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Commonly Asked Questions About Avian Flu (subtype H5N1)
Reporting sick or dead wild birds in California
- To report a dead wild bird: 1-877-WNV-BIRD (CDHS). If you have Internet access, report directly at http://vector.ucdavis.edu/cfm/deadbird2.cfm
- To report a group of 5 or more dead birds: call 707-944-5400 (California Department of Fish and Game Regional Office)
- To report a sick wild bird: call your local rehabilitation clinic or humane society; in Marin County, the Marin Humane Society is fielding these calls at 415-883-4621
Important references and links about Avian Flu
What is PRBO doing about Avian Flu?
- PRBO is participating in national efforts to sample wild birds for all subtypes of avian influenza viruses (not just H5N1) in order to better understand how such viruses are spread. This includes cloacal and throat sampling of shorebirds in California and Alaska, as part of a flu sampling project being done in collaboration with USGS and USFWS; and cloacal sampling of landbirds at select California research sites where we area already handling birds, in collaboration with UCLA, the Institute for Bird Populations, and the Landbird Migration Monitoring Network of the Americas.
- PRBO is staying on the forefront of knowledge about the status and potential threat of the avian flu virus.
- PRBO is making our vast knowledge of bird populations and bird movements available to researchers studying the transmission of avian flu among wild birds.
- PRBO has implemented bird handling guidelines to protect the birds we study from transmission of avian flu through our research activities.
- PRBO has implemented bird handling guidelines to protect our biologists and the public from the spread of avian flu through our research activities.
- PRBO is sharing these bird handling guidelines with interested outside parties.
Is Avian Flu (H5N1) going to hit the United States?
- Scientists studying the disease have stated publicly that avian flu H5N1 could be found in birds in the U.S. as early as Fall 2006. This prediction is an estimate based upon the rate of spread of the virus in other countries as well as patterns of wild bird migration and poultry farms. Even if this prediction does not prove accurate, it is expected that avian flu H5N1 will eventually reach North America (more of a question of when, and not if, it will arrive).
Can I get Avian Flu (H5N1) from wild birds?
- As of today, there is no known case of avian flu being transmitted from wild birds to people, and there are no reported cases of avian flu in people in North America.
- People who work closely with birds (e.g., biologists, hunters, poultry workers) should nevertheless take precautions to avoid potential contamination.
- Because avian flu H5N1 currently does not spread as an upper respiratory tract infection, it is thought to be much more difficult to transmit than viruses such as the common flu or the common cold.
- Avian flu H5N1 would need to mutate before it could be transmitted more easily.
What birds are most susceptible to Avian Flu (H5N1)?
- Domestic poultry, such as chickens and domestic waterfowl, are most susceptible to avian flu H5N1.
- Cases of avian flu H5N1 in wild birds have been most commonly found in waterfowl. As of Feb 20, 2006 swans have been found to be H5N1-positive in Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovenia. H5N1 has also appeared in Egypt and Nigeria although it is not yet known how the virus was spread. Other wild birds that have been found with the deadly strain of flu include: ducks, geese, buzzards, grouse, cormorants, gulls, starlings, pigeons and goshawks. Laboratory results suggest many other types of birds are susceptible as well if exposed.
How is Avian Flu (H5N1) transmitted?
- The avian flu H5N1 virus is transmitted through contact with fecal droppings, saliva, and nasal discharge of birds, and originated in domestic poultry such as chickens.
- Avian flu H5N1 is currently is not efficient at transmission to humans, as it preferentially affects the lower respiratory and not the upper respiratory tract.
What is being done about Avian Flu (H5N1) in the United States?
- The U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, and USDA/APHIS are implementing a surveillance and detection program for 2006. This program will provide an early warning to the agriculture, public health, and wildlife communities should migratory birds be found to carry the virus in North America.
Other facts
- Each year there is a flu season for birds just like there is for people, with some forms being worse than others.
- It is safe to eat properly prepared (well cooked) poultry.
- The US has dealt with outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza three times in the in the last one hundred years and have successfully prevented any associated outbreaks in humans.
- We do not yet know what the conservation implications of avian flu H5N1 might be for many populations. It has already had a impact on the population of one already threatened Asian species, the Bar-headed Goose.
What people can do
- If you feed birds, watch your feeders for sick birds and clean feeders regularly to prevent the spread of all avian diseases between birds.
- If you hunt or otherwise handle wild birds, follow these recommendations:
- Keep your game birds cool, clean and dry.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning your birds.
- Use disposable, surgical latex gloves when handling birds, and properly dispose of them when done.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes after handling birds.
- Clean all tools and surfaces immediately afterwards. Use hot soapy water, then disinfect with a 10-percent chlorine bleach solution.
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