What is the Bird Flu?
By Isabelle Li ‘27
Avian influenza, or more commonly known as bird flu primarily affects birds, but can also spread to humans and livestock, posing a potential health risk. This disease is caused by influenza A viruses, which can adapt smoothly, sometimes being capable of infecting mammals. While these cases are extremely rare – fewer than a thousand occurring each year in the United States – it comes with symptoms ranging from eye redness and irritation, to malaise and respiratory distress.
Recently updated data from the World Health Organization (WHO), shows that since 2003, there have been around 900 confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza, nearly half of those were fatal. Although human-to-human transmission is rare, it is heavily contagious to birds of all species. Infected birds can transmit the disease from feces, saliva, or nasal secretions, making it susceptible to all types of birds, including, ducks, geese, swans, shoebirds, gulls, and domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks and turkeys, are all victims of this influenza.
In addition to human health threat, the bird flu epidemic can have devastating repercussions on poultry farms. The mass spread of infected birds causes culling to prevent further spread, and in some cases, one chicken can cause the death of millions. For example, according to Farm Action United States, Cal-Maine, a large chicken egg production company, had to cull 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 cullets during a recent outbreak. However, it wasn’t just Cal-Maine that was affected, a vast majority of companies have had to cull their farmed birds, and according to New York Times, more than 82 million nationwide.
This influenza not only spikes the price of eggs, but can have the same effect on dairy cows. Unfortunately, in the states of Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico as of March of this year, agencies have reported sick cows with fevers and a loss of appetite. As of now, scientists do not know if the virus can spread from cow to cow, or if they were infected by other wild animals. The outbreak first began in March, and the Department of Agriculture says it has spread to at least thirteen different states.
As scientists continue to investigate the virus, H5N1, its potential to evolve and spread throughout the country is a threat to the economy and public health. Already seeing many companies, industries, and families being affected by the bird flu raises concerns in communities nationwide.
Works Cited
“Bird Flu | Bird Flu.” CDC, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/. Accessed 11 November 2024.
Cusworth, Jessica, et al. “Avian Flu: Big Chicken Is Bringing Us Big Problems.” Farm Action, 18 April 2024, https://farmaction.us/2024/04/18/avian-flu-big-chicken-is-bringing-us-big-problems/. Accessed 11 November 2024.
Jacobs, Andrew. “A Cruel Way to Control Bird Flu? Poultry Giants Cull and Cash In.” The New York Times, 4 April 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/science/bird-flu-aid-animal-welfare.html. Accessed 11 November 2024.
