Avian influenza

Avian influenza (also known as bird flu) is an infectious disease which mostly spreads among wild birds. In some cases, it can spread from infected birds to animals and humans although human cases are rare. It can cause mild to severe illness in birds and other animals.

What is avian influenza?

Various strains of influenza A virus cause avian influenza. Strains of the virus are always changing; this can affect how easily it spreads and how severe illness is.

A global strain known as H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b has caused severe and widespread outbreaks in poultry, wild birds and other animals since 2020. This strain has not been detected in Australia.

Australia has had a small number of outbreaks of other strains of avian influenza on poultry farms. These strains cause less severe disease in birds.

Some strains of avian influenza have caused cases of human infection, however the human health risk of all avian influenza strains is currently low.

How is it spread?

The virus that causes avian influenza does not transmit to people easily. Human cases are rare.

The virus can spread to humans by:

  • Direct contact – touching your eyes, nose or mouth after touching infected birds or animals, carcasses and secretions such as saliva, droppings or faeces, or animal products such as feathers or hides.
  • Inhalation – breathing in contaminated dust or droplets in the air during activities such as slaughtering and butchering infected birds or animals.
  • Indirect contact – contact with contaminated items such as bedding materials and farming equipment, or environments where animals live such as aviaries and animal pens.

Person to person transmission is very rare. It can occur when a person does not wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and spends prolonged periods with an infected person.

Avian influenza is not known to transmit to people via food that is properly prepared. It is safe to eat poultry meat, eggs and egg products that are properly handled and cooked.

Who is at risk?

People at highest risk of getting avian influenza are those who:

  • work with commercial poultry (chicken or turkey) and/or are in close contact with sick birds that may be infected with avian influenza
  • work with and/or are in close contact with other animal species that can be infected with avian influenza such as mammals, particularly if they are unwell
  • are in close contact with a person who is infected with avian influenza.

This may include:

  • poultry farm workers
  • agriculture workers
  • veterinarians
  • wildlife workers and carers
  • workers who perform tasks in environments where birds live, such as landscapers and gardeners
  • workers who perform work tasks involving animals and waste
  • workers involved in the butchering and handling of animal carcasses.

Symptoms and treatment

Most infections in humans are mild or have no symptoms. Symptoms generally appear between 2 to 10 days after exposure and may be like seasonal influenza (flu).

Common symptoms can include fever, sore throat, cough and runny nose. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and conjunctivitis.

Some people may experience severe symptoms that require medical intervention.

If you develop symptoms and have close contact with sick birds or animals or their environments, tell your doctor so they can order the right tests. Antiviral medicines for human influenza can prevent severe illness from avian influenza. Your doctor will provide specific treatment and advice based on your needs.

Work health and safety duties

Under WHS laws, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) must ensure that workers (including contractors and volunteers) and others (including visitors and customers) are not exposed to risks to their health and safety in the workplace, so far as is reasonably practicable.

To manage the risk of exposure to diseases such as avian influenza in the workplace, a PCBU must:

  • apply a risk management approach to eliminate and/or minimise the risks in the workplace so far as is reasonable practicable
  • consult with workers and any health and safety representatives (HSRs) when assessing risks and determining and reviewing control measures to be implemented in the workplace

PCBUs have a duty to notify SafeWork NSW of serious illnesses arising out of work – this includes cases of avian influenza contracted in the course of work.

Workers also have duties while at work, including taking reasonable care of their health and safety and complying with reasonable instruction, policies and procedures in relation to health and safety.

Biosecurity

PCBUs in high-risk industries, occupations and workplaces should monitor communications from industry, animal health and health authorities. PCBUs should be aware of any biosecurity measures or recommendations for their industry or workplace.

PCBUs must follow any relevant biosecurity measures for their workplace (such as control or emergency orders to prevent or respond to an outbreak). They must also put in place health and safety control measures under WHS laws to manage the risk of avian influenza in the workplace.

Managing the risk of exposure in the workplace

The most effective way to manage a risk is to remove the hazard from your workplace. In some cases, elimination may not be reasonably practicable. Where this happens, you must minimise the risk so far as reasonably practicable. You can do this by implementing control measures from the hierarchy of control measures.

