Bird-flu advice depends on contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Avoid handling sick or dead birds, report unusual illness, and contact public health promptly after a concerning exposure.
This U.S. guide follows CDC and USDA sources checked in September 2026. Use those agencies’ current instructions and your local response team for an active incident. Outbreak locations and exposure advice can change.
Choose the right next step
| Situation | Immediate focus | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Sick or dead wild bird | Keep people and pets away; avoid handling | Local wildlife or health agency for reporting instructions |
| Illness or unexpected deaths in poultry | Report promptly and obtain flock-specific instructions | State veterinarian or USDA at 1-866-536-7593 |
| Possible human exposure | Describe the contact and arrange advice about monitoring | Local or state public-health department |
| Symptoms after exposure | Call promptly and explain the animal contact | Healthcare provider and public-health department |
Animal reporting and human medical advice are separate tasks. One household may need both. USDA’s signs-of-illness page lists sudden deaths, reduced appetite or energy, changes in egg production, respiratory signs, and other changes worth reporting. Appearance alone cannot determine the cause.
Understand what contact matters
CDC’s prevention guidance focuses on avoiding close, unprotected contact with infected or potentially infected birds, dairy cattle, other animals, and their contaminated surroundings. Virus can reach a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth, including through inhalation or contaminated hands.
Observe sick animals from a distance. Avoid touching litter, bedding, feces, raw milk, or other materials associated with suspected infection. Ask the responsible authority how a carcass should be handled; do not bring a dead bird into a clinic or office without instructions.
People whose work requires contact need task-specific training and appropriate protective equipment, including respiratory and eye protection where indicated. For backyard flocks, use CDC’s protective-equipment and cleanup guidance with the response team’s instructions.
Prepare before a flock problem
Use USDA’s Defend the Flock resources to develop biosecurity practices for your setup. Plan how you will limit visitors and equipment movement, keep poultry separated from wild birds where feasible, and clean equipment using the relevant instructions.
Keep contact details for your veterinarian and state animal-health authority next to the flock record. Note the normal pattern of feed use, activity, and egg production so a sudden change is easier to describe. If illness appears, call for instructions before moving birds, sharing equipment, or attempting extensive cleanup.
After possible exposure, get a monitoring plan
CDC’s monitoring guidance covers the period from first exposure through ten days after the last exposure to infected animals. Public health can assess the contact and explain what monitoring, testing, or other steps apply. Include eye redness or irritation in the symptom discussion, as well as feverishness, cough, sore throat, body aches, and breathing difficulty.
If symptoms develop after contact with infected or potentially infected animals, call your healthcare provider and public-health department promptly. Explain the exposure before arriving for care. Follow isolation instructions and stay away from work or school while the concern is assessed. For severe breathing difficulty or another emergency, seek emergency care and tell responders about the exposure.
A symptom log can record the date, symptoms, last animal contact, and the advice received. Each new exposure may change the end of the monitoring period; confirm the dates with public health. Do not wait for a positive animal test before reporting symptoms after a concerning contact.
Keep food precautions straightforward
CDC advises choosing pasteurized milk and properly cooking poultry, eggs, and meat. Follow official food-safety instructions for the food being prepared. Avoid raw milk and raw milk products, especially where infected herds are involved. Product or flock-specific instructions from authorities take precedence during an investigation.
For a different bird-associated disease pathway, see West Nile and mosquito prevention. A bird report may help surveillance, while the prevention action depends on the disease and exposure being considered.