Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases: Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

[Tim Uyeki] H5N1is a subtype of influenza A virus. There are many subtypes of influenza A viruses, and most of these subtypes are found in birds. This subtype, H5N1, occurs mostly in birds, it’s very contagious, and it can kill them. Especially, what we’re talking here is a subtype that’s really referred to as highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 virus. This highly pathogenic H5N1 virus does not usually infect people, although some rare sporadic infections with H5N1viruses have occurred in humans. And most of these cases have resulted from people who had direct or close contact with sick or dead poultry that were infected with this virus.