Even Penguins Get Flu

"When you think of bird flu, you may conjure up images of chickens being slaughtered to stem an outbreak, or of migrating ducks, which can carry flu viruses from one continent to the next. Well, it's time to add penguins to your list of mental images."

"Yes, Adelie penguins, which breed in huge colonies on the rocky Antarctic Peninsula, also harbor a version of the avian influenza virus, according to a study published in the journal, mBio."

"Fret not. If a penguin happens to sneeze on you, you aren't going to get the flu. And, happily for the crowded colonies of nesting penguins, the avian influenza virus in their midst doesn't seem to make penguins sick, either."