Will Bird Flu Lead to Another Global Pandemic?

Every time there is news about a virus, we tend to think the worst. It’s easy to see why, considering we’re still reeling from the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While that virus continues to mutate and positive cases are once again on the rise, it’s easy to see why news of a new virus, such as the bird flu, also known as the avian Flu, has so many people feeling uneasy.

One of the most common questions floating around right now involves whether the bird flu is going to become the most recent pandemic. We know that mpox is ravaging multiple parts of Africa, and the bird flu, which has been in the news before, seems to be making another surge.

Today, learn more about the bird flu, its symptoms, and the likelihood of the world dealing with another pandemic. You may find some news that will put your mind at ease.

What Is the Bird Flu?

The bird flu, which is officially referred to as the H5N1 virus, is a virus that primarily impacts birds. That in itself is great news for humans. However, history does indicate that certain strains have crossed the barrier that exists between species, resulting in some positive cases in humans.

The avian flu, which is another name for the bird flu, is typically broken up into two categories, low pathogenic (LPAI) and high pathogenic (HPAI). These two categories refer to how likely each strain is to lead to disease in birds, not humans.

That’s very important to understand. Most of the information we have about this flu involves how it affects birds.

H5N1 and H7N9

There are two strains of the bird flu, the H5N1 and the H7N9, that can transmit to humans. In 1997, the first human tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus when a Hong Kong man tested positive.

There was minimal spread, and it looked like the virus was eradicated. It reemerged in 2003, resulting in severe respiratory issues among humans who tested positive.

The H7N9 strain of the virus also showed up in humans for the first time in China, but this strain appeared in 2013. Much like the previous strain of the virus, it led to severe respiratory infections.

First Case in the United States

On April 1, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) received an alert about a positive case of the H5N1 strain of the virus, this time, in the United States.

The patient reported experiencing symptoms on March 27, 2024. While the patient didn’t report any exposure to waterfowl, like duck and geese, both of which serve as natural carriers for the virus, but the patient did report that they were regularly exposed to cattle.

This April 1 case was the second time that an American tested positive for the virus but was the first time that it appeared that the patient contracted the virus from a mammal instead of a bird.

The patient who tested positive on April 1, whose name has not been released in accordance with HIPAA guidelines, received treatment and is said to be recovered, some four months after the initial test. However, we do know that the patient worked at a commercial dairy farm in Texas.

Per the WHO, the patient was given antivirals and encouraged to isolate on March 28 after a pair of tests on March 27 that were positive. No one in the patient's home reported any symptoms, and health officials at the state and federal levels are monitoring the situation at the affected dairy farm.

Since the people who shared a home with the infected individual experienced no symptoms, and the patient’s symptoms faded at the same rate as those of a normal virus, the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) both consider this to be an isolated instance and that there is little to no threat to the rest of the population.

How Does the Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

In the same way that traditional flu viruses, like Flu A and Flu B, are transmitted when an infected person comes in close contact with someone who is not infected, bird flu is transmitted from birds to humans when a human comes in direct contact with an infected bird.

Over the years, people have reported testing positive after handling sick or dying birds at vet offices, cleaning poultry farms, or working at markets where birds are sold.

It has also been found that bird flu can be transmitted from birds to humans when humans touch a surface that has the virus on it.

Based on studies, this includes cages in which infected birds have been kept, equipment that has been used to diagnose or treat infected birds, and even clothes that were worn while handling an infected bird.

Finally, humans can catch the virus if they consume infected poultry. This is considered the rarest way for humans to contract the virus, though. This is largely because the poultry must be undercooked in order for the virus to be transmitted through consumption.

The same is true when it comes to eggs, as consuming undercooked or raw eggs that have the H5N1 strain of the virus can lead to human contamination.

It's considered rare for the virus to spread between humans, as evidenced by the case in Texas earlier this year.

Although the patient who tested positive was isolated in their home, it’s worth noting that no one else in the home (we do not know how many other people lived in the home) tested positive or exhibited any symptoms.

Because of this difficulty, the CDC and the WHO agree that the odds of the H5N1 virus becoming a pandemic are rare, but they are monitoring the situation for mutations, just like they have been doing since 1997 when the first human tested positive in Hong Kong.

What Are the Symptoms of the Bird Flu?

One of the most interesting facts about the bird flu cases of 1997 and 2024 is that both started with conjunctivitis, an infection of the eye. This is considered a predominant symptom, but it’s also mild.

Other mild symptoms include cough, runny nose, stuffy nose, fever, body aches, muscle aches, fatigue, and headache.

There’s a second class of symptoms that the WHO categorizes as “moderate.” These include a high fever, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.

Finally, there are some more extreme symptoms, but these symptoms are much less common. They include gastrointestinal issues including vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and in some cases, seizures.

Is the Bird Flu Going to Be a Pandemic?

As things currently stand, there is no reason to think that the bird flu, or any of its strains and variants, is going to become a global pandemic.

First, it’s important to understand that this virus is not new. While it may be in the news right now because of some recent cases, the fact remains that the virus has been a part of our world since 1997, at least.

Additionally, there are already vaccines in place that have proven effective against several H5 strains of the flu virus. One of the reasons that the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded the way it did was that there was no immunization in place for it.

Finally, you should take heart in the fact that world health officials have made no indications that we’re anywhere close to a bird flu pandemic.

Knowing the symptoms and signs, and understanding some common causes for positive tests can help you better protect yourself from the virus.