Avian Influenza

*Say you are reporting a potential animal disease* 

Birds act as hosts to influenza viruses by carrying the virus in their intestines and shedding it in bodily fluids, such as saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Other birds become infected when they come in contact with these fluids. Humans can become infected through contact with infected poultry or contaminated fluids. Avian flu can spread from birds to people and cause serious illness and even death.

Avian influenza has not mutated to a point where it could easily spread from person-to-person. It's difficult to predict if – or when – that might happen, or if it will result in an influenza pandemic. People who have gotten sick with avian influenza have been in direct contact with infected birds.

Symptoms of avian influenza in humans range from typical influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia and other severe and life-threatening complications.

Health care providers will tell patients  how to treat their illness, depending on the severity of their symptoms. Treatment may include hospitalization, supportive care and/or the use of antivirals. Studies have shown that one antiviral drug called Tamiflu (oseltamivir) may possibly protect against the H5N1 strain of influenza.  

Disease Basics:  

Avian Influenza, or bird flu, is a virus that infects domestic poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail,  ducks, geese, and wild birds, particularly waterfowl. Direct contact with infected birds, contaminated objects  or equipment, and aerosol (short distances) can spread the virus, which is found in feces, saliva, and  respiratory secretions.  

Signs and Symptoms in Birds:  

• Decreased food consumption, huddling, depression, closed  eyes
• Respiratory signs, such as coughing and sneezing
• Decreased egg production, watery greenish diarrhea,  excessive thirst 
• Swollen wattles and combs 

Protecting your Flock from Avian Influenza:  

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection (DATCP) recommends adding these  practices to your routine:  

• Restrict access to your property and keep your birds away from other birds. 
• Keep a designated pair of shoes to wear around your birds, wash clothing after visiting your birds, and  use disinfectants correctly. 
• Clean and disinfect cages, poultry equipment, and car tires after visiting a farm store, poultry swap, or  other location where birds are present. 
• Keep new birds separate from your flock for 30 days; quarantine returning birds from the rest of your  flock after visiting a poultry swap, exhibition, or other event. 
• Do not share equipment or supplies with others. If you must, disinfect it first. 
• Wash hands before and after bird handling. 

Register your premises through WLIC (Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium):  

• It is required by law to register the following animals:  

○ Poultry (includes domesticated fowl like chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, squab,  ratites like rheas, ostriches, emus, cassowaries, kiwi, and captive game birds like pheasants,  quail, wild turkeys, migratory wildfowl, pigeons, and exotic birds raised for hunting, which are  raised in captivity) 

• If you have already registered, you are required to renew registration every 3 years and it is free of cost. 

○ Registration helps protect animal health by assisting the state animal health officials to respond  quickly to an animal health emergency and they will be able to contact you immediately if there  is a disease outbreak in your area.  

You can fill out the form online, print and mail, or fax it to:  

Community Resources:

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Travelers' Health website 
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Information on Bird Flu
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pandemic Influenza
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) How Infected Backyard Poultry Could Spread Bird Flu to People
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) What To Know About Bird Flu
• Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Homepage on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Wisconsin
• Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP): Avian and Pets
• Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) press release for Confirmed HPAI in Jefferson County Flock
• Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) Avian Influenza
• Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) H5N1 Avian Flu H5N1 avian flu strikes condors in Arizona; more detections reported in pet cats
• What Employers Should Know About Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), P-03308 
• What Workers Should Know About Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), P-03308a
• Fact Sheet: USDA Continues Partner Engagement to Mitigate Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza for 2023 Season
• National Institutes of Health: Strategies for Controlling Avian Influenza in Birds and Mammals
• Jefferson County Health Department Letter to Registered Poultry Flock Owners 
• CDC: Technical Report: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) viruses
• DNR Recommends precautions for hunters handling wild game to prevent exposure to highly pathogenic avian influenza