Category: Flu Virus

A person in Texas has been diagnosed with a highly virulent strain of bird flu, the first such case since the virus was detected in a handful of dairy cattle in several states across the country last week.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement Monday that the infected person worked on a dairy farm where some cows tested positive last week for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is considered to be a highly pathogenic, or infectious, strain. The patients main symptom was pink eye.

Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, said its not yet clear whether the person was infected by a dairy cow or through the same source that infected the dairy cows, which appears to be dead waterfowl that were found on the property.

Regardless of the source, Miller said the public should not be worried.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a similar statement Monday, saying, This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low.

Cases of this particular strain of avian flu in humans are rare but fatal in more than 50% of those infected, according to the CDC. A 21-year-old man in Vietnam died March 23 after being infected with the virus, according to a statement from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

The case in Texas is the second human case of this strain of bird flu ever detected in the U.S. The first case was confirmed in 2022, in a Colorado man who was a state prison inmate and exposed to the virus while working on a poultry farm as part of a pre-release employment program. The mans only symptom was fatigue. He was treated with an antiviral and recovered, according to a CDC report.

There have also been four cases in people infected with a less virulent strain of bird flu in the U.S.; there have been more cases of both types of the virus in humans in other parts of the world, according to the CDC.

The often-deadly virus, which spreads quickly among birds, including domesticated chickens, has been spreading more rapidly among nonbird species, including polar bears, foxes and marine mammals.

The first-ever cases of the H5N1 strain in dairy cows were detected last week in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico and Texas. These cases came just days after goats on a farm in Minnesota tested positive for the virus, though Miller noted the cases did not appear to be spreading rapidly and that the cases in cattle were relatively isolated.

Dr. Jeff Bender, a professor of public health and public health veterinarian at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, said that as birds carry out their spring migrations, there will likely be more pockets of outbreaks in other animals.

Thats what is driving what we are seeing with the cattle, as these birds are doing their spring migration, they may be shedding the virus, Bender said, noting that the birds feces could contaminate animals water sources.

In a statement last week, the CDC said it considers the human health risk to the U.S. public from the virus to be low, though people who work with livestock are at higher risk of infection. The agency also advised against eating unpasteurized dairy products, such as raw milk or cheese, from animals with suspected or confirmed cases of bird flu.

Commercial milk and meat is safe, Bender said.

No milk from the infected cows entered the food supply, Miller, the Texas commissioner, said.

If it were to, high heat in pasteurization and cooking would kill the virus, Bender said.

According to the CDC statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it does not expect the bird flu cases in cattle to affect food safety or supply in the U.S.

There shouldnt be increases in prices in milk or milk products, Miller said.

Right now, the H5N1 strain does not appear to be airborne, and the virus does not appear to have mutated to spread between cows, which is important, Bender said.

That is something that needs to be monitored at this early stage, he said. We know how influenza changes. We need to know, do we have cattle-to-cattle transmission? That means the virus is adapting and it means there are more chances for the virus to change.

Some of these changes could make the virus more adept at infecting humans, or allow it to jump from person to person.

We need that information so we can, if needed, respond to an emerging pandemic, Bender said.

If the virus begins to infect pigs, that would be cause for worry, he added.

Swine have the ability to mix influenza viruses and they are more similar to humans, so that would be more likely to spill over into humans, he said.

There is a small stockpile of vaccinations for avian flu the CDC can deploy if the virus begins spreading from person to person, and existing antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, can be used to treat bird flu in people, according to the CDC.

The public need not panic, Miller said. Were still in the early stages of understanding it, but were on top of it.

Kaitlin Sullivan

Kaitlin Sullivan is a contributor for NBCNews.com who has worked with NBC News Investigations.She reports on health, science and the environment andis a graduate of theCraig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.

Excerpt from:

Bird flu case in person in Texas: Here's what experts say - NBC News

An unusual bird flu outbreak in dairy cows has now affected at least 13 herds in six states, according to federal and state officials. These infections represent the first time that a highly pathogenic bird flu virus, which is often fatal in birds, has been detected in U.S. cattle.

At least one person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu after having contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected, state officials said on Monday. The patients primary symptom was conjunctivitis; the individual is being treated with an antiviral drug and is recovering, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus has been identified as the same version of H5N1, an influenza subtype, that is circulating in North American birds. Scientists have not found evidence that the virus has acquired the mutations it would need to spread easily between humans, officials have said.

