# How is Avian Flu contracted - by humans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891 "2005-10-05T15:01:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/1 "2005-10-05T15:01:59Z")
It’s apparent that this disease goes from bird to human. But how is it transmitted? Obvously we start with an infected bird. But then… Could I get it from my backyard birds I’ve been feeding for years? Is the virus transmitted from fowl one buys in the market to the people who eat it? And so on… ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/2 "2005-10-05T16:55:40Z")
CDC info on Avian Flu may be found here: [http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm) (general info) [http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/spread.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/spread.htm) (documented bird-to-bird transmission) [http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/avian-flu-humans.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/avian-flu-humans.htm) (bird to human transmission) ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/3 "2005-10-05T19:32:39Z")
Birds in close contact with humans (ducks, chickens) get a flu virus. It mutates to a form that infects the humans nearby. The humans then pass it along to other humans. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/4 "2005-10-05T19:39:03Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > The humans then pass it along to other humans. This vector for Avian Flu has not been proven. Research shows that unless the virus mutates, human-to-human transmission is very unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/5 "2005-10-05T20:21:04Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > This vector for Avian Flu has not been proven. Research shows that unless the virus mutates, human-to-human transmission is very unlikely. Actually it _has_ been proven to have occurred, its just only happened once that we know of. A successful mutation is most likely inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/6 "2005-10-05T21:16:04Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Actually it _has_ been proven to have occurred, its just only happened once that we know of. A successful mutation is most likely inevitable. Really? I’d swear I heard something on the news just the other day saying there were no known human-to-human transmissions. And that the nature of the virus made it highly unlikely. Mebbe I misheard. Thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/7 "2005-10-05T21:57:30Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Really? I’d swear I heard something on the news just the other day saying there were no known human-to-human transmissions. And that the nature of the virus made it highly unlikely. Mebbe I misheard. Thanks for the correction. Yes, there has been at least one case of human-human transmission. it died out soon, due to a poor adaptation. The problem is that the practices in that region of asia make it a PERFECT spot for this virus to mutate at its leisure. Cite for the transmission: [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/22/vietnam.birdflu.toll/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/22/vietnam.birdflu.toll/index.html) [http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/02/01/birdflu.wrap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/02/01/birdflu.wrap/index.html) [http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/02/01/birdflu.vietnam/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/02/01/birdflu.vietnam/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/8 "2005-10-06T01:10:02Z")
There is an article about the Avian Flu in the current National Geographic magazine. I haven’t had a chance to start reading it yet, but looking at photo captions in it has indicated a prime means in Asia of transmission to humans has simply been eating the meat of infected chickens. I’ve found the National Geographic Society’s site has some of the content of the magazine article, starting here: [http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0510/feature1/index.html](http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0510/feature1/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/9 "2005-10-06T02:41:37Z")
Well, I guess I can still feed my birds. But chicken dinners are out, huh? ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/10 "2005-10-06T03:10:49Z")
Ok, probably better reading comprehension with those linked citations would help, but to verify, birdie influenza is a different disease from psittacosis? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/11 "2005-10-06T03:33:30Z")
> [@E = mc²](#): > > Well, I guess I can still feed my birds. > > But chicken dinners are out, huh? Chicken dinners are fine. But living in close proximity with large numbers of the critters is probably a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-avian-flu-contracted-by-humans/324891/12 "2005-10-06T05:07:37Z")
Yano i’m kinda concerned by this. Not that i’m gonna get it but that its just a scam by the Tyson folks who have been trying to get a monopoly on the chicken industry for years now. Yeah I know its just a rumor but could there be a better way than to scare the hell out of a few folks until Washington hears of the "epidemic " and forces small producers out of buisness?