Category: Flu Virus

PIERRE, S.D. Minnesota dairy farmers are on the lookout after officials announced Friday that a herd of cattle in South Dakota tested positive for bird flu.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza has been impacting bird populations in Europe and Asia since August of 2020. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the bird flu had spread to cattle in dairy farms for the first time. The virus was detected in farms in Kansas and Texas.

South Dakota is now the eighth state with the avian flu confirmed in their cattle.

Dairy farmers in Minnesota are being advised to limit dairy cow exposure to wild birds, which is easier said than done in the midst of the spring migration.

"There are sound barrier things that you can do that deter birds from being around. And that's something we are heavily looking into," said Colette Thorson of Diers Corporation. "Everything is closed here. Even our own feed sources, generally, is from our field."

Cow collars also tell Thorson if one of her cows has stopped eating.

"It sends me alerts on my phone. It's very much like an Apple watch," said Thorson. "We do a lot here to control any virus of any sort."

Turkey flocks in Minnesota have been wiped out by the bird flu in the past, but Dr. Joe Armstrong with the University of Minnesota says so far, cows aren't affected the same way. Those that test positive, though, are being pulled from milk production.

"We are taking them out of the milk supply and food supply, the impacted animals, but that's the extent of it. There is no reason to be thinking about depopulating or culling or anything at this point because they are not dying. And so we are fortunately not having to worry about that," he said.

MORE NEWS: Western Minnesota goat tests positive for bird flu; first case of its kind in US history

The USDA says pasteurization kills bird flu, and milk and dairy products are safe to consume.

Symptoms of avian flu in cattle include a drop in milk production, loss of appetite, and changes in manure consistency. Producers should limit visitors and separate the sick and new animals, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources said.

Officials say they're not concerned about the safety of commercial milk supply as the U.S. typically has more sufficient milk supply in the spring.

Health officials say that while there have been cases of bird flu spreading to humans, the instances are rare.

John Lauritsen is an Emmy award-winning reporter from Montevideo, Minn. He joined WCCO-TV in late-July of 2007. Two days after he started, the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed.

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Minnesota dairy farmers on the lookout after South Dakota herd tests positive for bird flu - CBS Minnesota

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Bird flu has spread between farm mammals in at least five states this year, and health agencies note pets like cats and dogs may be susceptible if theyre exposed to infected animals, though transmission to humans is unlikely.

dog and cat, looking out the window together

getty

Bird flu (also called avian flu) refers to a group of potentially deadly infections caused by avian influenza Type A viruses, and typically infects domestic poultry and wild migratory birds.

Although bird flu usually spreads between birds, it is possible for the infection to spread to mammals like domestic dogs and cats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Domestic animals can become infected with bird flu if they eat or are exposed to sick or dead birds that are infected with the virus, and cats are the most susceptible domestic animals to become infected, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Although it can occur, the chances of people catching bird flu from their pet dogs and cats are extremely unlikely, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Symptoms of bird flu in cats and dogs include a fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, conjunctivitis (or pink eye)and neurological signs like seizures and tremors, and death is also a possible outcome.

The Department of Agriculture announced bird flu was detected in dairy herds in Texas and Kansas on March 25. The agency later discovered dairy herds in Michigan, New Mexico and Idaho were also infected. Minnesota also reported a case of bird flu in a goat on March 20, which is the first case of infection in a domestic ruminant in the U.S., referring to many common grazing mammals in the U.S., including domestic cattle, according to the AVMA. On April 1, Texas officials announced the second known case of a type of bird flu called H5N1 in a person in the U.S., which was spread from exposure to cattle. The first occurred in 2022 when a person in Colorado contracted the disease from infected poultry. This case does not change the risk for the general public, which remains low, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services announcement. The patient reported eye redness as their only symptom, and is being treated with antiviral medication, the CDC reports. Though human infection is rare, there have been 887 reported cases between January 2003 and February 2024 in 23 countries, according to the World Health Organization. The virus can be extremely dangerous for humans who are infected, as 52% of these cases ended in death.

