Bird Flu: What PMPs Need to Know

Editor’s note: With the nation on heightened alert over the spread of bird flu, PCT asked one of our technical advisers, Chelle Harzter, 360 Pest and Food Safety Consulting, to provide background on this disease and how it might impact pest management professionals.

Bird flu has been around since at least 1996 and there are four different strains of it. It’s a highly contagious type of influenza that is carried by birds. It spreads through wild bird populations and then to captive birds and other animals. The virus is found in saliva, mucous, and feces of infected birds and sometimes through other secretions. It is not airborne. 

The current strain, H5N1, typically does not impact people, but it does happen. People who are around birds can be contaminated and there have been deaths recorded. For pest management professionals, here are some things to consider.

A very small number of professionals are going to be working around chicken houses or poultry processing plants¹. For those that do, extreme PPE measures will be in place, and the site will tell you what you can and can’t do. When poultry in commercial farms is infected, the entire flock is typically culled due to the high risk of spreading the infection. This is a major reason behind the high egg prices right now. As of writing this (March 4), there have been 70 confirmed human cases of bird flu and one death². Just about all of these were people who worked in or near dairy herds and/or poultry farms. 

If you are not one of the lucky few to service those accounts, there are more sites to be concerned with. Zoos, aviaries, animal research facilities, theme parks, animal breeders, petting zoos, and more are at risk. As with commercial poultry farms, most of these will have already enacted strict PPE requirements. If you service an account that houses live birds, make sure to know the current rules and notify management if you see or encounter sick or dead birds. In some cases, vehicles need to be sanitized before being allowed on the property. 

While birds are the group most affected by bird flu, testing has shown it in other animals as well. A report from the USDA³ shows a large number of mammals have tested positive for bird flu since 2024. Among the notable ones are black rats (roof rats), house mice, deer mice, domestic cats, cattle and pigs. It is unlikely that working around any of these animals will increase the risk of getting bird flu, it’s important to take precautions.

Customers may have questions about their cat or the mice in the house. It’s good to know that only one person has ever caught bird flu from a cat. If any veterinary locations are being serviced, it’s a good idea to talk to the staff and follow any guidelines they have. The CDC reports that bird flu cases are likely significantly undercounted among veterinarians⁴. 

Speaking of pets, many homeowners have backyard chicken coops. These birds are just as susceptible, maybe even more so, since they typically roam free during the day. If you notice any birds acting erratically or are dead, alert the customer at once. Make sure to clean the bottom of your boots when you are finished with these customers. The virus is spread through their feces, so stepping in that can potentially transfer it to another location. 

Finally, we have those professionals who do a lot of bird work. If you are doing clean-up work, follow CDC guidelines for cleaning bird droppings. Wear extra PPE if possible, such as eye protection, a respirator, and coveralls. For those performing exclusion work, be aware of the birds around you and where significant amounts of droppings are. 

Bottom line: think about the last pandemic we went through. Wash your hands, wear a mask if going into high-risk accounts, use gloves, and clean the bottom of your boots well. If you see a dead bird (or other animal), contact the appropriate state offices and don’t touch it. If you have questions, reach out to a medical professional or the CDC which has great information on their site. Protect yourself, your customers, and your family; you are a protector of human (and animal) health. 

¹https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/02/nx-s1-5282389/avian-bird-flu-eggs-prices-cull-usda-michigan-poultry-influenza-farmer-vaccination-h5n1
²https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html
³https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/mammals (this also has a really cool map)
⁴https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/cdc-finds-evidence-that-bird-flu-spread-silently-to-veterinarians-suggesting-undercount-of-cases