The risk to the general public remains low, experts said. But these developments add a worrying dimension to an avian influenza outbreak that has already affected millions of birds and sea mammals worldwide.

Heres what to know:

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a group of flu viruses that are primarily adapted to birds. The particular virus in these new cases, called H5N1, was first identified in 1996 in geese in China, and in people in Hong Kong in 1997.

In 2020, a new, highly pathogenic form of H5N1 emerged in Europe and spread quickly around the world. In the United States, it has affected more than 82 million farmed birds, the worst bird flu outbreak in U.S. history.

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Person Infected With Bird Flu in Texas After Contact With Cattle - The New York Times

The first human case of avian influenza in Texas this week has prompted Congress to gather information about the risks to public health and agriculture.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a bipartisan briefing with congressional agriculture staff about the person infected after exposure to infected dairy cattle, according to a congressional aide. And members of Congress plan to schedule a meeting with the Agriculture Department, which announced last month that there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health.

The human case of bird flu in Texas, the second reported in the United States, comes as the House and Senate Agriculture committees are drafting a new farm bill that typically lasts for about five years and includes funding for the animal health system.

The last farm bill, enacted in 2018, provided $300 million for animal and health entities and initiatives between fiscal years 2019 and 2023. Congress extended that farm bill by a year, and it expires on Sept. 30.

The Texas case has launched a multiagency effort with the CDC, USDA, Food and Drug Administration, and Strategic Preparedness and Response Administration, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Federal agencies are also collaborating with state-level entities, including veterinarian, animal and human health groups.

Ben Goldey, communications director for Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee, said the panel has been closely monitoring this ongoing issue, and there isnt a single Member of the Committee who hasnt expressed concerns about this outbreak.

We appreciate USDAs ongoing coordination and regular updates and remain confident in USDA and CDCs assertion that there is no current threat to the food supply, Goldey said.

Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, or HPAI, has been on the committees radar since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2021. The highly contagious virus can impact both domestic and wild birds and is deadly to poultry. It poses a major threat to the poultry industry because it can eliminate entire flocks within days, slowing down domestic and international production.

During a February committee hearing, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., expressed concern about the impact of the virus on the nations poultry producers. The department has confirmed that in the past 30 days, one commercial poultry flock in South Dakota tested positive, affecting more than 31,000 birds.

And in South Dakota, weve got a lot of turkeys. Weve got a lot of pheasants. Weve seen, as a country, 81 million dead birds as a result of high path, Johnson said. I mean, I think it is a terrible situation.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack responded to Johnsons concerns and said the department is probably 18 months or so away from being able to identify a vaccine that would be effective for this particular HPAI that were dealing with now.

Vilsack said the primary issue with the vaccine is that the virus mutates, and they are trying to develop a way to deliver the vaccine to thousands of birds. The department also reported that more than 82 million birds have been affected across 48 states since 2022.

Typically, infected birds are culled, which involves overheating poultry in a barn until the infected flock dies. Several animal welfare organizations have flagged concerns about culling.

Impacted farms are eligible to receive grants through the federal Livestock Indemnity Program. The program will cover 75 percent of the average fair market value of livestock. As of April 1, the department has detected the spread of the virus from poultry to dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories are also analyzing a herd in Idaho that has a presumed positive.

According to the USDA, there are existing guardrails to prevent the spread of animal-borne diseases to humans. Dairy farms are required to destroy or divert milk originating from sick cows. And pasteurization, which is required for interstate milk commerce, has been proven to kill inactive bacteria and viruses, including bird flu.

The FDA is also not currently aware of any infected milk or cheese entering interstate commerce and does not recommend the selling of raw or unpasteurized dairy products.

The Texas individual who was infected with bird flu got sick after direct contact with dairy cattle and was told to isolate while receiving treatment. According to the CDC, the patient reported eye redness, consistent with conjunctivitis.

This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low, the CDC said in a press release.

In 2022, a person in Colorado tested positive for the disease from contact with poultry and experienced fatigue symptoms but has since recovered.

View original post here:

Lawmakers gather information after Texas bird flu case - Roll Call

(SACRAMENTO)

A person in Texas is being treated for avian influenza (bird flu), according to a report from state officials. The deadly virus has sickened dairy cows in five states in recent weeks.

This marks the first known instance globally of a person catching the H5N1 strain of bird flu from a mammal and just the second human case of the illness in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An individual who had contact with infected poultry caught the virus in 2022.

Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health, answers questions about what you need to know about bird flu.

Bird flu is caused by influenza strains that commonly infect wild birds worldwide. They can also cause outbreaks among commercial or backyard poultry, and less commonly other animals.

Bird flu may cause birds to have respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose and coughing or sneezing, diarrhea, less energy, decreased egg production, or sometimes sudden death.

In humans, bird flu may cause illnesses similar to influenza (the flu) with fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and muscle aches. Less commonly, humans may have diarrhea and vomiting, and more rarely, seizures.

Most infections occur when humans have contact with sick or dead infected animals without wearing personal protective equipment.

Many different bird species may be infected with bird flu, and the infectious virus is shed in their saliva, mucous and feces. The shed infectious virus may then infect other animals, including cows.

Bird flu rarely spreads person-to-person. It is more commonly spread from animal to human. There has been no evidence of sustained human-to-human spread.

There is no evidence bird flu is currently more easily spread human-to-human, although there is always a chance the virus may evolve to more easily transmit among humans. Most human infections with bird flu can be traced to unprotected close contact with ill or dead animals.

Sick or ill animals should be culled, and their animal products should not be sold. Pasteurization will kill infectious virus in contaminated milk. There may be a risk of transmission if unpasteurized milk from an ill animal is ingested.

Bird flu is treated similarly to influenza in humans. The antiviral oseltamivir (Tamiflu) remains an effective option to treat humans infected with bird flu.

Avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals. This includes birds, poultry or other animals. For those who work with animals, full personal protective equipment should be used when in close or direct contact with animals or material that is potentially contaminated with the virus. This includes an N95 mask or equivalent, goggles, gloves, gown, head cover and boot covers.

Read more:

Q&A: What you need to know about bird flu in humans - UC Davis Health

This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Reviews weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here.

A dairy worker in Texas tested positive for avian influenza this week. This new human case of bird fluthe second ever reported in the United Statesisnt cause for panic. The individuals illness was mildan eye infectionand they are already recovering. Theres still no evidence that the virus is spreading person to person. The person who became infected in Texas likely picked the virus up from infected cows or poultry on the farm where he works.

But the rash of recent infections among livestock is unsettling. Last month, goats in Minnesota tested positive. And avian influenza has now been confirmed in dairy cows in Texas, Michigan, Kansas, New Mexico, and Idaho. In some of those cases, the virus appears to have spread between cows. This week, lets take a look at what we know about this new outbreak and what people are doing to prepare for further spread.

Dont settle for half the story. Get paywall-free access to technology news for the here and now.

The strain of flu infecting dairy cowsH5N1is a highly pathogenic avian influenza. Scientists have been watching these viruses closely since the 1990s because of their potential to spark a pandemic. In 1997, avian influenza sickened humans for the first time. Eighteen people in Hong Kong became infected, and six died.

Small spillovers into mammals arent uncommon for these viruses, especially in recent years. Avian influenza has been reported in mink, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, seals, sea lions, and bears, to name a few. But having the virus in domesticated mammals that come into frequent contact with humans is new territory. Exactly what happens when an avian flu virus replicates in a cow and potentially transmits from cow to cow, we actually dont have any idea at all, says Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital who studies avian influenza.

Heres the good news: even though the virus is infecting dairy cows (and now one dairy worker), this is still very much a bird virus, Webby says. Genetic sequencing by the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control suggests that these new infections are caused by a strain of flu thats nearly identical to the virus circulating in wild birds. Few of the changes they did identify would allow it to spread more easily in mammals.

The spread of bird flu in cows is worrisome, but not as worrisome as it would be if the infections were happening in pigs, which are an ideal mixing vessel for flu virus. Pigs are susceptible to swine flu, avian influenza, and human influenza. Thats how swine flu emerged back in 2009multiple viruses infecting pigs swapped genes, eventually giving rise to a virus capable of human transmission.

Mammalian infections with bird flu have mostly been one-offs, Webby says. A mammal gets infected by eating a dead bird or ingesting bird droppings, but the infection doesnt spread. One notable exception occurred in 2022, when H5N1 popped up on a mink farm in Spain and quickly jumped from barn to barn. Scientists also suspect that in rare cases, the virus has spread among family members.