A veterinarian in New York City was infected with H5N7, a type of bird flu virus, after caring for infected cats admitted into an animal shelter in November 2016, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Disease. The cat died a few days later, and further testing discovered the virus spread throughout the facility to several other shelter cats, though other animals like dogs werent infected. No one who came into contact with these catsincluding the 165 volunteers and employees, and over 180 adopterswere suspected of having the illness, except for the visiting veterinarian. This person had prolonged exposure without face protections with infected cats and their secretions. The veterinarian had a mild illness, which included a sore throat, cough and muscle pain, though they were treated and cured with medication without hospitalization.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a few bird flu vaccines for humans. The U.S. has a small stockpile of vaccines for two bird flu viruses (H5N1 and H7N9), but it wouldnt be enough to vaccinate all Americans if an outbreak were to happen among humans. If an outbreak among humans does occur, the government plans to mass produce vaccines, which can take at least six months to make enough for the entire population. Sequirs, the maker of one of the approved vaccines, expects to have 150 million vaccines ready within six months of an announcement of a bird flu pandemic. Because there are 8 billion people on the planet, that means less than 2% of the world population will receive the vaccine after the first six months of a potential outbreak.

I'm a Texas native covering the latest trends in tech, science and healthcare through explainer pieces on the breaking news team. Previously, I was a Forbes HBCU Scholar writing under the innovation and health and science teams. In 2022, I graduated from Clark Atlanta University where I was the fashion editor for CAU's official newspaper, the Panther, and the managing editor of Her Campus CAU. During my matriculation, I interned with top companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery and The Walt Disney Company. Got a tip? Don't hesitate to reach out to me via email (ajohnson@forbes.com), or dm me on any social media platform.

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Can Pets Get Bird Flu? Heres What To Know - Forbes

Earlier this month, a dairy worker in Texas tested positive for bird flu, aka avian influenza, amid an outbreak of the virus among dairy cattle.

It's the first time this virulent strain of bird flu referred to as highly pathogenic H5N1 has been detected in cows and the first documented cow-to-human transmission of an avian influenza virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's also only the second case of bird flu in a human in the United States.

The multi-state bird flu outbreak is affecting cows in over a dozen dairy farms across the country. Although health officials are on high alert, the current risk to the general public is low, experts say.

While the thought of "bird flu" may sound alarming and stoke COVID-19 pandemic fears, influenza among birds is not new.

The current bird flu strain that were concerned with, H5N1, has actually been circulating around the world for quite some time, Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

Bird flu is a disease caused by infection with avian influenza type A viruses. Avian influenza A viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds, such as geese, ducks and swans, says Schaffner, but they can also circulate among domestic poultry.

Bird flu viruses occasionally get into other mammalian species (like pigs). Weve all heard of swine flu, Schaffner says. Avian influenza A viruses can also infect horses, bats and dogs, per the CDC rarely, they spread to humans.

"More recently, we have seen an increase of infections in cattle," Dr. Hilary M. Babcock, infectious disease specialist at Washington University of St. Louis andBJC Healthcare, tells TODAY.com.

This is the first time the avian influenza strain of highly pathogenic H5N1, which causes severe and often fatal disease in birds, has been found in cows. Thats pretty unusual, says Schaffner. However, this H5N1 strain does not seem to be making cows very sick, he adds.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (which include the strain of H5N1 thats currently spreading)have been detected in the U.S. in wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry and backyard bird flocks beginning in January 2022, according to the CDC.

Overall, 48 states have reported cases of highly pathogenic H5N1.

The current outbreak of H5N1 affecting cows has spread to eight states so far, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As of April 11, cases have been reported among dairy herds in:

Currently, only one human in Texas is known to have contracted H5N1 in this outbreak, the experts say.

There have been only two human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. ever, says Babcock the first case was detected in Colorado in 2022 in a person who had direct contact with infected poultry.

