Can a human get bird flu? What the latest data actually says about your risk

You’ve probably seen the headlines lately. They’re everywhere. From dairy cows in Texas to local backyard flocks, avian influenza is making a lot of noise. It feels like 2020 all over again for some people, and that "here we go again" feeling is hard to shake. But let’s get the big question out of the way immediately: can a human get bird flu? Yes. They can.

But—and this is a massive "but"—it’s not happening the way most people think. It isn’t drifting through the air at your local park like a common cold. At least, not yet. To understand why scientists are losing sleep while the general public is mostly just confused, we have to look at how this virus actually operates.

The jump from feathers to fingers

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is primarily a bird problem. It has been for a long time. These viruses, like the notorious H5N1 strain, are perfectly evolved to live in the guts and respiratory tracts of waterfowl. Ducks, geese, and shorebirds carry it across oceans during migration. Most of the time, they don't even get sick.

Humans are a different story. Our lungs are built differently. The receptors the virus needs to "lock onto" in order to hijack our cells are tucked deep down in our lower respiratory tract. Birds have them much higher up. This is why a human usually has to have intense, prolonged contact with a sick animal to get infected. Think of a farmer cleaning a coop or a vet handling an infected cow. You aren't going to get it by walking past a pigeon on the sidewalk.

Since 2021, the H5N1 strain has gone on a global tear. It’s killed millions of birds. It’s also started showing up in mammals—sea lions, foxes, grizzly bears, and most recently, American dairy cattle. This is what has experts like Dr. Nirav Shah from the CDC and researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital leaning in. Every time the virus jumps into a mammal, it gets a "practice round" at mutating to survive in a body that looks a lot more like ours than a chicken's does.

What happens if you actually catch it?

Honestly, the symptoms are a bit of a wildcard. In the few dozen human cases we’ve seen globally over the last few years, the range has been wild.

Some people just get pink eye. It sounds weird, right? Conjunctivitis. That’s what happened with several dairy workers in the U.S. in early 2024. They got some infected milk or dust in their eye, and it just got red and itchy. No fever. No cough. Just an annoying eye infection that cleared up with antivirals.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the "old" H5N1 data. If you look at historical cases from Southeast Asia or Egypt over the last twenty years, the mortality rate is terrifying—somewhere north of 50%. But there's a huge asterisk there. Those were people who were usually very, very sick before they ever saw a doctor. We likely missed thousands of mild cases because people just stayed home and got better.

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Common signs to watch for:

• Redness, itching, or discharge from the eyes (Conjunctivitis)
• Sudden, high fever and chills
• A cough that feels "deep" or heavy
• Extreme fatigue that hits like a truck
• Shortness of breath that gets worse quickly

If a human gets bird flu today, the treatment is usually Oseltamivir, which you probably know as Tamiflu. It works, but you have to start it fast. The virus moves quickly once it finds a foothold.

The dairy cow curveball

Nobody saw the cows coming. Seriously. For decades, we thought cows were basically immune to these types of flu viruses. Then, in early 2024, milk production started dropping in Texas and Kansas.

When researchers tested the milk, it was loaded with H5N1. This changed the conversation about how a human can get bird flu. It wasn't just about touching dead birds anymore. Now, we had to worry about high concentrations of virus in raw milk.

The FDA acted pretty quickly here. They tested the commercial milk supply and found "viral fragments" in about 20% of retail samples. But—and this is the part that keeps the grocery store safe—those fragments were dead. Pasteurized milk is heated to a point where the virus literally falls apart. It’s like finding a shattered glass; it can’t hold water anymore. Drinking pasteurized milk is safe. Drinking raw milk, however, is currently a very high-stakes gamble.

Why isn't this a pandemic yet?

Transmissibility is the "holy grail" for viruses. Right now, H5N1 is bad at moving from person to person. It’s great at jumping from bird to bird, and it's getting okay at jumping from bird to cow. But humans? We’re a dead end.

