What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza, or “bird flu”, is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and less commonly, pigs. While all bird species are thought to be susceptible to infection, domestic poultry flocks are especially vulnerable to infections that can rapidly cause epidemics in poultry. Of particular concern, in terms of risks for human health, is the detection of a highly pathogenic strain, known as “H5N1”, as the cause of most of these outbreaks. H5N1 has jumped the species barrier, causing severe disease in humans.
