Stable isotopes help trace bird migrations to investigate the highly pathogenic avian influenza

When outbreaks of disease happen, locating the origin and pattern and its transmission are of critical importance — and isotope techniques can help.

In cases of zoonotic diseases, (which are those transmitted from animals to humans), this involves a detailed understanding of the migration of animal carriers. Migratory birds can pose a special challenge, given the vastness of their geographical ranges and the sheer numbers of individual birds to track. Read more.