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Avian Influenza in wild birds, pets and people General Background Information
Avian influenza is broadly divided into highly pathogenic (HPAI) and low pathogenic (LPAI) strains based on its ability to cause disease in poultry. Low pathogenic AI is a natural infection of waterfowl that may cause minimal to no signs of disease in domestic poultry and wild birds. Highly pathogenic AI is rarely found in waterfowl, and causes severe disease in domestic poultry with a high mortality rate that can reach 90-100% often within 48 hours. The AI virus that has infected birds in Asia, Europe, and Africa since the end of 2003 is highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (H5N1 HPAI). To date, H5N1 HPAI has not been found in birds in North America, including the United States, South America or the Caribbean. Infected birds shed influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated secretions or excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds. Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus. Contact with contaminated droppings is the most common means of bird-to-bird transmission, but airborne secretions are another important means of transmission, especially within poultry houses. Feces from wild ducks can introduce low pathogenic AI (LPAI) into domestic flocks raised on range or in open flight pens. The risk from avian influenza is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. However, confirmed cases of human infection from several subtypes of avian influenza infection have been reported since 1997. Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry (e.g., domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys) or surfaces contaminated with secretion/excretions from infected birds. The spread of avian influenza viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely, and has been limited and inefficient . Nonetheless, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that H5N1 virus one day could be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If H5N1 virus were to gain the capacity to spread easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. Following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Avian Influenza:
What's being done to stop avian influenza from spreading in birds?
Can I get avian influenza from eating or preparing
poultry or eggs? Should I avoid feeding ducks and geese at the local park? How can companion birds become infected? Can they spread the virus? Can I get highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection from my pet bird? What can exotic waterfowl breeders/fanciers do to protect their birds? How should I safely dispose of dead birds?
Can domestic cats be infected with avian influenza
viruses?
Can dogs be infected with avian influenza?
More Questions
What animals can be infected with avian influenza A
(H5N1) viruses? How stable is highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in the environment? Does testing for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection require euthanasia? Where do I look for additional information and resources? In Birds
The USDA recognizes the potential threat to human health and has therefore increased its surveillance and control efforts to detect HPAI and, if found, contain and eradicate HPAI in domestic poultry. In 2006, the US commercial chicken industry started a voluntary program to test each flock on the farm before it is sent to slaughter. Any flock identified as having positive results of testing for either the H5 or H7subtype of influenza A virus will be depopulated and disposed of in a safe, environmentally responsible manner. Also in 2006, surveillance to detect H5N1 HPAI in wild birds in the United States was greatly expanded. USDA and the Department of the Interior are collecting and testing at least 125,000 samples from wild birds or their immediate environment (in all four major flyways in the United States) for the presence of AI viruses, specifically looking for H5N1 HPAI.
Can I get avian influenza from eating or preparing
poultry or eggs? So to stay safe, the advice is the same for protecting against any infection from poultry:
The U.S. government carefully controls domestic and imported food products, and in 2004 issued a ban on importation of poultry from countries affected by avian influenza viruses, including the H5N1 strain.
Is there
a risk in handling feather products that come from countries experiencing
outbreaks of avian influenza A (H5N1)?
We have a
small flock of chickens. Is it safe to keep them?
Is there
a risk to importing pet birds that come from countries experiencing outbreaks of
avian influenza A (H5N1)?
Can a person become infected with avian influenza A
(H5N1) virus by cleaning a bird feeder? Should I avoid feeding ducks and geese at the local park?
The strain of H5N1
highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that has circulated in Asia, Africa,
and Europe has not yet been identified in the United States, so the risk that
ducks or geese in your local park are infected is currently very low. Whether or
not feeding wildlife is appropriate depends on the situation/environment,
species, and availability of suitable food; however, to date, casual contact has
not been demonstrated to be an important means of transmission of the H5N1 HPAI
virus from birds to people. How can companion birds become infected? Can they spread the virus? Even if H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza were to be detected in the United States, indoor birds would be at very low risk of becoming infected. Birds housed outdoors should be protected from contact with wild migratory birds (especially waterfowl and shorebirds), their droppings, and water frequented by waterfowl and shorebirds. If infected, it may be possible for companion birds to spread the virus.
