**Tamara Szentivanyi**  
**Research fellow at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót and at the Institute of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, in Hungary**



 

 

 



Birds have always played a key role ‒ historically as messengers, and today as indicators of environmental change. Across Europe, the occurrence of avian-borne pathogens, such as the West Nile Virus (WNV), the Usutu Virus (USUV), and various avian flu viruses (AIVs) is increasing, revealing an alarming trend. These pathogens mainly circulate in birds, at times causing severe disease, while only occasionally infecting humans and other mammals, usually with mild symptoms. As habitats fragment and biodiversity declines, natural barriers to pathogen emergence weaken.



 

 

 



 

 

   ![première page article 10](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/default/public/image/2026/08/couv%20pdf-11_0.png.webp?itok=-ZoyuWFQ)   



[**Read the entire article**](https://www.institut.veolia.org/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/document/2026/08/10_VEOLIA_FACTS_28_2026_GB_WEB_T.Szentivanyi_0.pdf)