• How is avian influenza transmitted from birds to humans?
• What is the difference between avian influenza and influenza pandemic?
• How can I protect myself and what precautions should I take?
• Should I be concerned about traveling outside of Canada or in areas where there is avian influenza?
• What are the human symptoms for avian influenza?
• Is there a vaccine for humans against avian influenza?
• Is it safe to feed or observe backyard birds or wild waterfowl?
• What should I do if I find a dead wild bird(s) in my backyard or in a park?
• What should I do if I find several dead wild birds in my backyard or in a park?
• What is being done in Ontario to monitor highly pathogenic H5N1 in birds? Are there plans in place in the event of an outbreak?
• Can domestic pets, such as cats, transmit the highly pathogenic virus to humans?
• Is it considered safe to hunt, handle, and eat game birds?

In general, most human cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus have been traced to direct contact with infected poultry or their droppings.

High risk activities include plucking, preparing or playing with diseased birds, consuming duck’s blood or possibly under cooked poultry and handling birds involved in cock-fighting. Mass culling of poultry has not been implicated in transmission of the H5N1 virus.

Highly pathogenic H5N1, or the “bird flu”, is not the same as an influenza pandemic. An influenza pandemic is a large and severe world-wide epidemic of a human influenza virus.

Although there has been laboratory confirmed human cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus in Asia (for example, in Indonesia and China), the virus does not have the attributes necessary for a pandemic. Specifically, the virus does not transmit easily from birds to humans and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.

It is possible that the current H5N1 virus could mutate resulting in sustained human-to-human transmission. Because of farming practices and close contact between animals and humans, these potential events are more likely to occur first in China or Southeast Asia.

In general, proper and frequent hand hygiene and getting a seasonal flu shot is your best precaution against influenza. While the annual human influenza vaccine does not protect against AI, it will help prevent you from getting seasonal flu, which could weaken your immune system or resistance to pandemic flu.

Here are some general guidelines to follow :

• Get your flu shot each year
• Practice regular hand hygiene. Keep your hands clean by using warm soapy water or applying an alcohol-based hand rub (60 - 90% alcohol). For more information about hand hygiene, visit our section on handwashing
• Practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette
• Stay at home when you are sick

In addition, members of the public should avoid handling live or dead wild birds. If contact with wild birds is unavoidable, wear gloves or use a double plastic bag when touching a wild bird and avoid contact with blood, bodily fluids and feces. You should then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

There is little to no risk from traveling to countries outside of Canada – including Europe, Asia and Africa, where the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has been detected.

However, there are some important precautions you should take to help safeguard your health, including :

• Avoiding visits to poultry farms or bird markets,
• Not eating undercooked eggs or poultry; and
• Practicing proper hand hygiene, such as washing your hands and using an alcohol-based hand rub (60 - 90% alcohol).

If you have a fever and respiratory illness within 14 days after returning from an affected area, contact your health care provider immediately.

As an important measure before you travel outside of Ontario or Canada, visit Health Canada’s website.

Based on the studies of patients with the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, the most common symptoms are: high fever, headache, vomiting, and/or cough. Individuals may also experience lower respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath; or upper respiratory symptoms, such as a sore throat.

At this time, there is no commercially available human vaccine.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has not been detected in Canada, and at this time, there is no reason to believe that backyard birds or wild birds are a threat to the public.

As a general rule, however, people should observe wildlife, including birds at a safe distance. As always, people should practice proper hand hygiene, especially when handling bird feeders or equipment.

As part of ongoing disease surveillance, Ontarians are being asked to report any dead wild birds to their local public health unit. Some of the dead birds may be collected for testing as part of either West Nile virus or avian influenza surveillance programs.

Here's what to do from now until August 31 :

If you find dead wild birds, please contact your local public health unit. Contact information for local public health unit or by calling 1-800-268-1154. Your local public health unit may arrange to collect the dead bird, or refer you directly to the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre to determine if the bird is needed as part of a Canada-wide Avian Influenza surveillance program.

Please note that any dead bird may be collected. However, only specimens that have died within 48 hours and have not started to decompose may be collected and used.

It is important that you do not handle any dead wild birds with your bare hands (see instructions on how to handle dead birds below).

Beginning September 1 :

The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre will take over the responsibility for the collection of suitable dead bird specimens for avian influenza surveillance in Ontario. The centre can be reached directly at: 1-866-673-4781.

Here's why we need your help :

Testing dead wild birds for West Nile virus helps local health units to establish whether or not the virus is present in the area. More information on West Nile Virus is available at www.health.gov.on.ca/westnile.

Ontario is also monitoring the many strains of avian influenza that are naturally present in wild bird populations. One way to do this is to collect dead wild birds and test them for avian influenza virus. This method of monitoring is only successful if there is a significant level of public participation and awareness.