Cow-to-cow transmission hasnt been confirmed, but the fact that some cows became infected after the arrival of cows from affected herds suggests that it may be occurring. That transmission may not be via coughs and sneezesthe traditional way flu gets passed on. It could be indirect. So an infected cow drinks from a trough of water and the next cow comes along and drinks from that same trough, Webby says.

How can we curb the spread among animals? Thats an ongoing debate. Vaccination is an option, at least for poultry. Thats common practice in China, Mexico, and a handful of other countries. Immunization doesnt prevent infection, but it does reduce symptoms. That might curb the impact on flocks, but some experts are concerned that vaccinated flocks might allow the virus to spread undetected. Vaccination also would likely affect trade. Countries dont want to import birds that might be infected. France decided to begin vaccinating ducks last year, and the USDA promptly announced it would restrict poultry imports from France and its trading partners. In the US, the current practice is to cull infected flocks. But there are signs that vaccination isnt off the table. Last year the USDA began testing four vaccine candidates against the particular strain of H5N1 driving the current outbreak that has affected poultry across the globe.

As a longer-term solution, researchers have also been working on creating genetically engineered animals that are resistant to bird flu. Last year, researchers created such chickens by using CRISPR to alter a single gene.

For cattle, the current options to curb transmission are limited. Culling cattle would be a much harder sell because theyre so much more valuable than chickens. And cow vaccines for avian influenza dont yet exist, although they would be relatively easy to produce.

Bird flu has been on public health officials radar for more than two decades, and it has yet to make a jump into humans. I do think that this particular virus has some fairly high hurdles to overcome to become a human-transmissible virus, Webby says. But just because it hasnt happened doesnt mean it wont: We can be a little bit reassured that its not easy, but not assured that it cant do it at all.

Luckily, even if the virus suddenly acquired the ability to spread in humans, it would be vastly easier to develop a vaccine than it was to create one for covid-19. A vaccine already exists against H5N1. Doses of that shot are sitting in the countrys national stockpile. This is one case were a little luckier because its a pathogen that we know. We know what this is and what we have in the freezer, so to speak. We have a little bit of a leg up on at least getting started, Paul Marks, the FDAs top vaccine regulator, told a reporter at the World Vaccine Congress this week.

Its not clear how well those doses would work against the current strain of H5N1. But many companies are already working on improved vaccines. Moderna plans to test an mRNA vaccine against the H5N1 strain causing the current outbreak. mRNA technology has a major advantage over traditional production methods for influenza vaccines, which grow the virus in eggs. In the event of a bird flu pandemic, eggs could be in short supply. Even if enough eggs were available, it could take half a year to develop a vaccine. mRNA technology, however, could shorten that timeline dramatically.

Thats good news. With avian influenza surging across the globe, there are more opportunities than ever before for the virus to hit on a combination of genes that gives it the ability to easily infect humans.

In a previous issue of The Checkup, Jessica Hamzelou explained what it would take for bird flu to jump to humans and why we dont need to panic. Not yet, anyway.

Google Earth can help scientists visualize the movement of H5N1 and perhaps even improve our ability to predict where outbreaks might occur. Rachel Ross had the story.

Dig deep into the archives and youll find that Tech Review has been asking if bird flu will jump to humans for nearly two decades. Emily Singer reported on efforts to answer this question in 2006.

Perfusing donated organs with circulating blood after theyre removed from the body helps keep them viable for transplant and makes it possible to transplant donor organs that might previously have been rejected. The process is changing every aspect of the organ transplant process, from the way surgeons operate, to the types of patients who can donate organs, to the outcomes for recipients. (NYT)

The countrys largest egg producer detected bird flu in its flocks and culled nearly 2 million birds. (Washington Post)

AI-assisted drug discovery is all the rage. Now some companies are hoping AI can improve the likelihood of success in clinical trials: theyre training algorithms to identify subjects most likely to respond to a treatment or even using AI to create surrogate study participants. (Stat)

The FDA has cleared the first prescription digital therapy for depression. The treatment, which is intended to be paired with medication, is an app that provides cognitive-emotional training and cognitive behavioral therapy lessons. (CNN)

Read the original:

New bird flu infections: Heres what you need to know - MIT Technology Review

A dairy worker in Texas has tested positive for avian influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Monday.

The announcement comes just a week after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) first announced avian flu outbreaks in certain dairy cow herds in Texas.

Its uncommon for humans to catch the H5N1 subtype avian influenzaalso known as H5N1 bird fluand the CDC said this case is only the second one reported in the U.S. The first case was in Colorado in 2022.