Can I get highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection from my pet bird? It is very unlikely. To date, there is one reported incident of a human contracting AI from very close contact with (de-feathering) a dead wild swan; all other incidents of human infection have resulted from exposure to infected domestic poultry, including domestic waterfowl. Whether other species of birds can transmit H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to humans is not known.
Should H5N1 HPAI be
introduced into the United States, only those pet birds with exposure to
infected wild birds or infected poultry could ever become infected with H5N1
HPAI. How can I protect my bird(s) if the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus is found in the United States? Biosecurity is the first line of defense against transmission of avian influenza (AI) to birds, including companion birds and commercial and backyard poultry. Prevent contact between your birds and wild birds, live bird markets, and any source of water that may have been contaminated by wild birds. Consideration should be given to moving flocks and individual birds housed outdoors to indoor accommodations if exposure to wild birds and their feces is likely. Access to poultry farms should be restricted to essential workers and vehicles, and all equipment and vehicles that enter and leave the farm should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. In addition, equipment, personnel, and vehicles should not be loaned to (or borrowed from) other farms. Birds obtained from live bird markets or via slaughter channels should not be brought back to the farm.
Protecting waterfowl from infection is problematic, because such birds are the
natural hosts of all known AI viruses. The only practical measure to limit
exposure to pathogenic strains of AI virus is to exclude wild or feral waterfowl
from ponds and sources of water supplying the pond. Waterfowl may need to be
brought indoors for short periods during an outbreak of AI. What can exotic waterfowl breeders/fanciers do to protect their birds? Exotic waterfowl breeders and fanciers should exclude wild and feral waterfowl from their ponds and, if possible, the water source feeding those ponds. If an outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza occurs in close proximity to kept birds, those waterfowl should be penned indoors or in sheltered enclosures until the danger has passed.
How should I safely dispose of dead birds? In the case of wild birds, the nearest office of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services should be notified so that appropriate personnel can determine whether the carcasses qualify for avian influenza (AI) testing (or another potentially infectious disease of concern). Carcasses should not be disturbed until that decision is made. Report sick or dead birds to the PA Wildlife Service State Director in Harrisburg at 1-866-4USDA-WS. If a farm or pet bird has died, and if H5N1 HPAI infection is suspected, your veterinarian should alert the appropriate animal health officials, including the USDA, the State Veterinarian or the State Public Health Veterinarian If it is determined that it is appropriate to dispose of a dead bird, place the bird in a plastic bag and seal it. Try to avoid direct contact with the bird; wear disposable gloves, if available. If gloves are not available, turn the plastic bag inside out, use it as a cover for your hand to grasp the bird, and then pull the bag back over your hand to enclose the bird. You can then dispose of the bird by the means recommended by the USDA, the State Veterinarian, or the State Public Health Veterinarian. CDC has developed handling guidelines for dead birds.
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How do cats
become infected with avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses?
How
commonly have cats been infected with avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses?
Can cats
spread H5N1 to people?
What is the
current risk that a cat in the United States will become infected with influenza
A (H5N1)?
In Dogs
What is the
current risk that a dog in the United States will become infected with avian
influenza A (H5N1)?
More Questions Is there a vaccine available to protect companion animals against highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus? Currently, there is no USDA-licensed vaccine to protect against H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza available for use in companion animals.
What animals
can be infected with avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses? Can animals "shed" the virus before clinical signs are observed? The incubation period is the time between infection and the appearance of signs of disease. "Shedding," as it applies to viruses, means that the animal's secretions and/or droppings contain viral particles that may infect other animals or people. Some animals (e.g., growing poultry) rapidly show clinical signs of disease and simultaneously shed virus. Other animals, including some species of waterfowl, may appear clinically healthy, but be shedding the virus. The incubation and shedding periods for avian influenza virus in many species are not known.
