Because little is known about the possible spread of pathogens at county fairs, and because most cases of avian influenza have resulted from close contact with poultry, a study was undertaken to model interspecies transmission of pathogens at county fair poultry shows. The specific aims of this study were to determine the proportion of The Trojan Chicken Study, Minnesota human poultry show participants who demonstrate hand contamination by a surrogate marker for an avian pathogen and to determine possible risk factors associated with such contamination.