The H5N1 bird flu is often found in wild bird populations, and sick birds can sometimes pass the virus to livestock or other mammals.

In this most recent case, the person in Texas likely became infected after coming in close contact with sick cattle, health officials said.

The case is relatively mild; the CDC said the patient has eye redness (conjunctivitis) but has no other symptoms. The person is being treated with an antiviral for flu, and is isolating.

This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low, the agency said in a press release. It acknowledged, however, that people who come into more frequent contact with possibly infected birds or other animals have a higher risk.

Since 2022, bird flu has been detected in wild, commercial, and hobbyist bird flocksin total, over 82 million birds have been affected across 48 states and 512 counties. These outbreaks can cause issues for farmerson Tuesday, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the countrys largest egg producer and distributor, culled nearly 2 million hens after an outbreak of avian flu at one of its facilities.

The USDA also found herds of dairy cows testing positive for bird flu in Kansas, Texas, Michigan, and New Mexico. Its assuming a herd in Idaho will test positive, too.

That worries me, because humans interact pretty closely with dairy cattle, said Jill Foster, MD, professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Youve got these dairy cows now that are infected, and people in the barn [are] pretty close with the dairy cowsI think that theres probably going to be more spread to humans.

Heres what to know about bird flu, how it spreads between animals and humans, and what this infection means for public health.

Tim Graham / Getty Images

This particular type of avian fluH5N1is one of many different subtypes of influenza A. Its still the same influenza that humans get, but the naming refers to slight differences in proteins, Foster told Health.

Certain types of influenza A can lead to pandemics, such as the H1N1 swine flu in 2009 and the H1N1 Spanish flu in 1918 (which was later determined to be an avian-like virus.)

This is what infectious disease experts have feared happening since this H5N1 virus started causing outbreaks among wild birds and poultry in late 2021, Foster explained.

Luckily, however, this current strain of bird flu doesnt seem to be mutating and making jumps into human populations in the same way as other problematic viruses, she said.

[The bird flu] seems to be something that just simmers and spreads quite easily. But it doesnt seem to be one that changes a lot, the way that COVID [does], said Foster. Bird flu has been around for a couple of years, but has stayed mostly in the birds.

Though it can spread easily between birds and other animals, the H5N1 flu virus does not seem to be very efficient at transmitting between animals and humans or from human to human, Foster added. Whereas increasing COVID infections provided more opportunities for the virus to mutate and better evade our immune systems, the same cannot be said for H5N1, at least for now.

In fact, limited spread between humans hasnt been reported since 2007, and theres no evidence that the bird flu could have sustained transmission in human populations.

However, when people do get sick with bird flu, it can be a cause for concern. Some people are asymptomatic or have mild infections, where theyll experience conjunctivitis or flu-like upper respiratory symptoms. But others will have more serious cases that can lead to pneumonia, fever, body aches, shortness of breath, and in very rare cases, diarrhea, nausea, or seizures.

Since 2021, hospitalizations linked to various strains of bird flu have been reported in China and Cambodia, and China has reported over a dozen deaths.

People who get sick with bird flu can be treated with the antiviral Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which works against influenza A.

Because the risk to the general public in connection with this confirmed bird flu case is low, the average person doesnt need to be too worried about contracting the H5N1 virus.

Human infection based on close occupational exposure to a sick animal is of course important to know about, but is also very different than the case of human-to-human transmission, which would be a concern for public health, Sarah Hamer, PhD, DVM, director of the Schubot Center for Avian Health and professor of epidemiology at the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told Health.

However, those who may be coming into contact with sick poultry or dairy cows could be seeing a higher risk. As soon as you start getting cases, youre going to have more spread, Foster said.

Because of this, the CDC recommends anyone who could be coming into contact with ill or dead animals use proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including vented safety goggles, disposable gloves, boots, masks, disposable coveralls, and a head covering.

PPE is a big one. And then its just re-emphasizing things like proper hand hygiene, washing your hands frequently, if youre not feeling well, staying home, said Mike Kleinhenz, DVM, PhD, clinical associate professor of dairy cattle production at Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Just reinforcing some of those good hygiene practices is important for dairy farmers to dofor their employees and for themselves.

As for where the average person comes into contact with dairythe grocery storetheres also little cause for concern.

Theres no risk of people accidentally getting bird flu from consuming cows milk or other dairy products, so long as its pasteurized, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. That process is able to effectively kill viruses such as influenza.

