Dossier

Avian influenza: bird flu and avian flu

Bird flu (avian influenza, AI) is a collective term for different influenza viruses that may be dangerous to poultry. Especially chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, waders, beach birds, ratites and starlings are susceptible to avian influenza, with possible lethal consequences. Some variants of avian influenza are also transmissible to humans.