Sick and dead waterfowl are being reported across Missouri, and the Missouri Department of Conservation says that’s likely due to pathogenic avian influenza. It’s collecting birds – such as geese and ducks – to determine the cause of death. Other states, including Kansas and Iowa, are seeing similar occurrences.
Avian influenza or bird flu is transmitted from bird to bird via fecal droppings, saliva and nasal discharges. The illness can go from wild birds to domestic poultry and vice versa.
MDC recommends that you avoid touching dead geese, waterfowl or other birds; report any sightings of dead geese to them; and keep pets away from dead animals.
According to the department, while bird flu doesn’t present an immediate public health concern, on rare occasions the illness has infected humans and other animals. MDC suggests cooking wild game to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Waterfowl hunters should dress game birds in the field when possible and dispose of all waste in trash bags and through regular trash collection. That will help protect bald eagles and other raptors who are particularly susceptible to avian influenza.
In late November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first confirmed child infection with avian influenza in the U.S. The case in California was detected through influenza testing and reported to the California Public Health Department through influenza surveillance.
To date, there has been no person-to-person spread identified associated with any of the H5N1 bird flu cases reported in the United States, according to the CDC.
