Should You Eat Chicken And Eggs During The Bird Flu Outbreak? An Infectious Disease Doctor Explains
The bird flu has been infecting American flocks for years, leading to a series of infections and increased egg prices. But now, there's a new twist: A different strain has been detected in U.S. poultry.
So far, bird flu outbreaks in the U.S. have been from a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) called H5N1. That strain has been responsible for all the egg shortages and infections in humans. Now, a strain called H5N9 was just detected on a duck farm in California, according to a report from World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
'This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States,' the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in the report, per Reuters.
To make things more complicated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other government organizations are not allowed to publicly comment on this and other public health matters due to a communications pause put in place by the Trump administration, per The Washington Post. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is nominated to be the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will likely address this at his confirmation hearing on January 29.
Here's how H5N1 and H5N9 are different, plus how to protect yourself from bird flu, according to an infectious disease doctor.
Meet the expert: Thomas Russo, MD, is a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York.
H5N1 and H5N9 are both strains of avian flu, explains Thomas Russo, MD, a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. H5N9 is a rare form of the influenza A virus that causes highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a.k.a. bird flu, Russo says.
While H5N1 and H5N9 are similar, they're definitely different—a little like second or third cousins, Russo says. 'They're a little distant,' he says.
Both strains can cause HPAI, which can cause these symptoms in humans, per the CDC:
eye redness
mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms
pneumonia requiring hospitalization
fever
cough
sore throat
runny or stuff nose
muscle or body aches
headaches
fatigue
shortness of breath
Yes, Russo says that poultry is safe to eat right now. 'People should follow appropriate food safety measures,' he says. 'Just make sure your poultry is appropriately cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.'
It's also important to wash your hands well with soap and water after handling raw chicken and poultry.
To put things in perspective, Russo says you're much more likely to get something like salmonella from poultry than bird flu. 'The concern of infections from one of these avian influenza viruses is trivial compared to other infections you could get if you don't handle it properly,' he says.
Yes, eggs and milk are safe to eat. However, Russo says it's important to cook your eggs well and to wash your hands after handling eggs. 'Don't eat raw eggs,' he adds. In terms of milk, Russo says it's important to avoid raw milk, which has contained bird flu in the past.
Unfortunately, since so many flocks are being killed due to infections, egg prices are soaring across the country. They're likely to stay high until the outbreaks are under control.
There is a bird flu vaccine, and a federal stockpile holds several million doses, per The New York Times. However, Kennedy, who has been an outspoken vaccine critic, previously said on X that the bird flu vaccines 'appear to be dangerous.' Basically, if a bird flu vaccine is needed, there are concerns that people will actually have access to it.
If you don't currently work with livestock and don't have a backyard flock of birds, Russo says that 'your risk is extraordinarily low.' However, he recommends doing all of the things mentioned above and steering clear of dead animals, if you happen to spot any.
Ultimately, Russo says that the average person should not be stressed about bird flu right now. 'There is no grounds for panic at this time,' Russo says.
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