Welcome on the Avian Influenza Blog

Welcome on the Avian Influenza Blog

Avian Influenza (bird flu) is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them.

Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. It is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.