Bird Flu: What You Should Know and What to Do
As you will likely have heard in recent news, there is a particularly nasty strain of bird flu (aka avian influenza or “H5N1”) affecting poultry and dairy farms across the United States and, unfortunately, the virus has recently resulted in its first human fatality in the state of Louisiana1.
While bird flu has been circulating in nature for years, cases of highly pathogenic (or infective) viruses have emerged in recent years, with over 130 million chickens and turkeys infected since 20222. The good news is that while bird flu is widespread in wild birds, infection in humans is rare and no cases of human-to-human spread have been observed. What we are now learning from the case in Louisiana is that the person who died was infected with a mutated form of the virus that made it potentially more transmissible to humans than earlier strains3.
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 pneumonia3.
- 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 continue to mutate to enable easier human-to-human transmission.
While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently considers the risk to the general public low, the detection of genetic changes (mutations) in the virus found in the person who died of the disease is important and potentially concerning. Public health authorities are watching the situation closely to detect any signs of further mutations in the virus or increased transmission to humans4.
To help minimize risk, 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:
- CNN Health.“America’s first bird flu death reported in Louisiana.” https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/27/health/cdc-bird-flu-virus-mutations-analysis/index.html. Accessed 01/08/2025.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “USDA Reported H5N1 Bird Flu Detections in Poultry”. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/data-map-commercial.html. Accessed 01/08/2025.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genetic Sequences of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses Identified in a Person in Louisiana”. https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-12232024.html. Accessed 01/08/2025.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: Interim Recommendations for Prevention, Monitoring, and Public Health Investigations”.https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html#:~:text=Illnesses%20in%20people%20from%20HPAI,that%20can%20result%20in%20death.. Accessed 01/08/2025.
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency. “List M: Registered Antimicrobial Products with Label Claims for Avian Influenza”. https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-m-registered-antimicrobial-products-label-claims-avian-influenza_.html. Accessed 01/08/2025.