As H5N1 surveillance increases, experts anticipate the number of cases among cows to increase. "Were looking harder now and finding more cases (among cattle) that even 10 years ago would have gone undetected," says Schaffner.

The risk to the general public in the U.S. is low, the experts say. For people exposed due to their line of work, the risk is considered low-to-moderate, the World Health Organizagtion said in a statement.

"Every once in a while, a bird flu virus can get into a human, but that's rare," says Schaffner. Avian influenza viruses can spread from infected birds to humans in a few ways, according to the CDC:

Infected birds can shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, mucus and feces. People can become infected when a large enough amount of the virus gets into the mouth, nose, eyes or is inhaled, says Schaffner.

Transmission to humans typically occurs through close contact with infected birds without protective gear. It can also occur if a person touches contaminated surfaces and puts their hands in their eyes or mouth, or if they breathe in droplets from the air, per the CDC.

It is not immediately clear how the dairy cow infected the person in Texas, the experts note. The only other person who contracted H5N1 in the U.S. was directly involved in the culling of birds presumed to be infected with H5N1, says Babcock.

Sporadic cases of H5N1 in humans have been reported around the world, often in rural areas where people live closely with poultry or other birds. According to the WHO, since 2003 there have been 889 cases and 463 deaths caused by H5N1 in 23 countries.

Once the bird flu gets into a human, it is almost never spread to anyone else, says Schaffner. However, there are ultra-rare instances of transmission from a person very sick with bird flu to a family member or caregiver.

When does happen, it does not lead to continued spread between people "because the virus doesnt have the (genetic) capacity to spread easily from person to person, says Schaffner.

This strain of bird flu has been around for about a decade and it still has not picked up this capacity to spread readily from person to person, thankfully. ... That should be a matter of reassurance, but also keep us in public health on alert, says Schaffner.

No human-to-human spread has occurred with the contemporary H5N1 viruses currently spreading in birds, the CDC said.

There is no evidence that people can get bird flu from food thats been properly prepared and cooked, and it is safe to eat eggs, chicken and beef, and drink pasteurized milk, the experts say.

"We have not seen cases that have been from ingesting animal products or animals that may have been infected," says Babcock.

The infected dairy cow herds that have been detected are in quarantine and their milk is being destroyed, says Schaffner.

In a statement, the USDA said the commercial milk supply in the U.S. remains safe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it does not currently have concerns about the safety of pasteurized milk products, including pasteurized cheese.

The pasteurization process in the U.S. keeps our milk supply very safe, says Babcock. Pasteurization heats the milk to a high enough temperature to kill bacteria and viruses, including influenza.

Drinking unpasteurized or "raw" milk, which is increasingly trendy, is associated with various infectious disease hazards, says Schaffner. "I discourage people from drinking raw milk, he adds.

The risk of humans becoming infected by eating eggs from poultry with H5N1 is low, says the FDA, and there safeguards in place to identify infected poultry and remove their eggs from the market.

It's possible for products from infected animals to end up in the food supply, says Babcock, but the risk to humans is still very low. Properly storing and cooking food further reduces that risk.

Although beef cattle are not involved in this outbreak, Schaffner recommends cooking beef to a safe internal temperature. The FDA recommends cooking eggs until the white and yolk are firm.

There are other reasons that you shouldnt eat raw eggs (or meat), because these can carry lots of different pathogens," says Babcock.

Bird flu infections in humans can range in severity, the experts note. Some people have zero or only mild symptoms, while others develop severe disease, according to the CDC. "It can be a serious infection with a high mortality rate, says Schaffner.

The Texas patient had a mild infection, with eye redness as the only symptom, the CDC said. "It was not even a respiratory infection. It was ... conjunctivitis or pink eye," Schaffner notes.

The patient was treated with flu antivirals and is recovering. "We have antiviral medications, the same ones we use to treat regular flu, that work against this avian influenza strain," Schaffner says.

The other human case of H5N1 in the U.S. in 2022 was a mild infection as well, Babcock adds.

