As you may have heard in recent news, there is an ongoing outbreak of bird flu (aka avian influenza or H5N1) as of July 2024. The outbreak has affected poultry and dairy farms across the United States. Since the outbreak began in 2022, more than 100 million chickens and turkeys have been reported as infected.1
More recently, the H5N1 virus has spread to dairy cattle marking the first time the virus has adapted to replicate within cows' cells.2 Because cows’ cells are more similar to human cells than birds’ cells, this is a significant and possibly worrying new finding.
While the virus mainly infects animals, there have been a small number of human cases linked to exposure to infected poultry and cattle. In the United States, 11 human cases have been reported since 2022, with recent cases involving dairy and poultry workers.3 Most human infections have been mild, but there is concern about the virus's potential to mutate and spread more easily among humans.
What are the Risks to Humans?
Bird flu, particularly the H5N1 strain, poses several dangers to humans:
Severe Illness and Death: Human infections with H5N1 can lead to severe respiratory illness, including pneumonia.4
Symptoms and Complications: Symptoms of bird flu in humans can range from mild, such as eye infections and upper respiratory tract symptoms, to severe, including fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and difficulty breathing.
Potential for Human-to-Human Transmission: Although the current H5N1 strain primarily spreads from birds to humans and not efficiently between humans, there is a concern that the virus could mutate to enable easier human-to-human transmission.
Public health authorities are watching the virus closely to detect any signs of increased transmissibility among humans,1 including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has stated that the current risk to public health remains low.2
To help minimize these dangers, the CDC and other health organizations recommend avoiding contact with sick or dead birds, using personal protective equipment – like gloves, a mask, and goggles – when handling potentially infected animals, following proper food safety practices such as consuming only well-cooked poultry products and following proper hand and surface hygiene practices.
Hygiene Best Practices
When completing hand and surface disinfection, refer to the following best practices.
Keep Hands Clean to Reduce Cross-Contamination: Regular hand washing with soap and water effectively removes germs including viruses from the skin. This is important to prevent the spread of the virus to other parts of the body or to other people. Touching the face with contaminated hands can lead to self-inoculation, while handling food with contaminated hands can spread the virus to others. Hand hygiene is particularly important after handling birds, poultry products, or any surfaces that might be contaminated with bird droppings or respiratory secretions from infected birds.
Disinfect Contaminated Surfaces: The H5N1 virus can survive on surfaces for varying periods, depending on environmental conditions. Regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces that may be contaminated with bird droppings or respiratory secretions can significantly reduce the risk of indirect transmission.
PURELL Surface Disinfecting Spray and Wipes are effective against avian influenza viruses, and registered with the EPA [List M].5
Break the Cycle by Preventing “Fomite” Transmission: Fomites are contaminated objects or materials that are likely to “carry” germs, helping them to spread. These include personal items such clothing or shoes or equipment that may be transferred between contaminated areas to other facilities like residential homes. Ensuring that these objects are properly cleaned and disinfected and/or removed and appropriately discarded helps to prevent the virus from spreading.
Remember, while good hygiene is always a good practice, it is especially important during this bird flu outbreak in environments where there is potential exposure to infected birds or contaminated materials.
References:
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial and Backyard Flocks. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks. Accessed 07/22/2024.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC A(H5N1) Bird Flu Response Update, July 12, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-07122024.html. Accessed 07/22/2024.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html. Accessed 07/22/2024.
Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22401-bird-flu. Accessed 07/22/2024.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products Effective Against Avian Influenza [List M]. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/epas-registered-antimicrobial-products-effective-against-avian-influenza. Accessed 07/22/2024.