what is the bird flu in humans

Symptoms

Humans can catch bird flu when they have close contact with an infected bird (dead or alive), the NHS says. It manages to spill over into humans when they touch infected birds, their droppings or...

Causes

Bird flu symptoms have been reported to be largely the same as the seasonal flu. Symptoms can include cough, a sore throat, head and muscle aches, fatigue and shortness of breath. Severe infections can lead to pneumonia that requires hospitalizations. Sometimes infection can cause a fever. Less common symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.

Prevention

Most people infected with avian influenza contract the virus after handling infected birds or coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. Crowded open-air markets and consumption of undercooked eggs and poultry also can spread avian influenza among humans. Person-to-person transmission is rare, but infections can have deadly consequences.

Complications

also known as the avian flu, refers to the disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted between birds. The dominant virus strain circulating currently is called H5N1. It is extremely contagious among birds, who spread it by shedding the ...

Can humans catch bird flu?

What is bird flu and what are the symptoms?

How do you get the bird flu?

What causes bird flu?

What happens if a human gets the bird flu?

The reported signs and symptoms of bird flu virus infections in humans have ranged from no symptoms or mild illness [such as eye redness (conjunctivitis) or mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms], to severe (such as pneumonia requiring hospitalization) and included fever (temperature of 100ºF [37.8ºC] or greater) or ...

What symptoms do humans have with bird flu?

In humans, avian influenza symptoms vary, depending on the virus strain. Symptoms range from a mild flu like illness, sometimes with conjunctivitis (red, sore, discharging eyes), diarrhoea and abdominal pain, to a severe respiratory illness with breathing difficulties and pneumonia. Human infections may be fatal.

How do humans get the bird flu?

Bird flu is spread between birds and from birds to humans. Exposure to birds, bird faeces or feathers is the most likely way for a human to catch bird flu. See a doctor immediately if you have recently returned from a country that has had an outbreak of bird flu and you get flu symptoms.

How serious is bird flu for humans?

Within days of symptoms appearing, it's possible to develop more severe complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Getting treatment quickly, using antiviral medicine, may prevent complications and reduce the risk of developing severe illness.

Can bird flu be cured?

It's impossible to eliminate bird flu from wild birds. The best approaches to bird flu currently include working to identify and eliminate outbreaks among domestic birds and to continue work on a vaccine that will be effective against bird flu.

How long does the bird flu last?

Living with avian flu may mean a week or two of living with mild symptoms that get better over time. Rest and fluids will help.

What states have the bird flu?

Officials also confirmed new poultry outbreaks in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Montana, as well as more positive tests in wild birds. And the World Health Organization (WHO) provided updates on human avian flu cases in Colorado and China.

What kills avian flu virus?

The proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses, including H5N1 bird flu viruses.

Is there a vaccine for bird flu?

There is currently no vaccine available to the public. The government does have a supply of a vaccine for one type of H5N1 bird flu virus and could distribute it if there was an outbreak that spread easily from person to person.

How can you tell if a bird has bird flu?

Signs of Avian Flu Illness in Birds Sudden death; lack of energy, appetite and coordination; purple discoloration and/or swelling of various body parts; diarrhea; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; and reduced egg production and/or abnormal eggs.

How do they test for bird flu?

Laboratory tests Samples of fluids from your nose or throat can be tested for evidence of bird flu virus. These samples must be taken within the first few days after symptoms appear.

Can you catch bird flu from eating chicken?

No human bird flu infections have been reported from proper handling of poultry meat or from eating properly cooked poultry or poultry products. Outbreaks of bird flu happen among birds from time to time.

Can humans get bird flu from chickens?

Infection can occur without touching poultry. More information about bird flu is available at www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu Bird flu infections in people are rare, but possible. Most reported bird flu infections in people have happened after unprotected contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.

What is the incubation period for bird flu?

The incubation period is variable (1-7 days), and dependent upon the AI virus strain, dose, route of exposure, and species of bird. The OIE recognizes a 14-day incubation period at the flock level for high pathogenicity avian influenza for virus spread in a bird population.

Can humans get bird flu from eggs?

The risk assessment determined that the risk of humans becoming infected with HPAI through the consumption of contaminated shell eggs is low.

Can you get bird flu from bird feeders?

Question: Is there any risk of becoming infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus by feeding backyard birds or cleaning a bird feeder? Answer: There is currently no evidence that suggests you could become infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus by feeding backyard birds.

What is the bird flu?

Bird flu is caused by a type of influenza virus that rarely infects humans. More than a dozen types of bird flu have been identified, including the two strains that have most recently infected humans — H5N1 and H7N9. When bird flu does strike humans, it can be deadly.

Where has the bird flu been reported?