According to the CDC and experts, the reported signs and symptoms of avian influenza in humans include:

Bird flu in humans may look similar to a regular flu or upper respiratory infection, says Babcock, or a person may have no obvious symptoms. It can also lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure and other complications. "There's a full range," she adds.

There is no way to diagnose an infection with bird flu by symptoms alone, the CDC says. Laboratory testing is required.

Yes, you can recover from bird flu. The human recently infected in Texas was treated with flu antivirals and is recovering. The Colorado patient infected in 2022 also recovered.

Globally, bird flu symptoms have ranged from mild to severe, resulting in death in some cases, according to the CDC.

Although the risk of getting bird flu is low, the CDC recommends the following protective actions:

Caroline Kee is a health reporter at TODAY based in New York City.

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Bird Flu, aka Avian Flu, 2024: What To Know About US Outbreak - TODAY

On April 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a person in Texas had tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu.

According to the agency, the person had been exposed to the HPAI A(H5N1) virus via presumably infected dairy cattle.

The CDCs press release stated that the persons only symptom was eye redness. They were being isolated and treated with an antiviral drug.

This report brings the total number of humans in the U.S. who have contracted the virus to two.

The CDC previously released a statement in April 2022 about another human case that occurred in Colorado. In that case, the disease was contracted via exposure to poultry.

The symptoms again were mild, with the patient reporting feeling tired for a few days and then recovering after undergoing isolation and antiviral treatment.

Given the fact that these people contracted the virus through exposure to both cows and chickens, this begs the question of whether people could potentially catch bird flu by drinking milk or eating eggs. Heres what health experts have to say.

Dr. Daisy May a veterinary surgeon and pet care writer for All About Parrots explained that HPAI can spread rapidly among wild birds and domestic poultry like chickens and turkeys.

Its been wreaking havoc on poultry farms across the country this year, she said.

May went on to say that, although bird flu is mainly an animal health issue, there have been cases where it jumped to humans when they had been in extremely close, prolonged contact with infected animals.

So it seems the risk is relatively low but not zero, said May.

The CDC echoed Mays opinion, stating that [t]his infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low.

People who work closely over extended periods of time with infected animals especially those who are not taking precautions are at the greatest risk, they note.

May said the bigger question on everyones mind is whether our food supply is safe.

For eggs, as long as youre fully cooking them until the yolks are firm with no runny parts, the risks are very low, according to food safety experts, she said. Any potentially present virus would be killed off by proper heat treatment.

According to May, its raw or undercooked eggs that could pose a problem since the virus may be able to survive within the yolk.

As for milk and dairy, were in great shape there thanks to pasteurization, she said. That heating process is more than enough to neutralize any lingering bird flu virus.

So, you can continue to consume milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products without worry, according to May.

She added, however, that one area of concern is raw, unpasteurized dairy products like you would obtain from small farms or private sellers.

While there havent been any documented cases of transmission that way, some extra caution may be warranted, said May.

However, its also important to note that it is possible to contract other (often bacterial) illnesses from raw or undercooked eggs or raw milk.

May said that if you want to play it extra safe, you should stick with fully cooked eggs and pasteurized dairy products.

Its also essential to properly handle and cook all meat and poultry, making sure it reaches a safe internal temperature, she said. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this would be 165 F (73.9 C) for poultry and 145 F (62.8 C) for beef as measured with a food thermometer.

Finally, make sure you do a thorough job of washing your hands when you work with any raw animal products, said May.

Nancy Mitchell a registered nurse and a contributing writer at Assisted Living added that its important to also be careful about how you handle eggshells.

Feces from infected birds will likely carry the bird flu virus, she explained. This means that handling eggs that are still soiled with bird feces could put you at risk of contracting the illness.

If you are handling eggshells, use single-use gloves and avoid touching your face with your hands prior to washing them with soap and water, she said.

Mitchell further advises that you dont assume an eggshell is clean just because theres no visible sign of feces.

Viruses are microscopic, and fecal particles could be lingering in places that the naked eye cant detect, she said.

