Gene Editing Offers Solution to Eradicating Bird Flu in Chickens

Gene editing technology has the potential to create disease-resistant chickens, which could help eradicate bird flu. A recent study published in Nature Communications demonstrated that gene editing can protect chickens from bird flu by targeting proteins vital for all strains of the virus. The study found that gene-edited chickens displayed complete resistance to the virus, and further experiments showed that editing multiple proteins could completely suppress the virus. This breakthrough could significantly reduce economic losses and the risk to human health caused by bird flu outbreaks. However, supportive government regulations will be necessary to promote the development of gene editing for animal health and welfare.