Does influenza affect birds?

However, avian influenza A viruses are very contagious among birds, and some of these viruses can sicken and even kill certain domesticated bird species, including chickens, ducks and turkeys. Infected birds can shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.

What type of flu affects birds and humans?

H5N1 is the most common form of bird flu. 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 , H5N1 was first discovered in humans in 1997 and has killed nearly 60 percent of those infected.

Can humans get flu from birds?

People catch bird flu by close contact with birds or bird droppings. 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.

Which type of influenza can be carried by both humans and animals?

Key facts. Humans can be infected with avian, swine and other zoonotic influenza viruses, such as avian influenza virus subtypes A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2) and swine influenza virus subtypes A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and A(H3N2).

Is there a bird flu outbreak?

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in chicken and turkey flocks has spread across 24 U.S. states since it was first detected in Indiana on Feb. 8, 2022.

Can you get bird flu from bird feeders?

Although songbirds are less vulnerable than other species to avian flu, there is still the possibility of avian flu spreading at your feeding station if it is near domestic poultry flocks or if waterfowl, raptors, or other wild birds visit.

What is bird flu in humans?

Avian influenza or bird flu refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans.

Can animals pass the flu to humans?

While it is unusual for people to get influenza infections directly from animals, sporadic human infections and outbreaks caused by certain avian influenza A viruses have been reported.

Which virus is responsible for bird flu?

Overview. 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.

What kind of birds carry bird flu?

Waterfowl, such as swans, ducks, and geese, are the type of birds that are most likely to be infected with avian influenza. Although wild backyard birds and pigeons are unlikely to get infected with avian influenza, it is always best to minimize contact with fecal material.

What happens if humans get 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.

Should I take down my bird feeder 2022?

The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota tweeted on April 19, 2022, recommending that people in U.S. states with HPAI take bird feeders down for a couple of months this spring, to help decrease the spread of this virus.

Can cats catch influenza B from humans?

Humans aren’t the only ones at risk for contracting the flu this season: our furry friends can fall ill from the disease as well. In fact, flu infections in cats and dogs may be much more common than thought, experts say. And pets can catch the flu from their owners, research finds.