Li
Dr. Qingtao Liu
Guest Editors

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• avian influenza
• virus variation
• cross-host transmission
• new epidemic area
• detection
• prevention and control
• adjuvant
• immune booster
• vaccines
• chemical drugs