Avian Influenza
APIC Avian Influenza Playbook
To help infection preventionists quickly activate Avian Influenza prevention efforts, APIC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force has created an Avian Influenza Playbook that IPs can download and customize for use in their facilities. The Playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs.
About Avian Flu
- Avian Influenza is caused by infection with avian influenza A viruses (such as H5N1, H7N9)
- The disease primarily affects wild and domesticated birds, often causing severe illness and death
- Although bird flu viruses do not typically infect humans, rare cases of illness in humans have occurred after direct or indirect exposure to infected birds, animals, or contaminated environments
- Human H5N1 cases historically have had a high mortality rate (50-60% worldwide)
- Most human cases are linked to direct contact with infected poultry, dairy cattle, or wild birds (animal-to-human)
- Contact with contaminated surfaces, raw or undercooked poultry, meat, or unpasteurized milk can result in (environmental exposure)
- Sustained person-to-person transmission has not been observed. However, isolated mutations in virus samples from humans show potential for adaptation (human-to-human)
- Incubation Period: 2 to 8 days, but can extend to 17 days
- Influenza-like illness
- First identified in the late 1990s outbreak in poultry and humans in Asia
- H5N1 has since become enzootic in wild birds, causing reated poultry outbreaks across Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America
- The United States last detected Avian Influenza in 2022. Where H5N1 was detected in wild birds, commercial poultry flocks, dairy herds, and some mammalian species across multiple states
- Avian influenza remains widespread in wild birds globally
- Avian Influenza A viruses have been found in raw milk and raw meat products in the United States, creating additional exposure risks
Current Situation
- January 2025: CDC confirmed >60 human cases since April 2024, with 1 associated death; most linked to dairy herds, poultry farms, or wild bird exposure
- December 2024: First severe human H5N1 case in the United States. Viral mutations observed within the case but not transmissible between humans
- November 2024: Teen hospitalized in Canada
- Click here for the most current information regarding Avian Influenza
Avian Influenza is an emerging infectious disease with pandemic potential. Infection preventionists should ensure their facility is prepared with a plan that includes:
- Rapid screening and identification of at-risk individuals
- Transmission-based precautions for suspected or confirmed cases
- Effective environmental disinfection strategies
- Training and drills to ensure readiness
- Facility planning, including triage zones, waste handling, and lab processes
APIC Resources and Tools
Click here to download the APIC Avian Influenza Playbook
- Developed by the APIC Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force to help infection preventionists rapidly activate Avian Influenza prevention efforts
- The playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs.
Click here to download the Key Points an Infection Preventionist Needs to Know about Avian Influenza
- APIC’s key points document summarizes recognition, prevention, and mitigation strategies tailored for IPs by IPs
Click Here to access the APIC Text – Chapter 82: Influenza
- Chapter 82 of the APIC Text provides comprehensive guidance for an infection preventionist on Influenza
- Chapter 118 of the APIC Text provides comprehensive guidance for an infection preventionist on strategies to handle Infectious Disease Disasters
Additional External Resources
