What is bird flu and does it affect humans?

Since 2020, an outbreak of bird flu has swept across the world, killing millions of birds and infecting numerous other species.

But despite the global spread, humane infection risk is currently low. However, given the unpredictable and adaptable nature of viruses, that low risk could potentially change at any time. This is especially true now that dairy cattle have contracted the disease in the United States.

Let’s take a closer look at how bird flu affects humans, and how to protect yourself.

What is bird flu?

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is an infectious disease that typically spreads amongst birds. In 2022 alone, the virus caused the deaths of 3.8 million birds in the UK, most of which were killed on farms that had detected the disease amongst their flock.

There are several strains of the disease. Some of the most well known are H5N1 and H5N8. Recently, other strains have been identified in some previously untouched populations, including penguins in the Antarctic and albatross in the Galapagos.

The virus is not only reaching new locales; it is also spreading amongst other species. Infections have now been diagnosed in a variety of mammals, from dairy cattle across various parts of United States to polar bears in the state of Alaska.

Thanks in large part to the unprecedented spread of the virus, epidemiologists are becoming increasingly worried about the risk it poses to humans.

Can humans catch bird flu?

Yes, humans can catch bird flu, although human cases are rare. Several human infections have already been reported, mostly among those directly involved with birds.

What causes bird flu?

Bird flu is a virus caused by tiny molecules that break into healthy cells, leading to an infection. Most human cases are contracted by people who interact directly with infected birds, carcasses, or certain environments.

While more rare, there have been some human cases contracted from consuming dishes with uncooked poultry blood. According to the National Health Service, you can’t get bird flu from consuming fully cooked meat or eggs.

How bird flu spreads to humans

Person-to-person spread of bird flu is extremely rare. However, experts warn that the virus could adapt and change in order to infect and spread among new species, potentially resulting in the emergence of the next global pandemic.

Touching infected birds

Interacting with infected birds is currently one of the biggest risk factors for contracting bird flu. But not all infected birds are relegated to farms. Bird flu is also very common among wild bird populations, and companion birds can also contract the disease.

Touching droppings or bedding

Though you may be tempted to pick up and explore that old bird’s nest, you might want to think twice. The bedding or droppings of infected birds can carry bird flu. In fact, the virus can survive for weeks, depending on environmental conditions.

Killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking

The process of preparing infected meat could put you at risk of contracting the virus. Maintaining a clean and sanitary environment, and avoiding cross contamination (or avoiding preparing meat altogether), is important for preventing infection.

Can humans get bird flu from eating eggs?

As long as eggs are fully cooked, you’re not going to get bird flu from eating them. That means no raw or runny eggs, raw cookie dough, and uncooked batter.

What are the symptoms of bird flu in humans?

Bird flu in humans shows up similarly to other types of influenza infections. Some common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Shortness of breath
• Pink eye

In other animals, however, the disease can present differently. In chickens for example, the disease is often fatal.

Can bird flu kill humans?

Yes, bird flu can be deadly for people. Over the last thirty years, bird flu has killed 52 percent of the people it’s infected.

What should I do if I suspect I have bird flu?

If you think you’re showing symptoms of bird flu and have been around infected birds within the last ten days, the National Health Service recommends calling 111, or reaching out to the service online to get your symptoms checked.

Why is bird flu dangerous?

While avian flu isn’t an immediate threat to most humans, the virus has already proven capable of adapting in order to infect new species. Perhaps most concerning is the transmission to cattle, as cow udders contain the same flu receptors as both birds and people, meaning they could be uniquely situated to bridge the virus to mutate and be more of a threat to humans.

How is avian flu linked to chicken farming?

Factory farms raising chickens provide the perfect environment for the spread of diseases like bird flu. That’s one reason many farms administer antibiotics preventatively: to keep diseases from spreading.

The problem is that on farms, birds are packed together by the thousands into sheds, and often spend their days standing in dirty litter. Making matters worse, broiler chickens are so young that they don’t have fully developed immune systems until just before they’re sent to slaughter.

Now, in the face of increasing risk, producers are turning toward vaccinating their birds against the virus - instead of reforming farm conditions to reduce the risk of spread.

How can we prevent bird flu?

The risk of contracting bird flu may be low, but it’s not zero. The best thing to prevent bird flu is to work toward improving conditions on factory farms, as well as cutting poultry out of your diet.

Factory farms are hotbeds for bird flu, due in large part to the thousands of birds forced to live together in highly concentrated conditions. Providing more space and better welfare for chickens decreases the risk of bird flu spread.

We’re fighting to eliminate the worst chicken suffering on factory farms. The better the environment and living conditions for birds on farms, the less risk of disease spread and mutation. Join us in our fight against factory farming.