How do people become infected with avian influenza viruses?

Dr. David Swayne
SE Poultry Labs, Bird Fly Research & Issues
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Avian influenza viruses are spread by moving infected birds between farms or moving contaminated equipment or people moving with contamination of their shoes or clothing.  And there are really two types of products that are the source of that infection.  One is the fecal material from infected birds contains a virus, and number two is the respiratory secretions, things that are coughed up or come out of the nose. To this point the studies that have been done in Asia and Africa have identified direct, close contact with infected live or dead poultry as the source of infection for those people.