What is avian influenza (bird flu)?
Avian influenza, or bird flu, that spreads between birds is caused by infection with specific strains of bird flu viruses, most of these viruses do not infect humans. When people are infected with avian influenza (bird flu), the symptoms are similar to seasonal (winter flu) which include a very high temperature, feeling hot or shivery, aching muscles, headache and a cough or shortness of breath.
Recently there has been a large number of wild, migratory birds in the UK carrying a highly infectious avian influenza (bird flu) virus, H5N1. Since 2022, poultry birds on premises in the UK were found to have been infected with the H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) virus and 4 people who worked on the infected premises tested positive for the H5N1 virus. Three people were not sick but one case reported a sore throat and muscle pain.
The transmission of the H5N1 virus from either birds or a contaminated environment to humans shows that avian influenza (bird flu) is zoonotic (transmitted to humans by animals), and the potential spread of this virus poses a risk to public health. Therefore we need to understand how the virus is spread from bird-to-human and human-to-human in order to put in place control measures and interventions to limit the transmission of avian influenza (bird flu) to the wider public.
Updated information about avian influenza (bird flu) can be found here.
Why are we conducting this study?
We are conducting an online, telephone and in-person survey to find out:
- How important is avian influenza to bird keepers in the UK?
- What biosecurity measures are being taken to prevent spread?
- Are current public health plans scalable given increases in avian infections?
- What is the best way to engage farmers and bird-keepers in a public health response?
- What might localised avian influenza outbreaks in the UK look like?