Outbreaks of bird flu have occurred in Asia, Africa, North America and parts of Europe. Most people who have developed symptoms of bird flu have had close contact with sick birds. In a few cases, bird flu has passed from one person to another. Only sporadic human cases have been reported since 2015.

How to prevent bird flu in Southeast Asia?

If possible, avoid rural areas, small farms and open-air markets. Wash your hands. This is one of the simplest and best ways to prevent infections of all kinds.

How many people died from the bird flu in 1997?

Although bird flu may kill more than half the people it infects, the number of fatalities is still low because so few people have had bird flu. Fewer than 500 bird flu deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization since 1997.

How does bird flu spread?

The disease is transmitted via contact with an infected bird's feces, or secretions from its nose, mouth or eyes.

How long does it take for bird flu symptoms to show?

Symptoms. Signs and symptoms of bird flu may begin within two to seven days of infection, depending on the type. In most cases, they resemble those of conventional influenza, including: Some people also experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

What are the risk factors for bird flu?

Risk factors. The greatest risk factor for bird flu seems to be contact with sick birds or with surfaces contaminated by their feathers, saliva or droppings. The pattern of human transmission remains mysterious. In very few instances, bird flu has been transmitted from one human to another.

What Is Bird Flu?

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. The most common kind of bird flu is the H5N1 strain. It's mostly a threat to birds and doesn’t spread easily among people, but there was a major outbreak of bird flu in people in 2014. The very few cases of human-to-human transmission were among people with exceptionally close contact, such as a mother who caught the virus while caring for their sick infant.

What is the best medicine for bird flu?

The flu drugs oseltamivir ( Tamiflu ), peramivir (Rapivab), or zanamivir (Relenza) may help treat bird flu in people, although more studies are needed. These drugs must be given soon after symptoms appear.

How did H5N1 get infected?

In the 2014 outbreak, some people caught H5N1 from cleaning or plucking infected birds. There were reports in China of infection via inhalation of aerosolized materials in live bird markets. It's also possible that some people were infected after swimming or bathing in water contaminated with the droppings of infected birds.

Is the bird flu shot available to the public?

The FDA approved the first vaccine to prevent human infection with one strain of the bird flu in 2007. But it’s not been made commercially available to the general public. The U.S. government purchased the vaccine in case it needed to be distributed by public health officials.

Can you catch the bird flu from eating chicken?

People don't catch the virus from eating fully cooked chicken or eggs. There were a few cases where one infected person caught the bird flu virus from another person, but only after close personal contact. In Indonesia in 2006, bird flu spread to eight members of one family. Seven of them died.

Can birds get the flu from ducks?

Migrating water fowl -- most notably wild ducks -- are the natural carriers of bird flu viruses. It's suspected that infection can spread from wild fowl to domestic poultry.

Is bird flu a strain of poultry?

Various strains of bird flu pop up in U.S. poultry from time to time. When they do, all affected poultry flocks are culled.

Overview

Bird flu, also called avian flu, is a strain of influenza (flu) that infects mostly wild water birds but can infect domestic birds (poultry) and other animals. These strains belong to influenza A type viruses.

Symptoms and Causes

The signs and symptoms of bird flu in people may vary. They may include typical flu symptoms like:

Diagnosis and Tests

Bird flu can’t be diagnosed by symptoms alone. Your provider may take a swab from your nose or throat. These specimens need to have specialized testing done and you may be referred to a public health department. Best results happen when the testing happens early, as symptoms develop.

Management and Treatment

Bird flu is treated with antiviral medications. Common treatments are:

Prevention

The greatest risk is for people who work with poultry. If you have a job in the poultry industry, you should take precautions like wearing protective equipment at all times.

Living With

You can treat symptoms of bird flu the same way you would treat seasonal flu symptoms. This includes:

Frequently Asked Questions

During the 1800s, people reported something called the "fowl plague" that was responsible for killing birds. Fowl plague was later found to be avian influenza or bird flu. Wild birds are unlikely to infect humans, but wild birds can and do infect domestic birds. Domestic birds are in closer contact with humans.

Bird flu is extremely rare in humans, but could pose a threat

Kelly Burch is a freelance journalist who has covered health topics for more than 10 years. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and more.

Avian Flu in Birds vs. Humans

Bird flu occurs naturally in wild birds and can also spread to livestock poultry. However, transmission to humans is very rare. Avian flu is passed through contact with the saliva, mucus, or feces of a bird that has the virus. For a human to contract the virus, a substantial amount of the virus must enter their eyes, nose, or mouth.

