Know the Facts About Bird Flu

Learn about avian influenza (bird flu) risks, transmission and symptoms, and proper use of personal protective equipment with OSHA’s resources.

Overview
Commonly known as avian flu or bird flu, avian influenza is a disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide, including ducks, geese, swans, and storks, and can infect domesticated birds like chickens and turkeys. Some bird flu viruses can infect and spread to other animals as well. Bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with bird flu viruses have occurred.

While uncommon, workers can be infected after unprotected exposure to infected birds/animals when enough virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth, is inhaled, or when a person touches something that has virus on it and then touches their mouth, eyes, or nose. Animals with avian flu shed the virus in their bodily fluids.

Avian Influenza H5N1 was first seen in the U.S. in wild, migratory birds in 2015, and in agricultural poultry stock beginning in 2022. While there is currently no evidence of person to person spread, a small number of workers exposed to infected animals have been infected with H5N1. Since 2022, millions of birds have been culled because of bird flu infection in the United States. H5N1 infections in mammals have since been reported across the U.S., Canada, and other parts of the world. The 2024 infections among dairy herds were the first reported instances of H5N1 causing disease in cattle.