Bird Flu
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If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately. Do not rely on this website for urgent medical advice; always consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.
How Can We Help?
We are excited to announce that Pretorian Labs now has the advanced capability to test for H5N1, a subcategory of Influenza A. With this new service, we can provide more accurate diagnoses for patients who test positive for Influenza A, as the result could indicate the presence of the H5N1 variant.
This expansion is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting public health and disease prevention efforts. By quickly identifying H5N1, we aim to collaborate with local and state health departments to track this potentially deadly virus. Trust Pretorian Labs for precise, reliable, and cutting-edge diagnostic testing.
Diagnosis & Tests
How is bird flu diagnosed?
Healthcare providers can diagnose avian flu with a throat or nose swab. Current tests will detect highly pathogenic H5N1 (bird flu) as influenza A. Labs don’t routinely test all positive influenza A swabs for avian flu, so you have to let your provider know that you’ve been in contact with birds, cows or other animals that could be infected. Then, if the test is positive for influenza A, the lab will send the sample to a special lab to be tested for bird flu.
What’s the mortality rate of bird flu?
Overall, the mortality (death) rate for bird flu in humans is high — historically, about half of all people with known infections have died. But most recent cases in the U.S. have been mild.
Overview
What is bird flu?
Bird flu (avian influenza) is an infection from a type of influenza (flu) virus that usually spreads in birds and other animals. Sometimes, humans can get bird flu from infected animals. Like the versions of flu that people usually get, bird flu can make you severely ill. It’s extremely rare for it to spread from person to person.
You might hear about bird flu when there’s an outbreak affecting large numbers of birds or other animals. This is concerning because it increases the risk of human infection, can affect wildlife and can reduce the food supply. There have been ongoing cases of human infections in the U.S. since 2024.
Types of Bird Flu?
There are many subtypes of avian flu. The recent cases in humans in the U.S. are influenza A(H5). The most common subtypes that have spread to humans in the past have been influenza A(H5N1) and influenza A(H7N9). The types of proteins on the surface of the virus determine the names of these subtypes.
Bird Flu (Avian Influenza)
Avian influenza, commonly called “bird flu,” is a viral infection that spreads in birds, cows and other animals. It can sometimes spread to people. In humans, H5 subtypes of influenza A are the most common cause. It can cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms and pink eye. People who work with poultry, waterfowl and dairy cows are most at risk.
Symptoms & Causes
What are Symptoms of Bird Flu?
Fever • Fatigue • Cough • Muscle aches • Sore throat • Nausea and vomiting • Diarrhea • Stuffy or runny nose • Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
Symptoms & Causes
What causes Bird Flu?
A type of influenza A virus, often H5N1 in humans, causes bird flu. The virus can infect your upper respiratory tract and lungs, and sometimes spread to other parts of your body like your brain.
How does bird flu spread?
Humans can get bird flu if they come in contact with an infected animal’s body fluid, like spit (saliva), milk, respiratory droplets or poop (feces). You can breathe it in from small dust particles in animal habitats or get it into your eyes, nose or mouth after touching body fluids.
You don’t get bird flu from eating properly cooked poultry or eggs or from drinking pasteurized milk. Any flocks known to have avian flu virus are immediately taken out of the human food supply.
Is bird flu contagious?
Bird flu is very rarely contagious (spread from person to person), but there have been a few cases of spread between humans. None of these happened in the U.S. In almost all cases so far, human bird flu infections have come from contact with infected animals. But any time a human is infected, it's possible that the virus could spread to other humans.
What are the risk factors for bird flu?
People who work with poultry, waterfowl (like ducks or geese) and dairy cows are at the highest risk for bird flu.
Outlook & Prognosis
What can I expect if I have bird flu?
Some people with bird flu only have mild symptoms, or even no symptoms at all. If you get severely ill, you’ll need to stay in the hospital so a healthcare team can monitor your symptoms and treat you for complications right away.
Articles
WKYC 3 News
Ohio is leading the country when it comes to the bird flu virus, and health experts are trying to raise public awareness, Kaitor Kay has more from Summit County.
READ MORE +ODH
The Ohio Department of Health is reporting the state’s first probable human case of influenza A(H5).
READ MORE +CDC
After delay, CDC releases data signaling bird flu spread undetected in cows and people.
READ MORE +