Yes, humans can get bird flu, but infections are rare and nearly always follow close contact with infected birds or other infected animals.
Risk depends far more on exposure than on anything else, so poultry and dairy workers, backyard flock owners, and people who handle sick or dead wild birds are the ones who need to pay attention. The virus reaches people through droppings, saliva, and other fluids from infected animals, and through raw milk from infected dairy cattle. Symptoms can look like ordinary flu, but red or watery eyes is a common early sign in reported human cases, and some people become seriously ill with pneumonia. The virus does not currently spread easily from person to person. Practical habits help: keep your distance from sick or dead birds, wear gloves and eye protection if you must handle them, skip raw milk and raw milk cheese, and cook poultry and eggs thoroughly.
How to protect yourself
Common questions
can humans get bird flu
Yes. Human bird flu infections happen, but they are uncommon and almost always follow close contact with infected birds, dairy cattle, or their droppings, saliva, or raw milk. Poultry and dairy workers, backyard flock owners, and people who handle sick or dead wild birds carry most of the risk. Illness ranges from red, watery eyes and mild fever, cough, and body aches to pneumonia that needs hospital care. Sustained spread between people has not been seen. If you had contact with sick or dead birds or raw milk in the past 10 days and then develop eye irritation or flu symptoms, contact a clinician promptly, because antiviral treatment works best when it starts early.