By Jamie Jablonowski, MPH, BSN, RN, CPH
Dozens of dead geese were found in a park in Mercer County. Egg prices have reached an all-time high. What’s the connection between the geese and your expensive morning omelet? Avian influenza.
Avian influenza, also known as “bird flu,” is a respiratory disease caused by influenza A viruses. While seasonal flu is also an influenza A virus, it belongs to a different subtype. The specific subtype commonly referred to as avian influenza is H5N1.
Wild water birds such as ducks, geese, swans and gulls are the natural hosts of H5N1 bird flu. The virus passes through their mucous, saliva and feces and can be spread to other animals through these routes or through infected surfaces. This is how the virus can be spread to chickens, cows, cats and even humans. Last week, the first case of bird flu (or H5N1) in a feral cat was reported in Hunterdon County.
How is Avian Influenza Transmitted?
A person can contract avian influenza if the virus comes in contact with their eyes, nose or mouth or is inhaled. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New Jersey Department of Health, the public health risk of avian influenza spreading to humans is low. As of March 2, 2025, there have been 70 cases of avian influenza and one death in the United States. The majority of cases were a result of exposure to infected dairy cattle. The second most common cause of exposure was poultry. There have been no cases where an individual has caught avian influenza from another person. There have been no human cases reported in New Jersey.
Who is Most at Risk?
The individuals most at risk for contracting avian influenza are those who work with animals, such as dairy or poultry workers, or those who work with their byproducts, such as individuals who handle milk.
How Concerned is the Local Medical Community?
Amy Eschinger, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Riverview Medical Center, described her concern as “moderate.” She recalls how avian flu drew public concern in 1997 when the first human cases occurred, traced to live poultry markets. “There were people who got infected and it had a very high mortality rate. So that was very concerning,” Eschinger said. The outbreak resulted in six deaths.
Eschinger said many infectious disease doctors thought the next pandemic would be caused by avian influenza and not COVID-19.
“I would put my concern probably moderate because, so far, we have not really seen human-to-human transmission. But anytime this virus has a chance to infect a human, it gives it the chance to then mutate so that it becomes better at infecting humans. The potential to then spread human to human is the biggest concern,” she said.
Eschinger added that it is still too early to predict what might happen. “We don’t know,” she said. “The majority of the cases have been in people who have had direct contact with sick dairy cows or poultry or drank raw milk from dairy cows. There is definitely a connection to animals. It’s not as if there are people out there getting infected and they have no history of this type of exposure. We’re pretty confident it’s not spreading human to human and that’s why I would say my concern is moderate.”
What are the Signs and Symptoms
of Avian Influenza?
Cases of avian influenza have ranged from mild to severe. While most cases reported in the United States have been mild, severe cases can lead to death. Conjunctivitis (eye redness or irritation) was the most commonly reported symptom, followed by respiratory symptoms and fever.
Mild signs and symptoms of avian influenza include:
• Conjunctivitis
• Cough
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
• Headache
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Diarrhea
Signs and symptoms of moderate or severe infection include:
• High fever or other symptoms listed above that limit or prevent usual activity
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Altered consciousness
It is important to note that the symptoms of avian influenza are similar to those of many other respiratory illnesses. Therefore, it is important to call your doctor if you have been exposed to infected or potentially infected animals, including sick animals that may have eaten birds that were infected with bird flu.
How can Avian Influenza be Prevented?
In general, to prevent disease transmission, individuals should avoid direct contact with sick or dead animals. Individuals should also avoid touching surfaces or materials that could be contaminated with saliva, mucous or animal feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected bird flu. People should also avoid consuming raw milk or raw milk products, especially if these products were sourced from animals that may have had, or are suspected to have, avian influenza virus infection. In general, washing your hands with soap and water, or hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, is always recommended after having contact with animals.
Per CDC recommendations, those who have prolonged unprotected contact with potentially infected birds should wear personal protective equipment to limit their exposure to the virus. Wild birds can be infected with avian influenza A viruses even if they are not sick. In addition to those who work with animals, those who raise poultry flocks in their backyard or hunters are also at risk.
Echoing the above recommendations, Eschinger said, “Don’t feed your animals raw food. People feed their dogs and their cats raw food, and if there’s raw chicken in it, it can be transmitted that way. That’s how some cats got infected and died.”
She added that “nobody should be drinking raw milk.” She explained that cows carry the virus in their mammary glands, and the virus can pass to the cow’s milk. Pasteurization can kill the virus, but if this process is skipped, the virus can remain in the milk.
Regarding additional precautions related to visiting parks with children, Eschinger said, “I’d be extra careful to leave my shoes outside and not bring them in the house.” She recommended handwashing following playing outside. She describes children playing in parks as “lower risk,” as long as the child is not handling dead birds and putting their hands in their mouth.
Can I Catch Avian Influenza from My Pet?
There is potential to be exposed to avian influenza from your pet. While the CDC advises the risk is rare, in 2016 there was a case reported where a veterinarian was infected with avian influenza after prolonged exposure without personal protective equipment.
According to the New Jersey Department of Health, signs and symptoms in cats include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, discharge from the eyes and mouth, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, seizures, circling, wobbling gait and blindness.
Anyone who is concerned about their pet should call their veterinarian prior to presenting to the office to ensure the practice can take the necessary precautions to protect staff and other animals.
The New Jersey Department of Health also recommends residents who have had close, unprotected contact with a cat or other animal infected with avian flu should contact their local health department and monitor themselves for symptoms for 10 days following their last exposure.
What Does Avian Influenza
Have to do with the Price of Eggs?
Avian influenza is very contagious within animal populations and can cause illness and death. Therefore, when there is an outbreak within a poultry population, the infected flocks are culled before the virus can spread further. This mass loss of chickens has a negative effect on egg production and thus causes the increase in egg prices we see today.
What if I Come Across Sick or Dead Birds?
Recently, dozens of geese were found dead in Allentown Borough in western Monmouth County, forcing a park to be closed and activities to be relocated. If you see a group of sick or dead birds, you should contact the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife hotline at 877-WARNDEP (877-927-6337).
Do not handle sick or dead poultry. Contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400.
For now, public health officials, medical professionals, wildlife experts, and those in agriculture continue to closely monitor the evolving situation. Avoid contact with sick animals, follow hygiene precautions and stay informed.
Please note, if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, have been exposed to birds or animals infected with avian influenza A virus, or have any health concerns, consult a health care professional immediately.
The article originally appeared in the March 6 – 12, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
