Still, the last five years have made many increasingly vigilant about viruses spreading. If you're still concerned about encountering the bird flu, here's what medical experts want you to know.

More than 100 federal scientists who track bird flu, including vaccine and food safety experts, have been laid off. This comes as the deadly pathogen rips through dairy herds and poultry flocks.

Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the United States more than a year after the first human case was detected. Since then, at least 70 people have fallen ill and at least one death ...