How Can We Help You?
Have a question about egg safety, handling or preparation? We've got answers.
The Egg Safety Center represents commercial egg producers, which follow the FDA Egg Safety Rule and state/federal regulatory programs.
Back to Egg Answers
Avian influenza (AI) — also called “bird flu” — is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. There are both low-pathogenic and high-pathogenic strains; the strains currently causing concern in the U.S. are highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The U.S. is in its fourth year of fighting the current outbreak of HPAI with the loss of more than 130 million egg-laying hens. Egg farmers continue to double down on biosecurity efforts, but the virality and duration of this outbreak is unprecedented.