However, its important to note that most USDA-graded eggs or large-volume egg processors include a washing step followed by a sanitizing rinse.

In recent years, there have been two reported cases of bird flu being transmitted from animals to humans.

The CDC states that the risk of contracting bird flu is low, but the risk is greater for those who are working closely with infected animals over an extended period of time.

Experts say to avoid eating raw eggs or drinking unpasteurized milk.

You should also make sure that poultry and other meats reach an adequate internal temperature in order to kill any pathogens that might be present.

Other steps you can take to protect yourself include using gloves to handle any potentially contaminated eggshells, not touching your face with unwashed hands, and washing your hands thoroughly after handling raw animal products.

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Are Milk and Eggs Safe Amid Bird Flu Outbreak? - Healthline

Although the current avian influenza outbreak began more than two years ago, detections have been made in recent weeks in cattle, cats and large commercial poultry flocks across the country and in Michigan.

Kimberly Dodd is the director of the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Courtesy photo.

Kimberly Dodd is the director of the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, or MSU VDL, in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dodd is an expert in laboratory diagnostics and outbreak response for emerging infectious diseases.

The MSU VDL has worked closely with state and federal agencies to respond to the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, outbreak since it began in February 2022. The lab has performed more than 12,500 HPAI tests, which include surveillance for wild birds, disease investigations and surveillance in domestic poultry, and testing of wild and domestic mammals.

Dodd answers questions about what the public should know about avian influenza and the role of her lab, which functions as the only laboratory in Michigan approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to test for HPAI in any species.

As the name suggests, avian influenza or bird flu is caused by influenza A viruses and circulates in wild bird populations without causing serious disease. Domestic birds that interact with wild birds or areas frequented by migratory birds are at risk of exposure and infection.

Since the outbreak in 2022, nearly 86 million domestic birds have been affected. HPAI has been detected in more than 1,100 commercial and backyard flocks. Right now, we are dealing with an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strains are classified as either highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, or low pathogenic avian influenza, or LPAI, based on how severely they affect domestic poultry species.

The HPAI strain currently circulating is unique because it has severely affected wild birds. Waterfowl, which do not usually become ill, have exhibited signs of illness and died. We have also seen significant illness and deaths in raptors like bald eagles, hawks and owls; scavengers such as crows; and even songbirds. Early on, large numbers of birds died from the virus. Now, although we are still finding the virus in wild bird populations, mortality has decreased. The current strain has also been found in several mammals, including big cats, bears, coyotes, fishers, foxes, martens, opossums, otters, raccoons, seals, skunks and squirrels. Infection is believed to be through consumption of or close contact with sick or dead birds.

Most recently, and perhaps most surprisingly, the virus has been found in dairy cattle in several states, including here in Michigan. The disease in cattle has been associated with herd-level decreases in milk production, and most animals recover within two weeks. So far, analysis of the virus found in cattle indicates the virus is the same strain that has been affecting wild birds, domestic poultry, some wild mammals, and, in rare cases, domestic cats.

Although we have seen infections in mammals that feed on or have close contact with infected birds, finding the virus in cattle and goats is new. Scientists and animal health experts across the country are currently working to understand the mechanism of transmission from birds to livestock and subsequent transmission within herds.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current risk to the public remains low. To date, there is no evidence of changes to the virus that would make it more likely to cause disease in people.

As a precaution, avoid contact with wild birds. Do not handle sick or dead wild or domestic birds, their feces or any surface potentially contaminated with their saliva, feces or other bodily fluid without wearing personal protective equipment.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the commercial milk supply remains safe due to both federal animal health requirements and pasteurization. Pasteurization has continuously been proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.

Producers or animal owners who notice any signs of illness in their animals should contact their veterinarian. Veterinarians can access information about cattle sample collection, handling and submission on the MSU VDL website and contact the MSU VDL at 517-353-1683 with any questions about testing, sample collection or submission.

Anyone who suspects the presence of HPAI in domestic animals should contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development immediately at 800-292-3939 (daytime) or 517-373-0440 (after hours).