For a pandemic to start, the virus needs to learn how to attach to the receptors in our upper respiratory tract—our noses and throats. If it can stay up there, we can sneeze it out and infect the person standing next to us. Right now, it stays deep in the lungs. You can be very sick, but you aren't "shedding" enough virus to easily infect your family.

Scientists are watching for specific mutations in the PB2 gene. This is basically the virus's engine. If the engine learns to run at the cooler temperatures of a human nose (which is about 33°C) instead of a bird’s core (which is 41°C), we have a real problem.

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Real-world risks: Who is actually in danger?

If you work in an office and spend your weekends at the movies, your risk is basically zero. You can breathe.

The people who need to be careful are those in "high-touch" roles.

1. Poultry workers: If you’re around thousands of birds, the sheer volume of viral particles in the air is higher.
2. Dairy farmers: Raw milk from an infected cow is a concentrated "viral soup."
3. Backyard chicken enthusiasts: We all love our "girls," but if your flock is dying suddenly, do not perform an autopsy on your kitchen table.
4. Wildlife rescuers: Handling sick seals or birds without a mask and gloves is a big no-no right now.

Can a human get bird flu from food?

This is the most common question. "Can I eat my chicken wings?"

The answer is yes, provided you aren't eating them raw. The H5N1 virus is incredibly sensitive to heat. If you cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), the virus is obliterated. The same goes for eggs. If the yolk is firm, the risk is gone.

The real danger in the kitchen isn't the cooked food; it’s the cross-contamination. If you’re handling raw poultry that happens to be infected, and then you rub your eye or touch your sandwich, that’s your entry point. Wash your hands. Use soap. It’s basic, but it’s the most effective shield we have.

The "hidden" surveillance problem

One reason we’re so unsure about how easily a human can get bird flu is that we aren't testing enough.

Farmers are often reluctant to let government officials onto their land. If a farm tests positive, it can mean massive financial loss. Because of this, many workers who might have mild symptoms—like that pink eye we talked about—never get tested. They just push through it.

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This creates a "blind spot" for public health experts. We might be missing the moment the virus starts spreading more easily because we simply aren't looking at the right people at the right time.

What you should actually do now

Don't panic. Panic is useless. But stay informed.

The world is much better prepared for H5N1 than it was for COVID-19. We already have "candidate vaccine viruses" ready to go. The U.S. government has a stockpile of H5N1 vaccines, though they aren't being distributed to the public yet because the risk is still low. We have testing infrastructure. We have antivirals that actually work against this specific bug.

Practical steps for the average person:

• Avoid sick or dead wildlife. If you see a dead crow in your yard, don't pick it up with your bare hands. Call local animal control.
• Keep your distance from "swimming birds." Geese and ducks at the local pond are the primary carriers. Don't feed them by hand.
• Cook your stuff. Seriously. No "rare" chicken. No raw milk. It’s just not worth it right now.
• Vaccinate your pets. Keep your cats indoors if you live in an area with an outbreak. Cats have died after eating infected birds.
• Watch the news, but filter the noise. Look for updates from the CDC, USDA, or the World Health Organization (WHO). Ignore the "doomsday" TikToks.

The situation is evolving. Viruses don't have a plan; they just have a drive to survive. Whether H5N1 becomes the next big global health event or just fades into the background of veterinary history depends on how it mutates in the coming months.

For now, the answer to "can a human get bird flu" remains a cautious "yes, but it's rare." Keep your hands clean, your chicken cooked, and your eyes on the data. We’re in a period of high watchfulness, but not high alarm.

Next Steps for You:
If you have backyard poultry, ensure their water and feed are protected from wild birds. If you develop a fever or red eyes after being near birds or livestock, contact your healthcare provider immediately and mention the exposure. You can also monitor the CDC’s weekly "Current U.S. Bird Flu Situation" reports for updates on cases in your specific state.