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Avian Flu (Bird Flu)
While some strains of avian influenza are quite common in many birds and pose little risk to humans, a highly pathogenic version of the bird flu virus known as H5N1 poses a significant threat to human health.
In some limited cases, H5N1 has been transmitted to humans. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is especially virulent, and currently causes death in over 60% of the people infected with HPAI H5N1. Most of these cases are believed to have been caused by direct exposure to infected poultry. There has been no confirmed, sustained human-to-human transmission of the disease, but the concern is that H5N1 may evolve into a virus capable of sustained human-to-human transmission.
It is EPA's responsibility to support the USDA and the Department of the Interior in the event of an avian flu outbreak in the poultry industry or among wild bird populations. EPA is prepared to support our partners as the nation readies itself for an avian and a potential human pandemic flu outbreak.