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Ask the expert: What to know about avian influenza detections - MSUToday

When Graeme Laver was strolling along the New South Wales coastline in the 1960s very little was known about the origins of influenza pandemics sweeping the globe.

Professor Laver, alongside virologist Robert Webster, came across a beach littered with dead wedge-tailed shearwaters.

At the time, the virus had been discovered in domestic birds like ducks, but little was known about influenza in wild birds.

Professor Laver set out to test shearwater birds and uncover the structure of the virus, which led to breakthroughs in how influenza was treated, as well as leading to anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and vaccine improvements.

"Because mutton birds nest in burrows on barrier islands off the coast Graeme decided that it would be a 'bit of a joke' to test birds on the Great Barrier Reef for influenza," Professor Webster wrote in a biography.

Professor Laver's "joke" still informs an understanding of and treatment of influenza viruses today.

It comes as Australian health departments are on alert for a possible spike in flu hospitalisations this year, with more than 7,000 cases in Queensland recorded so far this year.

Tryon Island is a remote, tiny coral cay island at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, about 86 kilometres from Gladstone.

In 2004, Professor Laver wrote:

"We toyed with the idea of doing this on the coral islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

"Why there? Can you think of a more unlikely place to look for flu?

"Beautiful islands in an azure sea, hot sand, a baking sun, and a warm coral lagoon.

"What better place to do flu research!"

In 1969 he secured $500 in funding from the World Health Organization to begin his expedition.

In later years, he said "this was just as well as my head of department at the Australian National University, when asked for funds for an expedition to look for the flu on the Great Barrier Reef, said 'Laver is hallucinating'".

"He also said that in any case I wouldn't be able to catch the birds," he said.

"But I knew that thousands upon thousands of mutton birds, or shearwaters, nested on the coral cays of the reef in burrows in the sand, and that all you had to do to catch these wild, free-flying sea birds was to bend over and pick them up."

After Professor Webster found birds on Tryon which had been infected with influenza, Professor Laver mixed parts of the human virus with a part of the bird samples to look at how the flu could be prevented.

Senior librarian at the Queensland State Library, Christina Ealing-Godbold, studied their work and said the virologist tested hundreds of birds as part of this study, which proved the virus could be inhibited.

"This was a huge breakthrough because they didn't understand what was causing these pandemics," Ms Ealing-Gobold said.

"It was his lifetime obsession to try and solve the irregular pandemic upheavals that have dominated medical science for so many years."

Professor Laver even sent samples from a black noddy bird to a Russian space station to grow under microgravity conditions.

The endeavour was later abandoned as the crystals were found to grow almost as well on land.

Californian pharmaceutical company Gilead Science used Professor Laver's research to develop the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, which is still available today.

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How major influenza discoveries and Tamiflu are founded in research by a 'hallucinating' professor at the Great Barrier Reef - ABC News

Editors note: A previous version of this story misstated the number of human cases of bird flu documented in the United States. The story has been updated.

NEW YORK (PIX11) Avian Influenza, commonly called bird flu, has been detected in New York City, according to one study.

A very small number of birds were found positive, the study conducted with Mount Sinai and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinais Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee reads. The presence of the virus poses a low but non-zero risk for humans and pets, more awareness about the presence of this virus in the urban animal-human interface is needed.

A bird flu outbreak was first detected in the U.S. at the beginning of the month at a facility in Texas. Since 2002, two human cases of bird flu have been documented in the U.S.

In both cases, flu-like symptoms and red eyes were reported, officials stated.Neither case was fatal.

Since the detection of the first case of bird flu in Texas, there have been no reports of a human infected with bird flu in the tri-state area.There is also no evidence that person-to-person contact can spread Avian flu, according to officials.

