General information about bird flu

What you need to know. What is bird flu?

Influenza viruses that infect birds are called avian influenza viruses. These viruses don't usually infect humans. A relatively small number of people in East Asia have gotten sick with a particular avian flu strain (called H5N1). This virus has not shown transmission from one human to another to date.

What is a pandemic?

A pandemic is an outbreak of an illness affecting a large fraction of the people in a given region, country, or the world as a whole.

How do people become infected with avian influenza viruses?

Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from direct or close contact with infected poultry (e.g., domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys) or surfaces contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected birds. The spread of avian influenza viruses from an ill person to another person has been reported very rarely, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.

What are the symptoms of avian influenza in humans?

Symptoms of avian influenza in humans have ranged from typical human influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress syndrome), and other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of avian influenza may depend on which specific virus subtype and strain caused the infection.

Should I wear a mask to prevent exposure to avian influenza?

Currently, wearing a mask is not recommended for routine use (e.g., in public) for preventing influenza exposure.

Is there a risk for becoming infected with avian influenza by eating poultry?

There is no evidence that properly cooked poultry or eggs can be a source of infection for avian influenza viruses.