Emergency Planning

Avian Influenza (bird flu) pandemic

Frequently asked questions

This fact sheet contains expert advice provided by the Health Protection Agency, and by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra). In addition some local information and advice is provided by our Emergency Planning Team. For further information, travel advice, and regular updates please see below:

For issues relating to humans - the Health Protection Agency website
For issues relating to animals - the Defra website

Should a bird or human influenza pandemic affect the UK, central government will issue clear advice to the public. We will also issue more specific local advice. It is not possible to issue all of this advice in advance because we will not know all of the facts until the pandemic occurs.

What is Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)? - An overview

Avian influenza is a disease of birds, not humans. People can become infected but rarely are. There are many strains of avian influenza viruses which vary in their ability to cause disease
Avian influenza viruses are categorised according to this ability to cause severe disease (pathogenicity) in avian species as either highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses or low pathogenic avian influenza
Low pathogenic avian influenza does not always cause obvious disease in birds. It is thought that influenza viruses circulate freely in the global wildfowl population
Some strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza spread easily and quickly between birds in poultry populations and cause severe disease, with a high death rate
There is a limited number of reported cases of person to person spread of avian influenza, but no evidence of sustained transmission between people
Avian influenza viruses can exchange genetic material with human influenza viruses in humans or susceptible animals to emerge as new viruses which may be capable of being spread easily between people. This is what makes avian influenza a potential threat to public health
The global human population may have little or no immunity to a new influenza virus that significantly differs from recent or existing strains of human influenza viruses. So any outbreak of avian influenza must be controlled quickly and workers and veterinarians in close contact with infected birds must be well protected

What is the present situation?

Since mid-December 2003, a growing number of countries have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in chickens and ducks. Infections in several species of wild birds and in pigs have also been reported.

The rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, with outbreaks occurring at the same time in several countries, is historically unprecedented and of great concern for human health as well as for agriculture.

Of particular concern, in terms of risks for human health, is the detection of a highly pathogenic strain, known as 'H5N1', as the cause of most of these outbreaks.

Most recently cases have been reported in Suffolk. Whilst this clearly raises the risk of avian influenza spreading to the rest of the UK it does not mean that this is a certainty. The UK has rigorous monitoring arrangements in place. It is expected that any occurrence would be quickly detected, thereby reducing the chance of widespread outbreaks within the UK.

What are the control measures in birds?

The most important control measures are rapid destruction ('culling' or 'stamping out') of all infected or exposed birds, proper disposal of carcasses, and the quarantining and rigorous disinfection of farms and poultry markets. It should be noted that a large outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Netherlands in 2003 was completely eradicated by poultry culling and limiting movement of commercial poultry.

What are the consequences of outbreaks in poultry?

Outbreaks of avian influenza, especially the highly pathogenic form, can be devastating for the poultry industry and for farmers. For this reason government authorities usually undertake aggressive emergency control measures as soon as an outbreak is detected.

What is the risk of catching Influenza A (H5N1) if I keep chickens or cage birds and what precautions can I take?

The risk of infection from domestic or wild birds is extremely low.

Avian influenza A (H5N1) is most commonly spread to humans through close contact with live and dead infected birds; the virus is shed in the faeces of such birds, so contact with faeces is a possible transmission route.

Where possible, domestic birds should be kept indoors to avoid contact with wild birds. The practice of thoroughly washing hands with soap and water (followed by drying) after contact with wild or domestic birds and ensuring any animal killed for meat is cooked thoroughly will help minimise the risk of infection from other diseases.

Could the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza spread through birds to the UK?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza can be introduced into the UK by the migration of wild birds, importation of birds for consumption or illegal importation of live birds.

Can humans be infected?

Yes, but this occurs rarely. In rare cases, some highly pathogenic avian influenza strains have lead to severe disease and deaths in people where infection has resulted from close contact with infected birds. The number of deaths across the world is small when compared with the huge number of birds affected and the numerous associated opportunities for human exposure, especially in areas where backyard flocks are common.

