Birds of a feather flock with viruses.

• Position: Your Life

The presence of highly pathogenic (HPAI) H5 avian influenza in wild birds in Whatcom County, Wash., has been confirmed by the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Two separate virus strains were identified: H5N2 in northern pintail ducks and H5N8 in captive gyrfalcons that were fed hunter-killed wild birds.

Neither virus has been found in commercial poultry anywhere in the U.S. and no human cases with these viruses have been detected in the U.S., Canada, or internationally. There is no immediate public health concern with either of these avian influenza viruses, maintains the US-DA. While neither virus has been found in commercial poultry, Federal authorities emphasize that poultry, poultry products, and wild birds are safe to eat even if they carry the disease as long as they are handled properly and cooked to a temperature of 165[degrees]F.

The finding in Whatcom County was reported and identified quickly due to increased surveillance for avian influenza in light of (HPAI) H5N2 avian influenza outbreaks in poultry affecting commercial poultry farms in British Columbia, Canada. The gyrfalcon samples were...