SIGN INSUBSCRIBE Cold, Flu, & Cough Flu Guide Bird Flu FAQ IN THIS ARTICLE What Is Bird Flu? What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu? How Do Humans Get Bird Flu? Has Bird Flu Been Seen in the U.S.? What Are the Types of Bird Flu? Is There a Bird Flu Vaccine? Is There a Treatment for Bird Flu? What Is Bird Flu? Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. The most common kind of bird flu is the H5N1 strain. It's mostly a threat to birds and doesn’t spread easily among people, but there was a major outbreak of bird flu in people in 2014. The very few cases of human-to-human transmission were among people with exceptionally close contact, such as a mother who caught the virus while caring for their sick infant. Migrating water fowl -- most notably wild ducks -- are the natural carriers of bird flu viruses. Scientists suspect that infection can spread from wild fowl to domestic poultry. What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu? Bird flu symptoms in people can vary. The illness could start out with flu-like symptoms that include fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches. But it may worsen to include: Gut problems: Nausea, belly pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Breathing problems: Shortness of breath, serious respiratory distress or failure, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases. Brain or nervous system changes: You might notice shifts in behavior, thinking, or even organ function. Seizures are possible in serious cases. In February 2005, researchers in Vietnam reported human cases of bird flu in which the virus infected the brains and digestive tracts of two children. Both died. These cases show that bird flu in humans may not always look like typical cases of flu. Scientists have identified more than a dozen different strains, or variants, of bird flu. H5N1, one of the deadliest strains for humans, has caused 456 bird flu deaths since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. How Do Humans Get Bird Flu? People catch bird flu by close contact with birds or bird droppings. In the 2014 outbreak, some people caught H5N1 from cleaning or plucking infected birds. There were reports in China of infection via inhalation of aerosolized materials in live bird markets. It's also possible that some people were infected after swimming or bathing in water contaminated with the droppings of infected birds. And some infections have occurred in people who handle fighting cocks. 123View All Cold Guide Overview & Facts Symptoms & Complications Treatment & Care TOP PICKS 10 Foods to Eat When You Have the Flu Personalized Treatments for Your Cold Symptoms Tips to Survive Cold & Flu Season Flu Shot and Side Effects 15 Immune-Boosting Superfoods Myths & Facts About Colds FURTHER READING Foods for the Flu Pictures of Cold & Flu Symptoms, Treatments What Is a Pandemic? What Is the Flu? Tips on Avoiding Colds and Flu Types of Flu Diseases From Animals: A Primer Bird Flu (Avian Flu) Topics TODAY ON WEBMD Natural Cold & Flu Remedies 15 tips to help you feel better. The Truth About the Common Cold Do echinacea and vitamin C really help a cold? Calm a Nighttime Cough Get a good night’s rest with these remedies. 15 Immune-Boosting Foods Eat these to fight colds, flu, and more. RECOMMENDED FOR YOU QUIZ Can Fevers Be Good for You? Facts About Body Temperature ARTICLE Best Ways to Avoid Colds and Flu ARTICLE Is It a Cold or a Sinus Infection? SLIDESHOW Germy Things You Touch Every Day ARTICLE How Exactly Do You Catch a Cold or the Flu? QUIZ Superbugs: Fact vs. Fiction ARTICLE 6 Things Crashing Your Immune System SLIDESHOW Anatomy of a Sore Throat TOOLS & RESOURCES Tips to Survive Cold & Flu Do Antibiotics Cure Colds? Calm Your Cough at Night 15 Immune-Boosting Foods Inside an Ear Infection Scratchy Throat: Is It Strep? SUBSCRIBE TO WEBMD NEWSLETTERS Food & Fitness Women's Health Men's Health Good Health Subscribe By clicking "Submit," I agree to the WebMD Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I also agree to receive emails from WebMD and I understand that I may opt out of WebMD subscriptions at any time. Health Solutions Penis Curved When Erect? Could I have CAD? Treat Bent Fingers Treat HR+, HER2- MBC Tired of Dandruff? Benefits of CBD Rethink MS Treatment AFib-Related Strokes Risk of a Future DVT/PE Is My Penis Normal? Relapsing MS Options Liver Transplants Save Lives Finance Plastic Surgery Bent Finger Causes Living With Psoriasis? Missing Teeth? More from WebMD 5 Tips to Help With Relapsing MS How to Thrive With Narcolepsy Relief for Blocked Hair Follicles Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep What Psoriasis Feels Like First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare Talking to Your Doctor About RA Crohn's: A 'Full-Body' Disease Avoiding Crohn’s Flares Health Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil Live Better With Psoriatic Disease Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS 5 Health Benefits of Hemp Why Prostate Cancer Spreads Living with Advanced Breast Cancer Where Breast Cancer Spreads Policies Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Editorial Policy Advertising Policy Correction Policy Terms of Use About Contact Us About WebMD Careers Newsletter Corporate WebMD Health Services Site Map Accessibility WebMD Network Medscape Medscape Reference MedicineNet eMedicineHealth RxList OnHealth WebMDRx First Aid WebMD Magazine WebMD Health Record Dictionary Physician Directory Our Apps WebMD Mobile WebMD App Pregnancy Baby Allergy Medscape For Advertisers Advertise with Us Advertising Policy © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information. Your Choice On Cookies We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data.See our Cookie Notice. We and our partners process data to: Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners I Accept Manage Settings