Bird flu is now in cattle, which changes who is exposed

Birds get the flu, and the name for it is avian influenza. The viruses
normally infect only birds — chickens, other poultry, and wild birds such as
ducks. Sometimes they infect other animals, and in rare cases people.

A few types have caused most human infections: H5N1, H7N9 and H5N6. These
have mainly been in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Pacific and the Near East, and
very rarely in the United States.

How people catch it

Most common:

• Touching your eyes, nose or mouth after handling infected live or dead
  birds
• Touching contaminated surfaces or items and then your eyes, nose or
  mouth
• Breathing in contaminated droplets or dust

Possible but very rare:

• From another animal. Bird flu also infects some **dogs, cats, certain
  wild and zoo animals, and livestock such as cattle** — and those animals can
  pass it to people
• From another person
• Eating poultry, eggs or beef that were not properly handled and cooked
• Drinking raw milk

The livestock entry is the one that has changed the shape of this disease.
Cattle in the list means dairy and beef workers are exposed alongside poultry
workers, and it is why raw milk appears in the prevention advice below.

Who is more likely to get it

Poultry workers · animal handlers · wildlife biologists · disease control
workers · research laboratory workers · veterinarians · people travelling to
countries where bird flu is present.

Symptoms

Sometimes there are none. Where there are, they range from mild to severe
and often resemble seasonal flu:

Fever (but not everyone has a fever) · cough · sore throat · runny or
stuffy nose · muscle or body aches · fatigue · headaches · **eye redness
(conjunctivitis)** · trouble breathing · diarrhoea.

Severe illness may mean pneumonia and hospitalisation.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis is laboratory testing, usually a nasal or throat swab, and it is
**more accurate when the swab is collected during the first few days of
illness**. For severely ill people, a different sample may be taken, such as
fluid from a bronchoalveolar lavage.

Treatment is antiviral medicines, and getting them as soon as possible
matters — they may make the illness less severe. Antivirals may also be given
to someone exposed to an infected person or animal, to prevent them
getting ill.

Prevention

There is currently no vaccine available to the public. The government has
developed a virus similar to some H5N1 viruses, which could be used to produce
one if needed.

• Use proper protective equipment if your job or pastime brings you into
  contact with birds or other animals
• Otherwise avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals
• Wash your hands with soap and water after touching birds or animals
• Handle and cook food safely, and avoid raw milk

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via MedlinePlus.