What is Avian Influenza? Avian influenza (AI), also known as the bird flu, is a contagious disease of animals caused by a virus that infects domestic poultry, wild birds (geese and ducks and shorebirds) and, less commonly, pigs. (USDA, 2006 and World Health Organization 2005). There are several different subtypes of avian influenza. The subtype that has recently attracted attention in the media is H5N1, one of 16 different known subtypes of avian influenza (NIAID, 2006). There are two main concerns regarding AI, the first is the pathogenicity of subtype H5N1, and the second is its potential ability to cross the species barrier. Pathogenicity refers to the ability to produce disease (Miller-Keane, 2003). According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (2006), some H5N1 viruses are highly pathogenic, causing severe disease and death in humans. Generating further concern, Trampuz, Prabhu, Smith, & Baddour (2004, p. 530) stated, “The H5N1 avian influenza subtype mutates rapidly and has the propensity to acquire genes from viruses infecting other species.” However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2005), “avian influenza viruses are highly species-specific” yet WHO does concur with Trampuz et al. by stating that “on rare occasions, [AI has] crossed the species barrier to infect humans.” It is this crossing of the species barrier and high pathogenicity that has sparked action from political and health departments as well as initiating research studies. Additional information concerning AI is its ability to survive. WHO (2004) stated that the virus can survive in cool manure for at least three months and in water that is 0`C for 30 days. In order to kill the virus it must be heated to 56`C for 3 hours, 60`C for 30 minutes, or 70`C for 1 minute (WHO, 2004 and Trampuz et al., 2004). Another option for destroying the genetic coding for the AI virus are common disinfectants, such as formalin, iodine compounds, alcohol and a bleach solution containing greater than five percent bleach (WHO, 2004 and Trampuz et al., 2004). This information about the ability of AI to survive extreme conditions for extended time periods suggests that natural environmental factors have poor control over avian influenza.