Can Humans Contract Bird Flu? | Portland Personal Injury Lawyers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the H5 bird flu that is currently sweeping through poultry farms nationwide poses no health issue to the public.

A new wave of bird flu has affected 40% of states along with tens of millions of birds, says the CDC, but the disease poses a low threat to the public. The strain of flu, known as H5 bird flu, has not yet been detected in any humans. However, poultry producers are suffering financially and the outbreak could potentially impact the price of food.

Details About the H5 Flu Outbreak

• Occurring in 20 states
• Detected in approximately 220 facilities
• 47 million birds affected
• Outbreak has touched about 10 percent of the country’s egg-producing hen population and 7-8 percent of the total turkey population

Whenever an outbreak like this occurs, it is important to note the facts. The most important takeaway is that H5 bird flu cannot be transmitted from birds to humans. Poultry producers terminate the affected birds and destroy their eggs. Although in the past decade there have been hundreds of cases of humans contracting bird flu, this has not been the case with this outbreak. The cases of bird flu in humans that have occurred in recent years were the result of close contact with sick or infected birds.

Due to the rarity of bird flu in humans, symptoms alone are not enough to make a diagnosis. Doctors will have to conduct laboratory tests to determine what type of virus is present. Avian influenza in humans is treated through influenza antiviral drugs and sometimes more serious measures.