How are humans infected?

Humans are usually infected through close contact with live infected birds. Birds shed influenza virus in their faeces so contact with faeces (for example by visiting enclosures or markets where birds have been recently kept) is also a possible transmission route.

Direct contact with infected poultry, or surfaces and objects contaminated by their faeces, is presently considered the main route of human infection by the avian H5N1 virus.

To date, most human cases have occurred in rural or urban fringe areas where many households keep small poultry flocks, which often roam freely, sometimes entering homes or sharing outdoor areas where children play.

Exposure is considered most likely during slaughter, defeathering, butchering, and preparation of poultry for cooking. There is no evidence that properly cooked poultry or eggs can be a source of infection.

At present is there evidence of human-to-human infection?

There have been a limited number of well documented cases in which there is evidence to suggest person-to-person transmission but to date there is no evidence that the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has adapted to spread easily in humans.

Can I get avian influenza from handling wild birds?

The risk of transmission of avian influenza from wild birds to the general public is small. However, to minimise any risk it is advisable to carry out good general hygiene when handling wild birds, such as washing hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards.

Should I continue to feed wild birds?

Yes. The risk of transmission of avian influenza is small. You are at far more risk of infection from many other diseases that are common in wild bird populations.

Am I at risk from touching dead birds?

We recommend that members of the public do not handle dead birds. Although the risk of avian influenza may be low, birds carry other respiratory infections. Birds can also carry infections which can cause gastrointestinal infections such as Salmonella and Campylobacter.

If dead birds are handled, it is important to wash your hands and forearms with soap and water as soon as possible. Avoid touching your face and certainly do not eat until you have washed your hands. Clean any soiling on clothing with soap and water.

What should I do if I find a number of dead birds?

If you find 1 or more dead swans/wild fowl (ducks and geese), more than 3 dead birds of the same species or more than 5 dead birds of different species, in the same place, you should contact the Defra Helpline - 08459 33 55 77 (8.30am - 8pm, 7 days a week) - and choose the avian influenza option. You will be asked for details of your finding and its location.

There is no need to call the Helpline for normal / individual cases of dead birds. A wild bird die off is characterised by an unusual number of wild bird deaths in one area. The usual number of deaths depends on several things; for example, more deaths will be expected if the bird population is high, food is scarce or if the weather is bad. An unusually high number of deaths may involve several birds of 1 species, or a larger number of birds from several species.

If you notice the above numbers of dead wild birds, and are unable to contact the Defra helpline you can contact the local Animal Health Divisional Office directly on 01245 358 383 or night line (answerphone) on 01245 353 632.

What will happen next?

An experienced vet or scientist will assess details of the event. A decision will then be taken whether to investigate further, and arrangements will be made to collect the bird carcases. If not, it will be for the owner/manager of the land where the die off is reported to ensure proper disposal of the carcases. If this is on public land, we should be contacted to arrange for collection and disposal of the carcases.

Is it necessary to report deaths in birds kept in outside aviaries or game birds?

You should report cases where a number of birds have died within a short time and there could have been contact with migratory waterbirds. You are strongly advised to do this through your private veterinary surgeon.

I have seen people in protective clothing collecting dead birds. Does this mean they have found avian influenza?

No. The public should not be alarmed by sights of people in protective clothing collecting dead wild birds. This does not mean that Avian Influenza has been found in the area. It is likely that people collecting reported dead birds will wear protective clothing for their own personal safety and protection against several diseases that wild birds can carry that are infectious to people.

My dog found some dead birds. Does this mean it will get flu?

There is no evidence that any type of avian influenza has passed from avian species to dogs. So even in the unlikely event that the dead birds had died from avian influenza, the risk to your dog would be extremely low.

Do I have to worry about my pets eating or bringing dead birds in?

It is always sensible to prevent pets eating wild bird or other animal carcases given that there is the possibility that the death could have been caused by poisoning or from a severe bacterial infection or the carcase could have been deliberately poisoned for use as a bait.