In January, H5N1 avian influenza struck more than 400,000 birds in Missouri, making it the second-highest state for affected flocks at the time, and a recent poll showed nearly 90% of Americans are more concerned about bird flu driving up food prices than its effects on health.
Egg prices have surged by more than 70% in some regions because of supply shortages caused by the bird flu. The poll from the health policy research and news organization KFF spans across parties, race and ethnicity, as well as household income levels.
Audrey Kearney, senior survey analyst for KFF, said egg prices are driving concerns among consumers.
"We found that only half of the public said that they are really hearing a lot about bird flu on a day-to-day basis," Kearney reported. "It might not be resonating in the way of health, but it definitely is resonating when they go grocery shopping."
Last September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a human case of bird flu in Missouri. The individual was hospitalized, treated with antiviral medications, and has since recovered.
Kearney added that one of the biggest takeaways from the data is that Americans now have different levels of trust between community experts they are interacting with on a daily basis and major institutions.
"Messages from people's doctors are going to be the most well-received and probably the most effective on that front," Kearney explained.
The CDC advises avoiding close contact with sick animals and unpasteurized milk products to prevent bird flu, although they say grocery store eggs are safe. Since April 2024, 70 human cases have been reported in the United States, with 41 linked to sick dairy cows and 26 to poultry.
The Missouri Public News Service is a partner with KRCU Public Radio.