Control measures to prevent exposure to avian influenza in the workplace may include:

Isolation

  • Limit access to poultry, other birds and animals to only necessary workers.
  • Isolate any infected or potentially infected birds or other animals.
  • Avoid contact with sick or dead birds or animals. Where this is not possible, workers must be trained in the control measures in place to minimise exposure, wear appropriate PPE and follow safe work procedures.
  • Separate high-risk areas (such as areas where birds and other animals are housed) from other work areas or thoroughfares. This may include providing an area for breaks and meals in a clean and non-contaminated area of the workplace.

Engineering controls

  • Ensure adequate ventilation, for example, circulating clean, outdoor air in buildings, sheds or high-risk work areas can dilute the concentration of infectious particles in the air. This can help reduce worker exposure to avian influenza.
  • Provide handwashing facilities with running water and soap.
  • Consider workplace design to prevent cross-contamination. This may include providing:
    • facilities for changing, washing or showering and laundering of clothing or PPE on site
    • storage locations for workers personal items such as food and clothing.

Administrative controls

Safe work procedures

PCBUs must develop safe work procedures in consultation with workers and/or their health and safety representatives to manage the risk of avian influenza in the workplace. These may include:

  • A workplace vaccination program such as for seasonal influenza (flu).
  • Infection prevention and control procedures such as hygiene and cleaning practices.
  • Maintenance programs such as routine inspection of ventilation systems.
  • Information and training.

Vaccination

There is no specific vaccine for avian influenza for humans although the seasonal influenza (flu) vaccine can help prevent co-infection with multiple influenza strains. PCBUs should consider vaccination for seasonal influenza as part of their workplace vaccination program and encourage workers to access vaccination.

Good hygiene practices

Encourage frequent hand hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser before and after contact with birds, other animals or potentially contaminated objects.

  • Cover open wounds or broken skin with a water-resistant dressing.
  • Prohibit eating and drinking in high-risk work areas including areas where birds and other animals are housed.
  • Prohibit personal items in potentially contaminated areas.

Cleaning

PCBUs should have appropriate cleaning procedures in place to minimise the risk of disease transmission in the workplace such as:

  • good housekeeping practices
  • routine cleaning procedures including for:
    • areas housing birds and other animals
    • any potentially contaminated materials and equipment
    • common areas used by workers who are at risk of exposure to avian influenza (such as shared kitchens).
  • waste management and disposal procedures including removal of droppings and other potentially contaminated materials such as bird feed
  • disinfection and decontamination procedures
  • procedures for cleaning, disinfecting and disposal of PPE.

Information and training

PCBUs must:

  • provide workers with information about the risks, symptoms (in animals and people) and treatment for avian influenza
  • train workers in workplace control measures in place to prevent exposure, including how to use or wear, store, clean and dispose of PPE.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

The PPE required to protect workers from exposure to avian influenza will depend on factors such as the work environment, the task being performed and other control measures in place.

Where PPE is provided as a control measure to minimise exposure to health and safety risks in the workplace, including avian influenza, PCBUs must:

  • ensure PPE complies with relevant Australian Standards (or international equivalents where relevant)
  • provide workers with PPE that is suitable for the task/s being undertaken
  • ensure PPE is a suitable size and fit for the workers who are to use or wear it
  • provide workers with information, training and instruction in the proper use, storage and disposal of PPE.

PPE to minimise avian influenza exposure may include:

  • respiratory protection such as P2/N95 face mask or respirator
  • protective clothing such as coveralls or waterproof apron
  • eye protection such as goggles or face shield
  • gloves appropriate for the task
  • protective footwear such as waterproof boots
  • head or hair cover.

Further guidance on respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and fit testing is available on the SafeWork NSW website.

NSW Government preparedness and response

The NSW Government is working with the Australian Government and other jurisdictions to ensure that preparedness activities are nationally coordinated and consistent to mitigate the potential impacts of H5N1 on animals, people and ecosystems. In NSW, the combat agency for biosecurity emergencies is the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). NSW Health is the combat agency for human diseases.

Although Australia does not have any confirmed detections of H5N1, anyone encountering sick or dead wild birds or other wildlife should minimise the risk of exposure to themselves and other animals.

If you suspect a bird or animal may be infected with avian influenza:

  • avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife and their environment
  • record time, date, location and other evidence such as photos or video
  • report mass numbers of sick or dead wild birds (five or more) to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (EAD Hotline) on 1800 675 888.

Further information

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