Avian Flu Information
What do I need to know about bird flu?
You may have heard about avian influenza or “bird flu” in the news lately—and you have questions. America’s egg farmers are here to answer them.
The first thing you need to know is that both the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirm that avian influenza is not a food safety issue or a public health risk.
For Members of the Press
Background materials, images and other resources are available for reporters working on stories.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Marc Dresner
media@aeb.org
1.855.EGGS411
Frequently Asked Questions About Avian Influenza
- What is avian influenza?
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Avian influenza (AI) — also called “bird flu” — is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. There are both low-pathogenic and high-pathogenic strains; the strains currently causing concern in the U.S. are highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
- Can I get bird flu from eating eggs or meat?
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No. There is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted through food. As always, it is important to properly handle and cook eggs and meat to reduce the risk of any food-borne illness.
For more information about safe handling and cooking, please visit AEB food safety section.
For information on Food Safety and Avian Influenza, please visit https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/avian-influenza-food-safety-qa.pdf …
- Can humans get bird flu?
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Very, very rarely. Bird flu is an animal health issue, not a human health concern. Most people will never have direct and prolonged contact with an infected bird. Additionally, U.S. egg farms follow strict safety protocols to protect their workers from exposure to bird flu.
- Where does avian influenza come from and how might it get on an egg farm?
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Avian influenza is transmitted through infected wild birds and waterfowl, either through direct contact or indirectly if the disease is accidentally carried onto a farm by birds, equipment, vehicles or other means. Comprehensive biosecurity measures in place on America’s egg farms help protect our farms from bird flu.
- What are America’s egg farmers doing about HPAI?
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America’s egg farmers work around the clock to protect their hens and farms from bird flu and to ensure the safety of the nation’s egg supply.
Egg farmers and state and federal regulatory authorities work closely together to prevent this disease from affecting American flocks and to catch it eaarly through ongoing surveillance programs.
And comprehensive biosecurity measures are taken on farms to prevent disease every day, not just during a disease outbreak.
- What do farmers do to keep their farms safe from diseases like bird flu?
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U.S. egg farms have rigorous biosecurity measures in place, including, but not limited to:
- Restricting on-farm access to essential employees only — minimizing risk of the disease being brought into the farm by outside sources.
- Housing hens indoors to prevent access to wild birds and waterfowl that may carry the disease.
- Limiting movement (employees, equipment, vehicles, etc.) between farms and barns.
- Requiring protective gear for anyone who enters egg farms.
- Working closely with animal health experts and veterinarians to continuously monitor the health of their hens.
- What about egg farm workers?
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America’s egg farmers maintain extensive safety practices to protect farm workers from exposure to disease. Protective gear is always required for anyone who enters an egg farm.
- Will the availability of eggs be affected by bird flu?
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America’s egg farmers are committed to ensuring that eggs are plentiful. A bird flu outbreak in extreme circumstances could temporarily impact availability of eggs, but egg farmers are prepared to act quickly to restore supply if that happens.
