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The Bird Flu and Salmonellosis
What Are These Diseases and How Do I Keep My Family Safe?
Melanie Perry, MPH | Region 3 Epidemiologist
Meghan Weinberg, PhD, MPH | Region 1 Epidemiologist
Spring in Michigan often signifies anew: readying of the garden, the grass transitioning from brown to green, and adding chicks and ducklings to backyard homesteads. Backyard flocks offer some great benefits, but care must be taken to keep families safe from zoonotic diseases that can spread between animals and people. Backyard birds (including chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) can pass viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi to humans. Two illnesses of concern are Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Salmonella, but with some basic precautions and heightened awareness, Michiganders can keep themselves and their flocks healthy.
HPAI
HPAI or “bird flu” is caused by certain avian influenza type A viruses that can lead to severe disease and mortality in poultry. They occur naturally in wild birds (including migratory waterfowl) and can infect backyard flocks when they share water, food, or living spaces. HPAI is highly infectious among domestic poultry, and it only takes a single sick bird to potentially infect the rest of the flock. Since Jan. 2022, HPAI A (H5) has been detected in over 6,500 wild birds from 50 jurisdictions and has resulted in the depopulation of greater than 58 million poultry in the U.S. Although uncommon, the virus can be transmitted to humans, which typically begins with symptoms like seasonal influenza (cough, sore throat, congestion, shortness of breath, etc.) but can progress to severe pneumonia and death. In the current outbreak, one human case has been reported in the U.S. in an individual with direct exposure to infected poultry.
Reduce Your Risk for HPAI
- To prevent HPAI from infecting your flock, isolate and monitor any new birds and implement biosecurity measures. These include preventing contact with wild birds by ensuring their outdoor area is fully enclosed, keeping feed away from wild birds and rodents, using well or municipal water as drinking water for your flock, and cleaning and disinfecting supplies before use.
- Watch for signs of HPAI in your flock, especially any unusual deaths, a drop in egg production, a decrease in water consumption, and an increase in sick birds. For small flocks, look for two or more dead birds within a 24-hour period and symptoms in the rest of the flock.
- If you notice any signs of potential HPAI infection among your flock, contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) immediately during business hours at (800) 292-3939 or after hours
(517) 373-0440.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a bacterium that can be transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces. Backyard poultry including chickens and ducks carry Salmonella naturally in their droppings and on their bodies even if they look healthy and clean. Without proper prevention measures, people can become infected through contact with the poultry or their environment. Most people develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps six hours to six days after exposure and the illness usually lasts four to seven days. While most recover without treatment, some people, including children younger than five years, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness.
Every year, the CDC tracks outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to contact with live poultry. In 2022, a total of 1,230 human cases in 49 states were reported in the United States, including 19 cases in Michigan. The true number of cases is likely much higher since not everyone will seek medical care or testing. Cases reported purchasing poultry from a variety of locations including agricultural feed stores, flea markets, auctions, 4H events, and directly from hatcheries. A common poultry supplier was not identified, further demonstrating the ubiquitous nature of Salmonella in poultry.
Reduce Your Risk for Salmonellosis
Follow these measures to stay healthy.
- Limit close interactions between people and poultry, particularly among children younger than five years.
- Wash your hands right after contact with poultry, their eggs, or anything in the area where they live and roam.
- Keep your flock and their supplies, including the shoes you wear in their coop, in a dedicated space outside.
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Clean and disinfect equipment and other supplies between uses.
- Don’t eat or drink in areas where the poultry live or roam.
- Collect eggs often, throw away cracked eggs, refrigerate eggs properly, and cook to an internal temperature of 160°F.
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Climate Effects on Health
Climate change influences human health and disease in numerous ways — from increases in respiratory allergens and asthma, to increased injuries and fatalities due to severe weather. Communities in the Southeastern U.S., as an example, are particularly vulnerable to the combined health impacts from vector-borne disease, intense heat, and flooding. Extreme weather and climate-related events can also have lasting mental health consequences in affected communities, particularly if they result in degradation of livelihoods or community relocation.