Bird Flu Symptoms

In humans, the symptoms of bird flu are the same as seasonal influenza. Some cases are mild, while others are severe. Avian flu has a much higher mortality rate than seasonal influenza. Roughly 53% of people diagnosed with H5N1 and 50% of people diagnosed with H7N9 have died. 5

Risk Factors

People who live or work in close proximity to birds are at the highest risk of contracting bird flu. The avian flu is more common in certain areas of the globe, especially Asia, and risk increases if you have recently traveled to a country that is experiencing bird flu. 3

Bird Flu Diagnosis and Treatment

Bird flu cannot be diagnosed with symptoms alone, it must be diagnosed with a lab test. To conduct the test, doctors will swab your nose and analyze the mucus. 3 It’s important to tell your doctor if you have recently travelled to a country that experiences avian flu, or if you’ve been in contact with birds.

Flu Shot Vaccine for Bird Flu

The seasonal flu vaccine does not offer protection against bird flu. 3 However, getting the vaccine might help prevent severe illness that could occur if you contracted the seasonal flu and bird flu at the same time. There isn’t currently a publicly available vaccine for bird flu. However, the U.S.

Summary

Bird flu is concerning because of its high mortality rate. However, it is extremely rare in humans. Although avian flu occurs in birds around the world, fewer than 2,500 people have been infected since 2003.

What is the bird flu?

Bird flu, also called avian influenza, is a viral infection that can infect not only birds, but also humans and other animals. Most forms of the virus are restricted to birds.

When was the first bird flu?

Although there are several types of bird flu, H5N1 was the first avian influenza virus to infect humans. The first infection occurred in Hong Kong in 1997. The outbreak was linked to handling infected poultry. H5N1 occurs naturally in wild waterfowl, but it can spread easily to domestic poultry. The disease is transmitted to humans ...

What is the outlook for someone with bird flu?

What’s the outlook for someone with bird flu? The outlook for bird flu infection depends on the severity of infection and the type of influenza virus causing it. H5N1 has a high mortality rate, while other types don’t.

How long does H5N1 last in birds?

H5N1 has the ability to survive for extended periods of time. Birds infected with H5N1 continue to release the virus in feces and saliva for as long as 10 days. Touching contaminated surfaces can spread the infection. You may have a greater risk of contracting H5N1 if you are: a poultry farmer.

What are the complications of avian flu?

Some potential complications include: sepsis (a possibly fatal inflammatory response to bacteria and other germs) pneumonia. organ failure. acute respiratory distress. Call your doctor if you have flu symptoms within 10 days of handling birds or traveling to areas with a known avian flu outbreak.

How is H5N1 transmitted?

The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with infected bird feces, nasal secretions, or secretions from the mouth or eyes.

How deadly is H5N1?

It’s deadly to birds and can easily affect humans and other animals that come in contact with a carrier. According to the World Health Organization. Trusted Source. , H5N1 was first discovered in humans in 1997 and has killed nearly 60 percent. Trusted Source.

What is avian influenza?

Background. Avian influenza refers to disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. Avian influenza A viruses can infect the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract of birds and have been isolated from more than 100 different species of wild birds around the world.

What is the virus in wild birds?

In December 2014 and January 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N2 and HPAI H5N8 viruses in wild birds pdf icon [156 KB, 3 pages] external icon in a few states. The initial findings were a result of increased outreach, reporting and surveillance activities following the detection of HPAI H5N2 among commercial flocks in Canada external icon reported in early December 2014. Two of these viruses were then detected commercial poultry in the United States.

What is H5N1?

H5 viruses (HPAI): Since December 2003, Asian -lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) viruses have caused high mortality in infected poultry and wild birds in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Millions of poultry have been culled to control the spread of HPAI H5N1 viruses.

When did H5N1 first appear in the US?

On January 8, 2014, the first human infection with an Asian HPAI H5N1 virus in the Americas was reported in Canada in a traveler returning from China. Avian influenza A (H5N1) infection with respiratory failure and meningoencephalitis in a Canadian traveller pdf icon [902 KB, 3 pages] external icon

When did the H5N2 virus start?

H5 viruses (HPAI): Between 1997 and 2014, based on the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) external icon reporting criteria for avian influenza in commercial poultry, the United States experienced one outbreak of HPAI H5N2 virus in Texas in 2004 that was restricted to one poultry farm.

What is the lead agency for bird control?

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are the lead federal agencies for outbreak investigation and control in wild birds and the USDA is the lead agency for such activities in domestic birds. CDC coordinates with DOI, USDA and with state health departments on appropriate public health measures and works with animal health colleagues to minimize the public health risk posed by avian influenza A viruses.

How to report unusual birds?

To report unusual signs in birds you have seen in the wild, call 1-866-4-USDA-WS (1-866-4-8732-97).

Overview

Symptoms

Causes

Risk Factors

Complications

• Bird flu is caused by a type of influenza virus that rarely infects humans. More than a dozen types of bird flu have been identified, including the two strains that have most recently infected humans — H5N1 and H7N9. When bird flu does strike humans, it can be deadly. Outbreaks of bird flu have occurred in Asia, Africa, North America and parts of E...

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Prevention