Avian influenza is getting more serious each year, as an unprecedented number of birds either succumb to the virus or are culled to prevent spread. After a dog in Ontario and thousands of sea lions died from the flu, there’s growing concern about this strain’s ability to infect mammals.Dr. Samira Mubareka is an infectious diseases physician, medical microbiologist and scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute. She explains what’s going on with avian flu right now, where it could be headed and what we’re doing to stay ahead of it.Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com