Avian influenza (bird flu)

In March 2022 the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported the confirmed presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, H5 variant, in a wild bald eagle found in Vancouver, British Columbia. This was the first confirmed report of HPAI viruses clade (a grouping that includes a common ancestor and all the descendants-living and extinct- of that ancestor) 2.3.4.4b in the Pacific Flyway since 2015. The first confirmed case of HPAI viruses clade 2.3.4.4b in Washington state was a snow goose from Walla Walla county in April 2022. Since then, over 400 cases of HPAI virus clade 2.3.4.4b have been confirmed in wildlife from Washington, including wild mammals (harbor seals, bobcat, raccoon, striped skunk). 

HPAI viruses clade 2.3.4.4b continue to have unprecedented global impacts on wild birds and mammals, with especially significant mortality observed in colonial surface-nesting seabirds and in some marine mammal species. Historically, HPAI viruses were rarely detected in wild birds, but rather emerged in poultry after a wild bird-origin low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) was introduced and adapted to a gallinaceous (of or relating to an order of heavy-bodied largely terrestrial birds including pheasants, turkeys, grouse, and the common domestic chicken) host. A paradigm shift emerged in the early 2000s, with the emergence of H5 clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI viruses. Since then, the extent and diversity of hosts, virulence, and transmission and maintenance dynamics associated with HPAI viruses have radically changed, and this virus continues to be seen on the landscape year-round. 

WDFW tests wild birds for bird flu viruses as funding to do so is available. Federal partners (e.g., United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Services and Wildlife Services) also routinely test waterfowl. This work will be ongoing, pending funding. For more information on HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in domestic animals, see the Washington State Department of Agriculture website and WSDA's Bovine H5N1 Producer Resources.

The Washington State Department of Health has extensive information on avian influenza on its' website. Bird flu viruses are not easily transmissible from birds to people, but without proper hygiene, or if in prolonged contact with a sick bird, the risk increases and the virus can potentially evolve to spread between humans. While it is extremely unlikely that hunters or people feeding wild birds could contract bird flu, the following common-sense precautions are recommended to reduce the risk of contracting any wildlife disease: 

• Wear disposable gloves when cleaning harvested birds or cleaning bird feeders. 
• Do not dispose of processed carcasses in the field where they could be eaten by raptors. Bag them and place in the garbage, bury, or incinerate them. 
• Take special precautions to ensure that all equipment (boots, clothes, vehicles, firearms) are cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of diseases. 
• Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead. 
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke while cleaning game. 
• Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders. 
• Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent solution of chlorine bleach. 
• Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination. 
• Cook game birds thoroughly. Meat should reach an internal temperature of 155 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill disease organisms and parasites. 

If you experience flu-like symptoms following contact with birds, contact your local health department. They can provide public health guidance and initiate symptom monitoring. The Washington Department of Health has guidelines for hunters and hunter FAQs (PDF). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend getting a seasonal flu vaccine every year. This will decrease the likelihood of being infected with human seasonal flu and bird flu at the same time. In addition, the CDC has information on prevention and treatment of avian influenza in people. Additional animal and human health and safety information regarding avian influenza is on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website. 

WDFW put together a blog post of common questions and answers regarding transmission of avian influenza. The presentation below also includes helpful information on HPAI. It was recorded in partnership with the Seattle Audubon Society and the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

• A comprehensive epidemiological approach documenting an outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus clade 2.3.4.4b among gulls, terns, and harbor seals in the Northeastern Pacific
• USDA APHIS 2022 detections  
• CDC HPAI virus 
• WSDA website for Avian Influenza