Avian Flu
Key Findings
- From 2021-2024, the UK experienced its worst ever outbreak of Bird-Flu, affecting at least 78 bird species (RSPB, 2024). Millions of birds have died worldwide, in addition to members of many other animal species. The virus is also known to have infected 26 mammal species like mink, bears, elephant seals and cows (Bourke, 2024). This jump to mammals was likely a result of predators eating infected birds (European Food Safety Authority, 2023).
- Avian-flu spreads between birds through exposure to infected droppings/saliva, or through bird-on-bird predation (RSPB, 2024). Different species of birds vary in susceptibility to the disease: Small, garden birds are believed to be at quite low risk, while waterfowl (RSPB, 2024), gulls and poultry are at high risk (European Food Safety Authority et al, 2023).
- The virus was first noted in 1996 in intensive bird farming facilities (RSPB, 2024), and since then multiple strains of the virus have developed (NHS, 2022). The most recent strain is described as “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)”, and is responsible for the recent outbreaks in the UK (RSPB, 2024).
- Over the last 20-30 years, thousands of cases of humans being infected by Avian flu have been reported (WHO, 2024), however the virus does not spread easily between people (NHS, 2022). Humans may catch the virus by touching infected birds, faeces or nests, or eating infected meat (NHS, 2022), although the thorough cooking of meat removes the risk of infection (RSPB, 2024). Generally, these cases occur where people are living or working in close contact with birds (Fleming, 2005). Overall, the risk to humans is low (European Food Safety Authority, 2023), and can be kept to a minimum by avoiding contact with sick birds.
- The Scottish Government (2024) states that there are no current outbreaks of bird flu in Scotland, with the most recent being an outbreak taking place on Orkney in December 2023 (Scottish Government, 2023). However, there are still ongoing outbreaks globally, with a new strain recently detected in Texas cattle as of April 2024 (Bourke, 2024).
Linked Information Sheets
Key sources of Information
European Food Safety Authority, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
WHO (2024) Regions: Western Pacific: Surveillance: Avian Influenza
Fleming, D. (2005) ‘Influenza pandemics and avian flu
Unprecedented’: How bird flu became an animal pandemic
Scottish Government (2024) Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks
Reviewed on/by
27/06/24 by Cathryn Lovie
24/07/2024 by Ian Hay
Status
First Draft
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Contact us
Telephone: 07971149117
E-mail: ian.hay@stateofthecoast.scot
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