USGS Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
Can humans catch highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 from wild birds?
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Answer:
- While currently there are unconfirmed reports of people being infected with H5N1 from dead wild birds, exposure to domestic and wild birds potentially infected with H5N1 should be avoided.
- The only documented cases of transmission to humans are from poultry;
these cases include both highly pathogenic and low pathogenic strains of avian
influenza.
- At the present time, close contact with infected domestic poultry has
been the primary way that people have become infected with the HPAI H5N1 virus.
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Source of this FAQ: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/index.jsp
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