Departments

Health and Human Services

Bucks County Health Department

-- Main --Bureau of Personal Health and Public Health Preparedness -- Bureau of Environmental Health --

Basic Information About Avian Influenza

As you know, many current news stories contain information about Avian Influenza, also known as H5N1 or "Bird Flu" which is occurring in Asian, African and some European countries. It is believed that the potential for migratory wild birds or birds brought into North and South America could bring the H5N1 virus to these areas.

Here are some key facts about Avian Influenza:

• Bird Flu is a disease of wild birds, found mostly in water birds such as geese, ducks and shorebirds.
• Bird Flu has not been found in birds in the continental United States.
• Bird Flu is almost always acquired by very close contact of a human with infected bird saliva and/or droppings (feces) or infected manure from poultry farms.
• In general, scientists do not think you can get H5N1 from eating infected poultry or eggs.

For more information of Avian Influenza:

Bucks County Department of Health-- Information for Residents

Centers for Disease Control

US Department of Health and Human Services

Pennsylvania Department Of Health