What Is the Contagious Period of the Avian Flu?

The Influenza Type A (H5N1) Avian Influenza (bird flu) is currently the most dangerous looming threat of pandemic. Unfortunately quite a lot is still not known about bird flu. Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) are scrambling to learn and prepare for a potential bird flu pandemic.

Point of Contact

• Primary Infection Point

  The CDC reports that wild birds carry the influenza virus natively, usually without harm. The virus is very easily passed from wild birds to factory-farmed birds, where the disease is often fatal. Most cases of human infection have occurred after human exposure to dead birds, bird feces, blood and other fluids.

Incubation Period

• Contagious

  As detailed on the International SOS website, an incubation period is defined by discerning the moment of infection until the symptoms of the disease begin to manifest.

Contagious Period

• Contagious

  The contagious, or infectious period is the time during which one person can spread the viral infection to another person, or animal. The CDC defines the contagious period of bird flu as starting when the symptoms first appear, and lasting until the symptoms disappear, which is generally seven days. People are generally not contagious after five days, and some are safe after two days.

Human Cases

• Since the isolation of the H5N1 virus, about 250 people have been infected with bird flu, with a mortality rate of approximately 50 percent.

Mutation Concerns

• Fowl and Swine

  The WHO is vigilant, chasing down incidents of infection, testing both dead birds as well as ill people, carefully checking the genetics of the virus. The current H5N1 virus does not pass easily from person to person, but with mutation, or reassortment with another influenza virus, the bird flu could become as easily transmissible as the H1N1 "Swine Flu."