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Bird flu is a subject of public interest and intense scientific research. Much of the research is aimed at preventing a possible population effect similar to the 1918 influenza pandemic. Current efforts are largely focused on disease surveillance and developing a vaccine.

Disease surveillance in animals and humans is used to understand how the bird flu virus spreads and changes. Currently, infection is rare and people most at risk are those who live in Southeast Asia and have regular close contact with poultry. Signs that the virus is infecting previously unaffected animal species, or new groups of people, may be the first indication that virus is becoming more capable of spreading disease, or pathogenic, and could threaten a broader population.

Surveillance also allows changes in the genetics of the virus to be tracked. Significant changes have been seen between the virus isolated from people in 1997 and the types causing human infection since 2003. These changes may be responsible for some reported instances of resistance to antiviral medications.