Bird flu has already sent egg prices soaring, and now, it might be driving up flu case numbers in Iowa — not by making people sicker, but by prompting more testing.

According to data from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, cases of influenza A have risen by 10 percent compared to last year. Weekly reports from the department show influenza cases have been higher each week in 2025 than in 2024. By the last week of January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified Iowa’s overall influenza activity as “high” on a national level.

However, University of Iowa Professor of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases Michael Pentella said the increased numbers do not necessarily mean more Iowans are sick with the flu.

“Because of avian influenza — because nationally we are looking for cases of avian influenza — there’s more testing occurring,” Pentella said, emphasizing that flu trends are most accurately analyzed at the end of flu season.

On Dec. 20, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported the first case of human avian influenza in the state — one of only 64 cases in the country at that time. The department’s press release states the infected individual was exposed to the virus while working with an infected flock of poultry and experienced mild symptoms.

Pentella noted that a growing concern with avian influenza is its ability to “jump species,” infecting not only humans but also other livestock, including dairy cows.

“When an organism now starts infecting other species, that should cause concern because it may be becoming more pathogenic, and it could cause more disease,” Pentella said.

However, Pentella said there is currently no evidence of avian influenza spreading from an infected human to other people.

“Avian influenza should not be a big worry to people at this time,” Pentella said. “It’s a concern for public health because we need to monitor this.”

Encouraging the public to take standard flu precautions — such as getting a flu shot, practicing hand washing, and staying home or masking when experiencing symptoms — Pentella also cautioned against handling bird carcasses without proper training and protection.

However, the risk of infection extends beyond those working directly with livestock. With cases of avian influenza infecting dairy cows, humans are also at risk when handling or consuming unpasteurized or raw milk — a practice that has grown in popularity in recent years due partly to social media influencers.

Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens. While the Food and Drug Administration warns of the risks associated with consuming raw, unpasteurized milk, interest in the practice has grown among Americans due to claimed health benefits. Despite the FDA stating these claims lack scientific evidence, the trend continues to gain popularity.

The Associated Press reported that sales of raw milk increased from 21 percent to 65 percent between 2023 and 2024, citing the market research firm NielsenIQ.

Iowa has a longstanding history of regulating the sale of unpasteurized milk, even sentencing dairy farmer Delbert Banowetz to 30 days in jail in 1980 for selling it at health food stores in Dubuque and Des Moines as a protest against restrictive laws.

However, in 2008, Iowa Senator Jason Schultz, then a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, proposed a bill to legalize the sale of raw milk after learning that a local dairy farmer was sent a cease and desist letter from the Department of Agriculture for selling raw milk to friends and family.

Schultz’s bill eventually passed in May 2023, which he suggested may have been influenced by a growing distrust of expert institutions and concerns over perceived government overreach.

“I call it the Freedom Milk Bill,” Schultz said when he introduced the bill.

President Donald Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who has stated he only drinks raw milk — as Secretary of Health and Human Services has further intensified the debate over raw milk.

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However, with the increased concerns about avian influenza, Samuel Jarvis, community health division manager for Johnson County Public Health, emphasized the importance of dispelling misinformation.

“Public health and environmental health professionals, we discourage the public from drinking raw milk,” Jarvis said. “Obviously, pasteurized milk is the safest, and we’re really wanting to make sure that folks understand that. Especially now with the concerns with bird flu.”

Jarvis also underscored the importance of receiving a flu shot amid growing concerns about avian influenza, particularly for those who work closely with livestock.

“Certainly, now with the concerns with [avian influenza], we’re concerned about co-infection of either seasonal flu or a strain that we’re monitoring for bird flu,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis noted that the flu shot has benefits for everyone. While the vaccine does not have 100 percent efficacy against strains of influenza, Jarvis said vaccinated individuals often experience milder symptoms.

“We’re hoping that [vaccinated] folks don’t get it but certainly would have less severe symptoms,” Jarvis said.

Rebecca Chackalackal, medical director of University of Iowa Student Health, echoed Jarvis’ sentiment.

“As far as prevention efforts go, we recommend all students to get their annual flu vaccines,” Chackalackal wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan. “We have these available at our nurse clinic in the [Iowa Memorial Union], where students can walk in for vaccinations. We also can schedule these at our Westlawn Clinic.”