Rhode Island Department of HealthState of Rhode Island
Department of Health
Avian Influenza is a virus that infects wild birds (such as ducks, gulls, and shorebirds) and domestic poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese). There are flu virus variants for birds just as there are for humans and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse than others. All strains also are divided into two groups based upon the ability of the virus to produce disease in poultry: low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to people from HPAI infections in wild birds to be low because these viruses do not now infect humans easily, and even if a person is infected, the viruses do not spread easily to other people. Avian influenza viruses respond to standard antiviral drugs.
The United States has been dealing with an ongoing outbreak of HPAI Avian Influenza H5N1 since early 2022. At first, H5N1 was mostly found in wild birds and poultry. H5N1 started spreading to other animals, like foxes, bears, and seals. In March 2024, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified H5N1 in US dairy cows for the first time. Experts believe that the cows were infected through contact with infected wild birds. Since March 2024, H5N1 has been identified in dairy farms in several states. In addition, since April 2024, several cases have been identified in humans. To date, people who have gotten sick with H5N1 have had mild illness, have been treated with antivirals, and have recovered.
The CDC believes that the risk to general public health is low because H5N1 does not infect humans easily. However, people who work with or have recreational exposure to birds, poultry, or cows are at a higher risk for infection. These people should take steps to protect themselves from H5N1. Experts at CDC, the USDA, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are watching the outbreak carefully. For updates on H5N1 in the United States, including case counts, please visit the CDC's web page on Avian Influenza.
To learn more about avian influenza specific to Rhode Island, please visit the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s avian influenza page. To learn more about Influenza Type A Viruses, please visit this CDC page: "Influenza Type A Viruses." The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):