Birds, like people, have a flu season and can get the flu. The viruses that cause bird flu are not the same as the viruses that cause the flu in people.

Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, is a bird disease caused by a virus. It is usually a mild disease. Poultry are routinely tested for avian influenza in an effort to quickly diagnose the diesease and prevent its spread.

The virus can occur naturally in some wild migratory water birds, such as ducks and geese, which do not get sick from the virus but can carry it to other birds. Domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys can get bird flu. These bird flu viruses pose no serious threat to human health.

Yes, there are certain types of bird flu viruses that can cause a very serious disease in birds. These are called highly pathogenic or HP forms of the virus. These viruses are often fatal to birds and can spread rapidly. They are a serious threat to the health of poultry.

There have only been three highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza outbreaks in the U.S. - in 1924, 1983, and 2004. Each time the outbreak was quickly detected, contained, and eradicated. However, there is an HP form of the virus called H5N1 that has become a serious concern. H5N1 is rapidly spreadying from Asia to Europe and Africa, and usual methods for eliminating the spread of bird flu are not working.

Although bird flu viruses do not usually infect people, the H5N1 form has caused illness in some people who have had close and direct contact with diseased birds. The spread of the disease from on person to another has been very rare, and has never gone beyond one person.

Because this virus can be spread by wild migratory birds, it is very possible that poultry in the U.S. will get the H5N1 virus. A finding of H5N1 in birds is NOT a pandemic. The H5N1 virus does not easily spread from birds to humans.

People cannot get bird flu from eating properly handled and cooked food. (See "Food Safety Tips.")