2025 Bird Flu

Eating fewer eggs, buying in bulk and raising backyard chickens are among the ways Americans are dealing with record-high egg prices.

Some 61% of Americans are eating fewer eggs in response to egg prices, followed by using eggs less frequently in cooking and baking (44%) and seeking out stores with the lowest egg prices (34%), according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by Clarify Capital.

Less popular responses to the high prices include buying eggs from local farms (11%), switching to egg substitutes (10%), such as plant-based options and flaxseed, and raising backyard chickens (5%).

And 14% of Americans said they were making no changes, meaning high egg prices don't bother them.

Egg prices have surged to record highs of an average $7 for a dozen eggs recently, with residents of certain states feeling the pain much more.

In Illinois, prices for a dozen eggs are expected to go up to $4.22 in 2025 compared with just 42 cents in 2018, marking the biggest increase in the nation, according to World Population Review.

Egg prices have more than doubled and often multipled much higher in every state, except Alaska that has an expected 94% increase.

The good news is egg prices are expected to drop to an average of $5.18 a dozen in 2025, according to World Population Review.

But Americans are divided on the future: 51% don't expect a drop in egg prices within the next year, while 49% are hopeful, the survey said.

Some 67% of Americans are blaming a recent outbreak of the bird flu as the reason prices have risen, but others blame government policies and regulations (31%), grocery stores taking advantage of inflation (23%) and egg producers increasing prices unfairly (15%).

The Department of Justice is investigating multiple egg producers for ratcheting up prices in violation of antitrust laws, The New York Times reported in March.

“Egg producers and grocery stores may leverage the current avian flu outbreak as an opportunity to further constrain supply or hike up egg prices to increase profits,” Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and other democratic lawmakers said in a letter to President Trump in January, the Times reported.

A new survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus infections are more widespread among veterinary practitioners than previously thought. 

The study, which focused on bovine veterinary practitioners, underscores the potential for undetected transmission of the virus, raising important implications for public health practices.

HPAI A(H5) virus infections have been known to affect humans who are exposed to infected dairy cattle. The current outbreak of the virus was first detected in March 2024. Since then, human cases among dairy farm workers have been identified, with most infections being mild and detected through enhanced surveillance.

Key findings

The CDC's serosurvey, conducted in September 2024, involved 150 bovine veterinary practitioners with recent cattle exposure. A serosurvey is a study that involves testing blood samples from a group of individuals to detect the presence of specific antibodies.

The results showed that three practitioners had evidence of a recent HPAI A(H5) infection. Notably, two of these practitioners had no known exposure to infected animals, and one practiced in states without reported infections in cattle. These findings suggest that the virus may be present in dairy cattle in states where it has not yet been officially identified.

The CDC said the study highlights the need for systematic surveillance to rapidly identify HPAI A(H5) infections in dairy cattle, milk, and humans exposed to cattle. Such measures are crucial for ensuring appropriate hazard assessments and preventing further spread. 

The CDC has recommended offering antiviral medications and molecular testing to asymptomatic workers with high exposure to infected animals.

The serosurvey's findings indicate that HPAI A(H5) infections might be underestimated due to the lack of symptoms among infected individuals. None of the practitioners with positive serology results reported respiratory or influenza-like symptoms. 

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) has detected a second strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) – or bird flu – in a herd of dairy cattle. 

The agency has quarantined the infected herds and has conducted mandatory testing of the rest of the herd. Consumers are safe to continue eating and drinking dairy products, so long as they’re pasteurized and cooked to appropriate temperatures. 

"Ensuring the safety of the industry is our utmost priority, and the NDA is working with industry members," NDA State Veterinarian Peter Rolfe, DVM, said in the news release. "It is critical that animal health biosecurity practices are enhanced to help prevent the spread of disease and protect animal and worker safety."

A new strain of the virus

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) discovered the recent dairy cattle outbreak in Nevada as a result of its ongoing National Milk Testing Strategy. 

What’s unique about this infected herd of cattle is the strain of the virus that was detected. Throughout the ongoing bird flu epidemic, most animals and people have been infected with the genotype B3.13. However, these cattle have been infected with genotype D1.1. 

This strain of the virus is most common in wild birds, mammals, domestic poultry, and most recently, in humans. It was this strain of the bird flu that was the result of the first infection-related death in Louisiana. 

Experts say this strain is likely to produce more severe symptoms – in both animals and humans. The original B3.13 strain was linked with more mild symptoms for both animals and humans infected. 

Despite this, the USDA says the overall risk to consumers’ health remains low, and the agency’s strategy to continue its ongoing testing program hasn’t changed. 

Nevada is taking steps to stop the spread

In addition to quarantining dairy cattle in the affected counties, the NDA is working with the USDA Wildlife Services to ensure more animals aren’t infected and the outbreak remains contained. 

"The challenge with this virus is that it may be spread through contaminated clothing worn and equipment shared between animals, but birds carrying the disease can also infect domestic animals and livestock," NDA Director J.J. Goicoechea, DVM, said in a news release. 

"We cannot stress enough how important it is to keep equipment clean, practice good animal health safety practices, and bolster biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of disease."

The NDA is closely monitoring its dairy cattle to detect the virus before the cows start showing symptoms. They’re also working to remove non-native European starlings from the affected counties, as these birds are the source of many infections, and can even contaminate food and water sources for other animals. 

"The protection of public and animal health is our utmost priority," Dr. Goicoechea said in the news release.