The Maryland Department of Agriculture on Friday confirmed a case of bird flu, caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI), in Caroline County found by state laboratory testing after a routine sampling of a broiler operation and subsequent investigation.
This marks the state’s first case of HPAI at a commercial poultry operation since 2023 and the third within the Delmarva region in the last 30 days: two cases have been confirmed in Kent County, Delaware.
The state’s agriculture department did not specify which commercial operation had the positive case, but said in a Friday news release that birds from affected flocks will not enter the food system. State officials report that they have quarantined all “affected premises”, and that birds on those properties have been or are being killed.
Sampling is conducted whenever poultry is ready to go to market and that’s how this case of the avian influenza virus was identified, said Jessica Hackett, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
The avian influenza is an airborne respiratory virus that is highly contagious among birds that spreads through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. It can be spread through flocks of both domesticated and wild birds and through human aided-transmission via the boots and clothes of caretakers or through infected equipment.
“High Pathogenic Avian influenza or HPAI does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain healthy and safe to eat and handle,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 F to destroy all bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses. On their guidance for food safety and bird flu, the CDC’s website reports, “While there is no evidence that anyone in the United States has gotten infected with avian influenza A viruses after eating properly handled and cooked poultry products, uncooked poultry, and other poultry products (like blood) could have been the source of a small number of avian influenza A virus infections in people in Southeast Asia.”
At this time, the Maryland Department of Health reports that the risk of transmission between birds and the general public is low, however workers on poultry and dairy farms should follow increased precautions.
The CDC reports that there have been 66 human cases reported in the United States since 2024, most of those have been among farmworkers and the cases have been mild.
The United States recorded its first human death caused by severe avian influenza earlier this week after a Louisiana man died from complications of the virus. Louisiana officials said the man came into contact with the avian influenza after working with non-commercial backyard flocks and wild birds.
