Avian influenza

Avian influenza is an animal disease that can occur in poultry, especially chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, but also in other poultry as well as swans and other wild birds. The official name is therefore "avian influenza".

There are different types of this disease, which cause different pathogens for animals; for example, the H5N1 or H7N7 virus types. Transmission to humans is possible in individual cases through intensive contact with infected poultry, but not through the consumption of poultry products, especially if they have been heated.

Since the first case of bird flu in wild birds in Germany, stricter protective measures have been applied nationwide in infection areas and in so-called risk areas, where the transmission of the virus from wild birds to domestic poultry is higher than in other areas.

Further information and the current legal basis can be found on the special pages of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as well as on the website of the Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.