And though transmission among cows is something experts are monitoring, for now, theres no evidence that bird flu could lead to any major disruptions in the U.S. dairy market, Kleinhenz told Health.

From what were seeing on farms that are affected by this, [its] a small percentage of the cows that are actually becoming infected, and having to have their milk diverted from the saleable pool, he said. For the overall milk supply, we dont expect to have shortages.

See original here:

CDC Confirms Human Case of Bird Flu in TexasHere's What We Know So Far - Health.com

A person in the United States has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus (H5N1 bird flu), as reported by Texas and confirmed by CDC.

This person had exposure to dairy cattle in Texas presumed to be infected with HPAI A(H5N1) viruses. The patient reported eye redness (consistent with conjunctivitis), as their only symptom, and is recovering.

The patient was told to isolate and is being treated with an antiviral drug for flu. This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low. However, people with close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals (including livestock), or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at greater risk of infection. CDC has interim recommendations for prevention, monitoring, and public health investigations of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses.

CDC is working with state health departments to continue to monitor workers who may have been in contact with infected or potentially infected birds/animals and test those people who develop symptoms. CDC also has recommendations for clinicians on monitoring, testing, and antiviral treatment for patients with suspected or confirmed avian influenza A virus infections.

This is the second person reported to have tested positive for influenza A(H5N1) viruses in the United States. A previous human case occurred in 2022 in Colorado. Human infections with avian influenza A viruses, including A(H5N1) viruses, are uncommon but have occurred sporadically worldwide. CDC has been monitoring for illness among people exposed to H5 virus-infected birds since outbreaks were first detected in U.S. wild birds and poultry in late 2021. Human illnesses with H5N1 bird flu have ranged from mild (e.g., eye infection, upper respiratory symptoms) to severe illness (e.g., pneumonia) that have resulted in death in other countries.

H5 bird flu is widespread among wild birds in the U.S. and globally. These viruses also have caused outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry flocks, and sporadic infections in mammals. HPAI in dairy cows was first reported in Texas and Kansas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 25, 2024. Unpasteurized milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as a throat swab from a cow in another dairy in Texas, tested positive for HPAI A(H5) viruses of the genetic clade 2.3.4.4b, which is the same clade that is widespread among birds globally. On March 29, 2024, USDAs National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed HPAI in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is providing regular updates on detections in dairy herds, as well as information on epidemiological findings and biosecurity guidance for farmers and veterinarians. Preliminary analysis of A(H5N1) viruses has not found changes that would make these viruses resistant to current FDA-approved flu antiviral medications, so these are believed to be effective against these viruses. Candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) developed against related clade 2.3.4.4b viruses are available for vaccine manufacturing if necessary and preliminary analysis indicates that they may provide reasonable protection against H5N1 influenza viruses. Seasonal flu vaccines do not provide protection against these viruses. Analysis of virus samples is ongoing.

CDC is working closely with state and federal agencies, including USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and local health authorities to further investigate and closely monitor this situation.

Prevention Measures

According to CDCs interim recommendations, people should avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals (including cattle), as well as with animal carcasses, raw milk, feces (poop), litter, or materials contaminated by birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1)-virus infection. People should not prepare or eat uncooked or undercooked food or related uncooked food products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk, or products made from raw milk such as cheeses, from animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1)-virus infection (avian influenza or bird flu). Specific recommendations for farmers; poultry, backyard flock, and livestock owners; and worker protection are also available.

People exposed to birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1) virus infection should be monitored for any signs and symptoms of illness for 10 days after the last known exposure, including people wearing recommended personal protective equipment (PPE). Additional information on protective actions around birds, including what to do if you find a dead bird, is available on CDCs website.

According to FDA and USDA, there are not concerns with the safety of the commercial milk supply at this time because products are pasteurized before entering the market. Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply. In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. Pasteurization is required for any milk entering interstate commerce for human consumption. FDAs longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers, and FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption in light of the HPAI detections.

CDC continues to work with USDA, FDA, and state health departments to monitor people exposed to animals infected with HPAI A(H5N1) viruses. Because influenza viruses constantly change, continued surveillance and preparedness efforts are critical, and CDC is taking measures in case the public health risk assessment changes. This is a developing situation, and CDC will share additional updates as new relevant information becomes available.

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus reported in a person in the U.S. - The Robesonian

Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated.

