Is it Rare for Humans to be Affected?

(TNS) – In mid-August, it was confirmed by Butte County Public Health after notification by the Butte County Agricultural Commission’s Office that avian influenza had been located in a domestic flock of birds in Butte County.

Troy Cline, associate professor at Chico State, teaches bacteriology and birology, the study of viruses.

Avian flu is a respiratory disease in birds, and it occurs in commercial birds and wild birds. Cline says it is rare for the virus to affect humans.

Butte County’s departments of Public Health, Public Works, Office of Emergency Management and Agricultural Commissioner quickly sprung into action, working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to determine the safest way to prevent the spread of illness, protect the public’s health and dispose of the infected bird carcasses. Declaring a local health emergency expedites a safe and coordinated response to dispose of the carcasses, allowing the carcasses to be buried at the Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility, according to a press release from the county.

Fifteen hundred birds were affected in Butte County, consisting of pheasant, a few ducks and some pigeons, according to Lisa Almaguer, Public Information Officer for Butte County Public Health.

The virus has picked up in Butte County and in some surrounding counties such as Glenn County and Colusa County.

“This strain of avian flu showed up in late 2021 on the East Coast,” said Cline. “It quickly moved across the country and affected migratory water fallow. It’s been affecting wild and commercial birds.”

Cline said there was one human infection which occurred in Colorado, but again, human infection is rare. There was also a case with birds in Fresno County in a large commercial broiler affecting chickens, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported.

“The Fresno County incident is quite a bit bigger than the Butte County one. The number of affected birds in Fresno was 33,900,” said Cline. “Once the virus is detected, the birds have to be depopulated or culled. Once the virus occurs in a flock it spreads quickly and spreads to neighboring flocks.”

Cline said the symptoms which occur in humans are similar to annual or seasonal influenza, so the symptoms range from fever, cough, sore throat, chills and nausea, although the symptoms are more severe and could be potentially fatal.

The danger to humans can’t be entirely ruled out, with the avian flu occurring across the country. A person could contract the virus by close contact with a sick bird, such as coming in contact with their saliva, mucus or feces.

Cline said the higher risk for humans are people who have backyard birds, or work in the commercial poultry industry, or work with wildlife birds.

“If a human becomes infected, it does not spread easily from person to person,” he said.

Cline said the virus originated with wild water fowl, who can carry it naturally. The virus occurring in the poultry industry dates back to the mid or late 1990s and the virus descended in Asia. Over the past 25 years, it has moved out of Asia, and traveled to Europe and Africa. It emerged in North America in 2015. It has been associated with poultry markets.

To prevent the virus in flocks, structural security measures should be used to prevent contact. The United States Department of Agriculture does have recommended biosecurity measures and advise on how chicken coops and pens should be constructed to prevent the virus.

The virus was detected in China and Korea in 2014 and came to North America in 2015.

The risk of pet birds being infected can happen if pet birds are exposed to wild or commercial birds. The Northern California risk to pet birds is low, but not zero, Cline said.

Cline said the public emergency in Butte County relates to ways that bird carcasses are disposed of. If a bird is disposed of at a landfill, a waiver must be signed in order to deposit that carcass. Cline said burning a bird carcass is dangerous because it could release the virus into the air, and burying the bird in the backyard on someone’s property could cause another animal to dig it up and be exposed to the virus that way.

“If you see a sick bird, it’s better to call the correct agency and have the bird disposed of,” Cline said.

“This was a multi-agency response to inspect birds infected with flu, transportation and disposal. The California Department of Food and Agriculture sent out a team to take care of physical aspects and notified the Butte County Agriculture Commissioners Office to notify Public Health and find out the quickest and safest way to dispose of birds and minimize the risks of spread to other birds or humans,” said Almaguer.

“The risk to the general public is low,” Almaguer said. “The message we are sending is that avian flu is present in Butte County and anyone who raises poultry or has a small flock of birds are instructed to not touch birds and keep an eye on the health of flocks.”

The domestic bird flock was likely infected from interacting with wild birds. The greatest risk of exposure to humans is by direct contact (touching, butchering, etc.) with an infected bird, according to a press release.

To protect other California flocks, the infected locations are currently under quarantine, and the birds have been euthanized to prevent further disease spread, according to Steve Lyle, California Department of Food and Agriculture director of Public Affairs.

If you handle sick or dead wild birds, use disposable gloves (or a plastic bag turned inside out) to place the body in a garbage bag. It is recommended that all poultry and eggs are properly handled and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as a food safety precaution, according to a press release by Lyle.

For any questions or to talk to a professional about disposing of a bird, call the California Department of Wildlife at 866-922-2473. The department offers free bird evaluation and can test birds for avian flu at no cost to the owner.

___

®2022 Chico Enterprise-Record, Calif
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.