Populations including older adults, children, low-income communities, and some communities of color are often disproportionately affected by, and less resilient to, the health impacts of climate change. Adaptation and mitigation policies and programs help individuals, communities, and states prepare for the risks of a changing climate reduce the number of injuries, illnesses, and deaths from climate-related health outcomes.
 This graphic illustrates some of the various health impacts that can result from changes in climate. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/default.htm.
For accessibility see appendix, page 36 of https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/docs/Health_Impacts_Climate_Change-508_final.pdf.
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Minority Health Month
April is Minority Health Month. This year’s theme, Better Health Through Better Understanding, focuses on how meeting cultural and linguistic needs can improve health outcomes.
“Minority Health Month is a time to highlight barriers impeding the health disparities and health inequity for racial and ethnic populations,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “When people are provided with culturally and linguistically appropriate information, they are empowered to create healthier outcomes for themselves and their communities.”
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and needs of diverse patients. CLAS is a way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, which will ultimately help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity.
Communicable Disease Conference
Registration is still open for the Virtual 2023 Michigan Communicable Disease Conference being held on May 4 & 5, 2023 from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.
Michigan's State and Local Public Health partnership conference provides the latest knowledge and best practices for communicable disease diagnosis, surveillance, reporting, laboratory test interpretation, and incorporation of epidemiologic principles.
Registration closes on Monday, May 1 at 5:00 p.m. or once maximum capacity has been reached. There is no cost to register, though registration is required to attend.
More information can be found on the conference website.
Harm Reduction Summit
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' Viral Hepatitis Unit is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2023 Michigan Harm Reduction Summit.
This year's summit will be hosted in-person in Lansing on May 16-17, 2023 at the
Lansing Center 333 E Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933
May 16th will consist of afternoon Pre-Conference Workshops (in-person only) from 1-5 p.m. May 17th will consist of a full-day conference from 8-4 p.m. featuring three different tracks (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).
Virtual: Select sessions will be streamed virtually on Hopin on May 17, 2023. For access to all sessions, participants are encouraged to register to attend the conference in-person.
Continuing Education: Applications are being submitted to offer Nursing, Social Work, Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals (MCBAP), Physician Category I (CME I), Health Educators (CHES), and Community Health Worker (CHW) continuing education credits to participating attendees.
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Webinar: Joint Commission Disaster Preparedness Standards
April 27, 2023
The Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care is presenting the Joint Commission Disaster Preparedness Standards presentation on Thursday, April 27, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This webinar is an excellent opportunity for local emergency management, regional health care coalitions, and healthcare facility staff to gain insight into the Joint Commission Standards. For more information, including how to register, see the below attachment.
Understanding and Responding to Human Trafficking: Training for Health Care Professionals
Human Trafficking Webinar Series – Part 3 of 3
May 16, 2023
In this third session of the Human Trafficking Webinar Series, Jessa Crisp uses her childhood experience of severe abuse and trafficking to illustrate both the stark realities of exploitation, and the truth that healing transformation is possible. After her escape and recovery process, Jessa went to school and holds a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is doing her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision
*Registering for the series does not register you for the individual sessions. You need to register for each session.
Drug Shortages - Managing Supply Chain Challenges Control the Chaos: Supply Chain at the LTC
Supply Chain Webinar Series
May 16, 2023
The pandemic forced health care workers to find outside of the box solutions to urgent issues in a time when plans change quickly, and the supplies are difficult to find and costly to purchase. This webinar reviews the impact of geography, size and purchasing power impacted the ability to order supplies.
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The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care (BEPESOC) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Guardian aims to provide readers with relevant content on topics that affect the public health of Michigan's citizens and communities.
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This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement number 1NU90TP922062-01-00, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Bureau of EMS, Trauma & Preparedness | 1001 Terminal Rd, Lansing, MI 48906 | 517-335-8150
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