Can people get avian influenza?
While rare, human infections with avian influenza viruses have occurred. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public from HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks, and commercial poultry, to be low.
To date, no humans or other mammals have shown signs of disease from the HPAI viruses found in North America but field personnel handling live or dead wild birds should take appropriate precautions including wearing protective clothing when handling sick wildlife or potentially diseased wildlife or carcasses.
Learn more: USGS Avian Influenza
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What is Avian Influenza?
Avian Flu From Abroad Can Spread in North American Poultry, Wild Birds
Some avian influenza, or bird flu, viruses that are able to enter North America from other continents through migrating birds can be deadly to poultry and can infect waterfowl populations, according to a recently published U.S. Geological Survey study.
Unusual Suspects: Diving Ducks and Avian influenza
Due to the global threat to health and human safety posed by avian influenza monitoring has been conducted in the United States to determine the prevalence of such viruses in our wild waterfowl.
Avian Flu Testing of Wild Ducks Informs Biosecurity and Can Reduce Economic Loss
Ducks in North America can be carriers of avian influenza viruses similar to those found in a 2016 outbreak in Indiana that led to the losses of hundreds of thousands of chickens and turkeys, according to a recent study.
Alaska Still a Likely Portal for Avian Influenza
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The U.S. Geological Survey released additional evidence that western Alaska remains a hot spot for avian influenza to enter North America.
USGS Statement Regarding Avian Flu Found in Washington State Green-Winged Teal
Some media are reporting that the Asian H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza has now entered the United States. This is incorrect.
Avian Flu in Seals Could Infect People
The avian flu virus that caused widespread harbor seal deaths in 2011 can easily spread to and infect other mammals and potentially humans.
North Atlantic May Be a New Route for Spread of Avian Flu to North America
The North Atlantic region is a newly discovered important pathway for avian influenza to move between Europe and North America, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report published today.
Collecting a sample to test for Avian Influenza
Avian influenza among wild waterfowl is a concern among resource managers and owners of domestic fowl. The scientists take a sample to process at the lab.
Avian Influenza: A Wild and Domestic Disease
Potential spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 strains by wild migratory ducks. H5N1 strains isolated from outbreaks in South Korea, Russia, and Japan from April to May 2008 were closely related to each other and to strains isolated from Dongting Lake in March 2008 from domestic chickens, ducks, and water. (Cappelle et al. 2014, EcoHealth).
Avian Influenza Transmission Risk Model Web Application
Avian Influenza Transmission Risk Model Web Application -- Screen shot of an interactive web application that provides visualizations of avian influenza virus risk factors and models at the interface of wild and domestic birds. - A virtual tour
...Avian influenza virus
Digitally-colorized negative-stained transmission electron micrograph of avian influenza viruses. Credit CDC/F.A. Murphy
Visual History of Worldwide Avian Influenza Outbreaks
For more information on avian influenza, see http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/ai. Two currently circulating avian influenza viruses, highly pathogenic A(H5N1) and low pathogenic A(H7N9) (hereafter H5N1 and H7N9) are of particular concern due to their high case-fatality rates (approximately 60 and 30% currently), and economic impact to the
Avian Influenza Transmission Risk Model Web Application Virtual Tour
The Avian Influenza Transmission Risk Model web application depicts the intricate connections between 16 layers of administrative, environmental, and economic data in an application that runs inside a web browser. To view and manipulate the full web application, please visit http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/ai. The full web application
Emperor Geese, central coast, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge
USGS Avian Flu Research
A biological technician of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center tests chicken eggs inoculated with a field sample from wild birds to detect the presence of avian influenza virus.
PubTalk 10/2014 — Wolf and Elk Diseases in Yellowstone
by Paul Cross, USGS Research Wildlife Biologist
- What can diseases of wildlife tell us about the emergence of human pandemics?
- Why is a bacterial disease expanding to animals beyond the Greater Yellowstone area?
- How are diseases affecting Yellowstone wolves?
Blue-winged teal in Texas. Inset shows avian influenza virus
Blue-winged teal in Texas. Inset shows avian influenza virus
Releasing Forster’s Tern Chicks after Sampling for Avian Flu
Scientists prepare to release Forster's Tern chicks following sampling for avian influenza study.