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Avian Influenza, or BIRD FLU – FACTS & SOURCES

• “While there is no evidence of wild birds being able to transmit H5N1 directly to people, laboratory studies indicate that domestic ducks, as well as mallards and perhaps other wild species, may be able to carry and transmit the virus to other birds without showing signs of illness.”

• “Leading experts including the World Health Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and World Organization for Animal Health all emphasize that culling wild bird populations is highly unlikely to stop the spread of the disease, and would only divert resources away from more important disease control measures.”

What you can do to protect yourself:

• “While the possibility of contracting the H5N1 virus from wild birds is very unlikely, people who have close personal contact with wild birds should take measures to protect themselves by practicing animal handling and sanitary practices recommended by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center Wildlife Health Bulletin #05-03.

• People who feed birds are not at high risk of contracting avian influenza from birds in their yards or at their feeders.  However, since birds can transmit other diseases to humans (e.g. salmonellosis), people who feed birds should routinely clean their feeders and bird baths as recommended by Audubon (http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/SafeFeeding.html)
  and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/whats_new/fact_sheet/fact_birdfeeder.html) . 
  People who come into contact with wild bird excreta should thoroughly clean up with soap and water."

The above quotes are from the National Audubon Society’s webpage devoted to avian flu. More can be found at: http://www.audubon.org/bird/AvianBirdFlu.php

Additional information pertinent to this disease is available from the following sources: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ provides the best and most current information on Avian Influenza (bird flu) in the United States.

Another excellent source of information is the World Health Organization website: ttp://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/. Their Avian Influenza Fact Sheet is available at ttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/avian_influenza/en/.

Information about bird flu from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources can be found at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/whealth/issues/AI/background.htm.

Bill Mueller
Conservation Chair, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
Issues Committee Chair, Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative