Which family does avian influenza belong to?

Avian influenza belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family. This family of viruses is characterized by their segmented RNA genomes and includes several different types of influenza viruses, with avian influenza being one of the prominent strains. Orthomyxoviridae is known for causing influenza in a variety of species, including birds, which are the primary hosts for avian flu viruses.

The other families listed—Paramyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, and Retroviridae—contain viruses that are distinct from influenza. Paramyxoviridae includes viruses such as measles and mumps, Coronaviridae includes viruses that cause diseases like COVID-19 and SARS, and Retroviridae includes retroviruses such as HIV. Each of these families has unique characteristics and mechanisms of infection, which differentiates them from the influenza viruses classified under Orthomyxoviridae.