How stable is highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in the environment? Avian influenza (AI) viruses are sensitive to most detergents and disinfectants, and heating and drying will inactivate them. However, AI viruses may persist in soil, feces, and pond water for varying amounts of time, depending on environmental conditions. The ability of AI viruses to survive in the environment depends on temperature and humidity. According to a 1998 study,1 the stability of the Hong Kong H5N1 highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) virus in wet feces in the environment was more than 40 days at 4°C (39.2°F). The virus becomes less stable as the temperature increases: at 25°C (77°F) the virus was stable for 8 days and at 35°C (95°F) the virus was stable for only 2 days. The same study reported that H5N1 HPAI virus in dry feces at 25°C (77°F) was stable for only 1 day.
Should I be concerned about highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza causing a problem in the United States? Be aware, but not overly concerned. Vigilance is the proper response. H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has not been detected in the United States to date, and it is highly unlikely that H5N1 HPAI will infect US commercial poultry production facilities due to strict bio-security measures at these facilities. Multiple safeguards are in place to monitor avian influenza (AI) in commercial bird flocks, and modern production facilities are designed to minimize the likelihood of spread between flocks should infection occur. Poultry maintained outdoors is at somewhat higher risk. Other potential sources of infection, like live bird markets (retail stores where customers can purchase live birds that are then slaughtered, dressed, and packaged on site) are closely monitored for the presence of AI by federal and state surveillance programs. Waterfowl and wading birds maintained on open ponds are at higher risk of infection if the virus reaches North America. Everyone, including pet owners, should be aware of the potential of H5N1 HPAI to cause disease and death, as well as how it can be transmitted. If H5N1 HPAI is identified in North America, it may be wise to take some precautions, but there is no reason to abandon cats, dogs, or other pets because of concerns about contracting or spreading the virus.
Does testing for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection require euthanasia? Depending on the species of bird and situation, a necropsy may be warranted to determine whether a bird or flock of birds is infected with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza. Such a decision is best made following consultation with the USDA-APHIS Area Veterinarian-in-Charge, State Veterinarian, and State Public Health Veterinarian.
In the
absence of formal protocols developed and recommended by such regulatory
agencies, if an animal is suspected to be infected with avian influenza, it may
be appropriate to submit samples to at least one of the diagnostic laboratories
in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for preliminary
diagnosis before recommending euthanasia, particularly for companion animals.
If results of a test are positive, what will be done to the affected companion animal? Will it have to be euthanized? What about other pets in the household, including companion birds? Unfortunately, risks associated with transmission of avian influenza (AI) from companion animals to other animals and people have not been well documented, and making specific recommendations for management of affected animals is difficult. In general, pets should be quarantined and the premises disinfected if H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is suspected. In the absence of other recommendations, treatment of affected companion animals is symptomatic. Based on information currently available, the risk of H5N1 HPAI virus transmission from an infected cat or dog to a person or another animal appears to be very low, and euthanasia is unlikely to be necessary. Standard isolation procedures would be followed. Veterinarians and staff treating a dog or cat with a confirmed or suspected infection would maintain the dog or cat in an isolated cage in the clinic, and minimize direct contact. When handling, gloves, a mask, and protective eyewear would be worn. Surfaces and equipment, including food and water dishes and litter boxes, would be thoroughly disinfected. Disposable materials would be treated as bio-hazardous waste. Pets exhibiting clinical signs consistent with infection that remain at home should be confined in a separate room away from people and other animals. Owners should minimize direct contact with the animal, wear disposable gloves when handling it, and avoid being scratched or bitten. Confirmation of infection should be sought as soon as possible. Final decisions are likely to be made by public health authorities and may be highly situation-dependent. To date, formal recommendations regarding euthanasia of companion animals affected by H5N1 HPAI virus have not been made.
Where do I look for additional information and resources?
Links to Information about Avian Influenza:
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