Currently, U.S. health officials are stressing the current health risk to the public is low.However, the CDC says you can reduce the risk of infection by doing the following:

This story includes reporting from The Associated Press.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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Study says bird flu detected in NYC: a very small number of birds were found positive - PIX11 New York News

If youve ever caught the flu, youve more than likely been infected with the Influenza A virus (IAV). Compared to the Influenza B virus, infection with the A type often produces more severe symptoms. But, while many of us have experienced the fever and chills, headache and muscle aches, fatigue, sore throat and cough of a run-of-the-mill flu, severe infection with IAV is a different, potentially life-threatening beast.

Severe IAV infection triggers a specific type of cell death, necroptosis, in infected cells. While its a natural process designed to limit viral spread by actively eliminating infected cells and mobilizing the immune system to respond, necroptosis can activate a hyper-inflammatory response, causing collateral lung damage thats potentially lethal. Other than managing its symptoms, few therapeutic options are available to treat severe flu.

In a new study, researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine, St Judes Childrens Research Hospital, University of Houston, and Fox Chase Cancer Center worked together to test a drug named UH15-38 that prevented this flu-related lung injury in mice while still allowing the immune system to fight the virus.

Our drug significantly increased survival and lowered symptoms of influenza virus infection, said Paul Thomas, co-corresponding author and St Judes Host-Microbe Interactions faculty member. It dampened dangerous inflammation and even seemed to improve the adaptive response against the virus.

CDC/Erskine Palmer, ML Martin

Achieving the drugs Goldilocks effect on inflammation required the researchers to employ some clever chemistry combined with a thorough understanding of the mechanisms underpinning necroptosis.

Receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) is an essential part of the necroptotic cell death pathway but also controls another cell death pathway: apoptosis. Both types of cell death produce opposing immune responses. Apoptotic death usually leads to immunologically silent responses, whereas necroptosis releases molecules that promote inflammation. UH15-38 was designed to prevent RIPK3 from triggering the necroptotic pathway and, therefore, runaway inflammation while still allowing apoptotic cell death, removing infected cells in a less inflammatory way.

If you remove necroptosis, you still get restriction of the viral replication without causing the massive damage to the lungs, said Alexei Degterev, associate professor of developmental, molecular and chemical biology at Tufts University School of Medicine and co-corresponding author of the study. Necroptosis does not appear to be necessary for restricting a viral activity, so if we can block it, we will be able to protect the host by reducing inflammation in the lungs.

The researchers tested UH15-38 on mouse models and found that a high dose of the drug protected against a dose of IAV that would ordinarily be fatal. And, at low doses, UH15-38 protected the mice from similar amounts of influenza that humans experience. Notably, the mice were protected even if they received the drug days after infection with IAV.

This drug can do something weve never seen before, Thomas said. Were able to start five days after the initial infection and show that were still providing some benefit. Knocking out RIPK3 entirely is not great because then the immune system cant clear the virus. When we knocked out just necroptosis, the animals did better because they still had apoptosis and could still get rid of infected cells, but it wasnt as inflammatory.

UH15-38 improved survivability by preventing necroptosis collateral damage to type 1 alveolar epithelial cells, a specific cell type in the lungs that facilitates gas exchange. Damage to these cells can make it difficult to get oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it, producing symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness. The drug also reduced the number of inflammation-related immune cells, such as neutrophils, in the mice.

Often, the worst part of influenza illness happens after the virus is controlled when runaway inflammation destroys lung cells, said Thomas. UH15-38 can dampen that influenza-caused inflammation while leaving viral clearance and the other functions of the immune and tissue responses intact. That makes it a promising candidate to move forward toward the clinic.

Safely tolerated by the mice, the next step is further preclinical and human trials of UH15-38. The researchers are testing whether UH15-38 is effective in treating other respiratory diseases while working on the second generation of RIPK3 inhibitors. Tufts Universitys Office for Tech Transfer and Industry Collaboration is managing the commercialization of UH15-38.

While the worst of COVID-19 may be behind us, the credible expectation is that there will be another pandemic thats going to happen, and we need something that is going to protect the host independent of how the host is infected, said Degterev. This work highlights the possibility of achieving such a goal and renews interest in how cell death shapes infections.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

Sources: Tufts University School of Medicine, St Judes Childrens Research Hospital via EurekAlert!

