Can humans contract avian flu from eating infected poultry?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 27-year-old guy, and I have been hearing a lot in the news lately about avian influenza, or bird flu. From what I understand, it is a type of influenza virus that primarily affects birds like chickens and turkeys. My question is, can humans contract this virus from eating poultry that was infected with avian flu? I love chicken and eat it pretty regularly. If I unknowingly ate chicken that had the avian influenza virus, is it possible for me to get sick from that virus? How does the virus transfer from birds to humans? What are the symptoms I would need to watch out for if I did get infected? I have also heard that avian flu can potentially mutate and spread human-to-human. Is there an increased risk right now of catching it directly from another person? I am young and generally healthy, but I do not want to underestimate how serious avian influenza could be.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Avian influenza is a deadly disease caused by infection from influenza viruses native to birds. Avian influenza is a group of diseases caused by various strains of influenza A virus infecting birds of which a few occasionally cause outbreaks of viral illness in humans, such as an outbreak of the H5N1 strain in Hong Kong in 1997 and H7N9 in Eastern and Southern China in 2013. While often not fatal in birds, it can carry a high mortality rate when adapted to humans. It is documented that the virus is released in large quantities from infected birds in feces and respiratory tract.

Avian influenza infection is most often found in people who have close contact with recently infected poultry. Hence, it is best to avoid consuming poultry, especially in the regions of outbreaks. H7N9 infection appears to occur more in older patients and H5N1 in younger patients, and both appear to occur more in men than in women.

The human-to-human transmission risks are possible, and this is possibly due to the intermixing of avian influenza and other influenza subtypes known to spread from human to human, particularly swine flu by recombination event occurring between swine-origin H1N1 and pathogenic avian influenza.

More than a decade earlier, researchers had confirmed a few cases of human-to-human transmission of the avian influenza virus, and this was published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, in 2005.

As late as 23 May 2024, the Mexico IHR NFP reported to PAHO/WHO a confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N2) virus detected in a 59-year-old resident of the State of Mexico who was hospitalized in Mexico City and had no history of exposure to poultry, or other animals. No further cases were reported during the epidemiological investigation.

Most patients have symptoms consistent with a flu-like viral illness, such as headache, malaise, fever, and body aches. In these patients, especially during a known outbreak, a thorough history is necessary to evaluate for avian influenza. Additionally, in patients with bird contact and severe viral symptoms (brain infection or organ failure), higher suspicion exists for avian influenza virus (AIV) infection.

To diagnose the ailment, the doctor might prescribe you with the following diagnostic tests:

1) Primarily symptomatic and with a history of poultry contact.

Laboratory tests include:

1. Complete blood count - WBC (white blood cell) abnormalities.

2. Rapid antigen testing for AIV does exist but is often falsely negative in confirmed cases. The preferred source of a sample for testing is a nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate, but other body fluids are usable if the nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate is not available.

I hope this helps.

Please reach out in case you seek more information or consultation.

Regards.