To date, no influenza viruses of concern have been detected in Ontario in wild or domestic birds. However, it is important to continue testing wild birds to help better understand avian influenza viruses.

For more information on avian influenza, visit www.ontario.ca/birdflu or www.health.gov.on.ca/avian.

How to Handling Dead Wild Birds (please read ALL the instructions carefully) :

In some instances, dead wild birds may not be collected buy authorities for West Nile virus or avian influenza testing. For example, if the wild bird has been disturbed by animals, has been dead for a period of longer than 48 hours or has started to decompose). In this situation the carcass can then be disposed of in the household garbage.

In municipalities where disposal in household garbage is prohibited, call the municipality for directions. Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag. Use a shovel or other tool to handle the carcass as it is buried.

• Use heavy-duty leak-proof rubber gloves (as used in household cleaning) and leak-proof plastic bags when picking up or disposing of a dead bird. Do not use old or previously used gloves as they may have small tears or rips. A new pair of household rubber gloves is considered leak-proof. Avoid contact with skin or clothing.
• Grasp the bird carcass with your hand protected by at least two layers of leak-proof plastic bags and then turn the bags inside-out over the bird so it ends up inside the bags, with your hand on the outside. Ensure that you handle the carcass so that the beak or claws do not puncture the bags or gloves. The plastic bag containing the carcass should be closed tightly, and placed inside one additional clean plastic bag that is then tightly closed.
• Ensure that this bag is kept out of reach of children and pets.
• If your clothing or shoes come into contact with the dead wild bird, place them in a sealed plastic bag until they are washed. Be sure to throw away the bag after use. Use ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing. After handling contaminated clothing, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. Alternatively, if hands are not visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand rub (60-90% alcohol) can be used.
• After the carcass is appropriately contained or after any contact with skin occurs, wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, if hands are not visibly soiled (dirty), an alcohol-based hand rub (with 60-90% alcohol) can be used. If hands are soiled and running water is not available, a moist towelette can be used to remove dirt, followed by application of an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Do not rub your eyes, touch your face, eat, drink, or smoke while handling a dead bird.
• Anything else other than clothing that may have come in contact with the dead bird (for example: a shovel) should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner.

Please remember that the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza that is found in Asia, Europe and Africa, has not yet been found in North America. Therefore, the probability of a person being exposed to this virus from a dead wild bird in Ontario is extremely low.

If you have sick or dead pet, hobby, ornamental, or farmed birds such as pigeons, chickens, ducks or geese, you should call your veterinarian to get a diagnosis that includes laboratory testing.

If you find several dead wild birds of either the same or different species, please contact your local public health unit. Contact information for local health units can be found on this site or by calling 1-800-268-1154.

Ontario is a leader in the development of foreign animal disease response plans including AI. Last year, the Ontario Avian Influenza Working Group (OWAIG) developed and released two operational response plans, one focused on the local health response to an AI outbreak in domestic poultry populations, and the other on personal protective equipment. These plans can be found under Publications on this section of the Ministry site.

Ontario has also signed the Foreign Animal Diseases Emergency Response Plan, or FADERP. The FADERP was released in August 2005 and is the result of collaboration among federal and provincial ministries, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, food and Rural Affairs, Emergency Management Ontario, as well as other provincial ministries including the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Ontario receives timely information on the current AI situation in Europe, Asia and Africa on a daily basis; and the province is supporting the 2007 Wild Bird Influenza Survey.

The annual wild bird survey monitors and surveys the presence of normal, low pathogenic strains of AI in Canada’s wild bird population. The study is a collaborative effort between the CCWHC, the federal government and provinces; and will help serve as an early warning system for the possible entry of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus into Canada.

For more information on AI and the Wild Bird Influenza Survey 2007, please visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website or the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre website.

There have been documented cases of domestic cats acquiring the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus by consuming raw infected chickens. The World Organization for Animal Health and Food and Agricultural Organization confirm that there is no present evidence that domestic cats play a role in the transmission of the H5N1 virus to humans.

Scientific evidence also confirms that the risk of human infection from a pet, such as a domestic cat, is very low.

Regardless, it is important to always practice proper hand-hygiene when around animals – either domestic or wild.

Yes, especially if the following precautions are taken :

• Do not handle or eat sick birds or birds that have died from unknown causes;
• Avoid direct contact with blood, feces, and respiratory secretions of all wild birds;
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke while cleaning game birds;
• Wear dish gloves or latex gloves when handling or cleaning game birds. Wash gloves, hands, and clothing with soap and warm water immediately after you have finished. Thoroughly clean contaminated surfaces and tools and work surfaces with hot, soapy water and then disinfect the area using a household disinfectant. Immediately remove and wash clothing that may be contaminated with blood, feces or respiratory secretions; and
• If you become ill while handling birds or shortly thereafter, see your doctor. Inform your doctor that you have been in contact with wild birds.

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