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New flu drug aims to keep you in a 'Goldilocks zone' of lung inflammation - New Atlas

Infectious Diseases

April 8, 2024

Health officials around theglobe, including theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)and theEuropean Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, are monitoring the ongoing avian influenza outbreak. Also known as bird flu, the highly contagious viral disease typically spreads among birds, but can also infect livestock and, in rare cases, humans.

"Avian influenza is very common among migratory birds such as waterfowl," saysDr. Matthew Binnicker,director of theClinical Virology Laboratoryat Mayo Clinic.He adds that human infection is rare, occurring mainly through close contact with infected animals. Dr. Binnicker says that while the current risk to humans is low, it's crucial to take preventive measures and ensure diagnostic tools and treatments.

Watch: Dr. Matthew Binnicker discusses the ongoing avian influenza outbreak

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are available in the downloads at the bottom of the posts. Name super/CG: Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D./Laboratory Medicine and Pathology/Mayo Clinic

A: Currently, the CDC is characterizing the risk to humans of this avian influenza outbreak as low. So, if we're on a scale of 1 to 10, we're probably at a 1 or a 2. Now, the concern is that we're seeing not only millions of infections in commercial poultry and backyard bird flocks that humans frequently come into contact with, but we're also seeing higher rates of infection in mammals.

A: The birds will transmit avian influenza through their own respiratory mucosal secretions, much like we think about with other respiratory viruses in humans, or through contaminated feces. So a bird can become infected through exposure to contaminated soil or feces.

For humans, the transmission so far has been very rare; there have only been two documented cases of avian influenza in the U.S. since 2022, one in Colorado and most recently in Texas.

Those individuals were infected by coming into very close contact with animals who had avian influenza. These individuals may have come in contact with a respiratory secretion from an infected bird or mammal, or a contaminated surface. It is possible for humans to inhale the virus, or to become infected through self-inoculation if they touch a contaminated surface and then introduce the virus into their eyes, nose or mouth.

A:In the wild, migratory birds often do not show symptoms of avian influenza infection. Wild birds are a reservoir for avian influenza viruses. In commercial poultry and backyard bird flocks, that's where we see more severe disease. Since 2022, there have been over 60 million commercial poultry or backyard bird flocks killed or culled because of avian influenza infection.

In humans, avian influenza can present in a similar way to normal human influenza infection. As is the case with other respiratory viral infections, avian influenza in humans may cause a spectrum of illness, from mild disease to a severe lower respiratory tract infection. In this most recent case in Texas, the patient only experienced conjunctivitis, which is redness and inflammation in the eyes.

A: The key preventive measure is to avoid contact with a sick or dead animal, especially birds. If you own a backyard bird flock or work in a commercial poultry facility, and there are birds that are sick or have died, do not come in contact with them.

And if its impossible to avoid contact, it's important to take necessary precautions, including wearing eye protection, an N95 mask and gloves. Those protective measures are going to help prevent an individual from coming into contact with avian influenza virus, either through inhalation of infected respiratory secretions or by self-inoculating the virus from a contaminated surface into the eyes, nose or mouth.

A:Currently, the overall risk of widespread infection in humans is low. We know that this virus is transmitted efficiently among wild birds, and since 2022, it has resulted in millions of infections in commercial poultry and backyard bird flocks. We've also started to see infection in many types of mammals, but so far, infection in humans is rare.We need to approach this with a sense of preparedness. Now is the time to put tools in place in the event we see sustained, high rates of transmission in humans. These tools include testing, antivirals and vaccines, which can be rapidly deployed and hopefully prevent avian influenza from becoming a worldwide proble

Excerpt from:

Mayo Clinic virologist offers perspective on avian influenza, bird flu, outbreak - Mayo Clinic

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Rajasthan logs 12 deaths, 945 +ve cases of swine flu in 3 months - The Times of India