Health Topic

Bird Flu

The bird flu (also known as influenza A or the avian flu) primarily infects birds, but can pose health risks to people. Learn how to avoid this flu.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Avian flu · Avian influenza · H5N1 · H7N9

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Bird Flu

Birds, just like people, can get the flu. Another name for bird flu is avian influenza. The viruses that cause bird flu normally only infect birds, including chickens, other poultry, and wild birds such as ducks. But sometimes the viruses can infect other animals and, in rare cases, people.

A few types of these viruses have caused most of the infections in people. They are the H5N1, H7N9, and H5N6 viruses. These infections in people have mainly been in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Pacific, and the Near East. Although it's very rare, there have also been some infections in people in the United States.

The most common ways you can get bird flu are from:

  • Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after handling infected live or dead birds
  • Touching surfaces or handling items contaminated by bird flu viruses and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
  • Breathing in droplets or dust contaminated with the virus

It's also possible (but very rare) to get bird flu from:

  • Another type of animal who has bird flu. Bird flu can also infect many other animals, including some dogs, cats, certain wild and zoo animals, and livestock such as cattle. These animals can then spread the flu to people.
  • Another person.
  • Eating poultry, eggs, and beef that were not properly handled and cooked.
  • Drinking raw milk.

Certain people may be more likely to get bird flu, including:

  • Poultry workers
  • Animal handlers
  • Wildlife biologists
  • Disease control workers
  • Research laboratory workers
  • Veterinarians
  • People who travel to countries where bird flu is present

Sometimes bird flu doesn't cause any symptoms. But if you do feel sick, your symptoms can range from mild to severe. Often, the symptoms are similar to the (seasonal) flu, such as:

  • Fever (but not everyone has a fever)
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Eye redness (conjunctivitis)
  • Trouble breathing
  • Diarrhea

People with severe illness from bird flu may have pneumonia and might need to be hospitalized.

Laboratory testing is used to diagnose bird flu. It's usually done with a nasal or throat swab. This testing is more accurate when the swab is collected during the first few days of illness.

For people who are severely ill, health care providers may do testing of a different sample, such as fluid taken during a bronchoalveolar lavage or other procedure.

Bird flu is treated with antiviral medicines. It's important to get them as soon as possible. The medicines may make your illness less severe.

You may also be given antiviral medicines if you were exposed to a person or animal who has the virus. This may help prevent you from getting sick.

There is currently no vaccine available to the public. The government has developed a virus that is similar to some H5N1 viruses. The virus could be used to produce a vaccine for people, if needed.

It's important to take precautions to prevent bird flu:

  • If you have a job or pastime that puts you in contact with birds or other animals, make sure to use proper protective equipment.
  • Otherwise try to avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water after touching birds or other animals.
  • Since it's possible to get bird flu through some foods, make sure to handle and cook your food safely and avoid raw milk.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

It sits within Infections and Lungs and Breathing.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Bird Flu

214 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Start Here

Symptoms

Prevention and Risk Factors

Related Issues

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype, Influenza in Birds, Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Bird Flu, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.