Avian Flu Spreads from Wild Birds – But Not H5N1

Posted by
Rosemary Drisdelle
Aug 13, 2006

Have you read my article on Birds and Influenza?

Until now, the spread of avian influenza from wild bird to humans had not been documented - people catch bird flu from domestic birds, not wild ones. Still, there's been a lot of speculation about whether wild birds could spread the dangerous H5N1 avian flu around the globe and cause a human pandemic. A study published in the August issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases reports that antibodies to avian flu strains have been found in Iowa duck hunters, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff who have banded ducks.

The finding proves that the men have been exposed to the bird influenza virus, though none of them were ill. The virus strains are not the H5N1 strain; rather, the most significant antibodies found were directed at the H11N9 strain, a virus that is not adapted to humans.

The fact that avian influenza strains will pass from wild birds to humans is a significant one; however, it must be kept in mind that the men in the study had a great deal of close exposure to wild birds, and that the H11N9 influenza strain doesn't cause disease in humans. Exposure to H5N1 is still much more likely to come from domestic birds.