Is Your Bird Feeder Putting You at Risk for Bird Flu?

Fowl flu continues to unfold via livestock and wild birds throughout the U.S.—so may maintaining hen feeders in your yard be a dangerous transfer to your well being?

In keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), hen (or avian) flu has been detected in almost 12,000 wild birds and has impacted almost 158 million poultry animals. In uncommon instances, it may well have an effect on folks, too—thus far, 68 human instances have been reported, together with one dying.

Virtually all of those instances have been linked to dairy cows contaminated with hen flu, Catherine Troisi, PhD, affiliate professor of administration, coverage, and group well being and epidemiology on the UTHealth Houston College of Public Well being, advised Well being. “We assume the virus—which is [in] the cow’s milk—is splashed into employees’ eyes, inflicting conjunctivitis and customarily delicate signs.”

Proper now, there have been no confirmed instances of person-to-person hen flu transmission, and “the present danger to most people is low,” Susan Donelan, MD, Medical Director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook Medication, advised Well being. 

Nevertheless, people can develop into contaminated with the virus by dealing with sick or lifeless birds and animals, then touching their eyes, nostril, or mouth, she stated.

So, for the estimated 57 million Individuals who feed birds, is that this passion elevating their danger of coming into contact with hen flu?

Right here’s what consultants must say about whether or not your hen feeder ought to quickly come down, plus how to make sure your yard does not develop into a hotspot for this virus.

Fowl feeders, after all, can appeal to plenty of birds. This might definitely result in bird-to-bird avian flu transmission, Troisi stated.

Nevertheless, that is in all probability uncommon since hen flu an infection is rare amongst songbirds. Many of the recognized instances in wild birds thus far have been in geese, geese, or birds of prey.

For people, the danger of getting sick instantly from birds visiting a feeder is low, particularly since folks sometimes don’t come into contact with birds whereas feeding them, Troisi stated.

Relatively, the principle concern is that if somebody’s hen feeder is positioned close to yard poultry, there might be transmission between the wild and domesticated birds, she defined.

One other methodology of potential oblique transmission might be from considered one of your furry associates. There have been stories of cats contracting avian flu from contaminated birds, both via direct contact or by catching and consuming them, Troisi stated.

“Fowl feeders appeal to massive numbers of birds and, due to this fact, improve the potential of cats changing into contaminated, though the danger might be low,” she stated.

Whereas it’s unlikely, contaminated cats may need the potential to unfold the hen flu virus to people. On Feb. 5, the CDC posted after which deleted a model of a report that advised this risk.

To scale back dangers, consultants suggested maintaining home cats indoors or supervising them in enclosed outside areas.

Although hen feeders may probably increase an individual’s danger of coming into contact with hen flu not directly, for now, america Division of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t seem to have an official suggestion to take away hen feeders to forestall hen flu.

Nevertheless, in response to a question from the general public, USDA’s “AskUSDA” website suggested, “Individuals who look after poultry ought to forestall contact between wild birds and poultry by eradicating sources of meals, water, and shelter that appeal to wild birds.”

In the beginning, when you’ve got yard poultry, take down any hen feeders you may need, Troisi beneficial.

Whereas these poultry-to-human transmissions are uncommon, they’ll occur. To date, not less than one hen flu case has been linked to “publicity to a mixture of a non-commercial yard flock and wild birds.”

That is particularly necessary for anybody who has a weakened immune system, Troisi added, as they could be at a better danger of extreme sickness.

Past taking down your hen feeder, for those who discover a sick or lifeless hen in your yard—whether or not it’s considered one of your chickens or a wild hen—keep away from contact with it and get in contact together with your native state or well being division to find out subsequent steps, she defined.

It’s additionally not a foul concept to put on gloves, masks, and eye safety if you’re coming into contact with birds, a hen feeder, or any objects contaminated by hen droppings, Charles Bailey, MD, infectious illness doctor at Windfall Mission Hospital, advised Well being. Plus, wash your arms “after eradicating gloves and earlier than touching the face or eyes after such contact,” he stated.

Even with hen flu spreading all through the U.S., eggs—whether or not from yard or business poultry flocks—ought to nonetheless be fit for human consumption, as long as they’re cooked correctly, Troisi defined. Nevertheless, consuming uncooked eggs isn’t beneficial, as they are often contaminated with different micro organism resembling Salmonella.

“Whether or not uncooked eggs can unfold avian influenza isn’t recognized, however once more, adequately cooking would kill the virus, ought to it’s there,” stated Troisi.

Although the danger of an infection is low, for those who assume you will have come into contact with a sick animal or hen, be looking out for signs of hen flu. That may embrace fever, headache, muscle aches, or cough, Bailey stated. Much less ceaselessly, hen flu could cause gastrointestinal signs resembling nausea, diarrhea, stomach ache, and even conjunctivitis. For those who assume you would possibly’ve been contaminated, contact your native well being division immediately for testing.