Can flu type A be caught from unwashed farm eggs?

Its not knowen for certain, but direct contact with infected poultry, or surfaces and objects contaminated by their droppings is presently considered the main route for infection of humans by the avian H5N1 virus. To date, most human cases have occurred in rural or urban fringe areas where many households keep small poultry flocks, which often roam freely, sometimes entering homes or sharing outdoor areas where children play. As infected birds shed large quantities of virus in their droppings, opportunities for exposure to infected droppings or to environments contaminated by the virus are abundant under such conditions. Moreover, because many households depend on poultry for income and food, families sometimes sell or slaughter and consume birds when signs of illness appear in a flock, rather than disposing of the birds safely, and this practice has proved difficult to change. Exposure is considered most likely during slaughter, plucking and butchering. There is no evidence that properly cooked poultry or eggs can be a source of infection.