A bird flu virus called H5N1 recently infected animals that it had never been seen in before: goats and cows.

Now, it's suspected that a person has picked up the infection after being exposed to infected cows.

Here's what we know so far about these unusual cases of H5N1 in the U.S.

Related: 21-year-old student dies of H5N1 bird flu in Vietnam

H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza A, a broad group of related bird flu viruses. It's categorized as a form of "highly pathogenic" avian influenza, or HPAI, because it causes severe and fatal disease in poultry. For example, H5N1 and other "H5" bird flu viruses can rapidly cause organ damage in chickens and kill up to 90% to 100%of chickens they infect, often within 48 hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). H5N1 has been responsible for the major bird flu outbreaks seen on U.S. poultry farms and on farms in other countries since 2022.

Although HPAI viruses are known for devastating domestic bird populations, H5N1 also infects wild birds and occasionally infects various mammals, including people. In non-avian species, it can still cause fatal disease, but some cases are mild or asymptomatic.

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H5N1 infections in mammals, in general, raise concern that the virus could evolve to infect humans more easily and perhaps spread widely between people, sparking a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). But scientists haven't seen any changes in the virus that suggest that's happening at this point.

H5N1 most often infects domestic and wild birds, although some wild birds act as "reservoirs" for the virus, meaning they can carry and spread it without getting sick. These carriers include waterfowl, such as ducks, geese and swans; and shorebirds, such as plovers and sandpipers, the CDC says.

In the past 20 years or so, H5N1 has also been detected in at least 48 mammal species across 26 countries. These include foxes, bears, seals, sea lions and polar bears, as well as pet cats and dogs and farmed mink. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains a map of where different mammals have been infected in the U.S.

This year, for the first time, H5N1 was detected in goats and cows. This marks the first time H5N1 has been found in ruminants, which include hooved, cud-chewing mammals like cows, goats and sheep.

The infections among goats were reported in mid-March on a Minnesota farm where ducks and chickens had previously tested positive for the virus. The first infections in cattle were reported a week later among dairy cows in Texas and Kansas, which also likely got the virus from birds.

Related: 'Novel' swine flu virus sickens Pennsylvania child in 1st case of the year

After being detected in cows in Texas and Kansas, H5N1 infections were also confirmed in cows in Idaho, Michigan and New Mexico, according to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. As of April 2, the department is also working to test cows in Ohio. (The USDA is regularly updating its website with new information.)

The agency has confirmed that the specific strain of H5N1 infecting cows in additional states appears very similar to the strain found in Texas and Kansas cattle. This strain matches one introduced to the U.S. by wild birds known as clade 2.3.4.4b back in 2021. Before that, the strain had spread mostly in Europe, Asia and Africa.

"[H5N1] could have been infecting dairy cattle a year ago. We just never thought about looking for it," Dr. David Swayne, a bird flu expert who is now a private consultant after having worked for the USDA, told STAT. Experimental data published in 2008 suggested that at least one H5N1 strain can infect baby cows, so it's not totally unexpected to see the virus in cattle.

The recently infected cows have been reported to produce less milk, show poor appetite, develop cold-like symptoms and become lethargic. There have been no reported deaths among the cows.

H5N1 can occasionally infect people and can lead to death, with about 50% to 60% of reported cases resulting in fatal disease. More than 880 human cases of H5N1 have been reported worldwide since the late 1990s, according to the CDC.

Most often, human H5N1 infections occur after a person had close or lengthy unprotected contact without gloves, a face mask or eye protection with infected birds or with objects contaminated with sick birds' saliva, mucus or poop. These cases have not been tied to sustained human-to-human spread of the virus, but there's been some evidence of very limited spread between people.

Although H5N1 infections can be fatal, some people show no symptoms or only mild symptoms. Mild symptoms might include eye infections, such as conjunctivitis (pink eye), and upper respiratory symptoms, like sneezing and coughing. Severe cases can lead to life-threatening pneumonia.

Bird flu can be treated with antiviral drugs used for seasonal flu. The CDC also has several candidate vaccines prepared for manufacturing, just in case this or a closely related virus were to suddenly spread between people; seasonal flu vaccines do not protect against H5N1.

There have been two human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. The first was in 2022, in a person in Colorado who'd had direct exposure to infected poultry. It's possible that this case wasn't a full-blown infection but rather remnants of the virus being detected in the person's nasal passages. The second case was in April 2024, when a person in Texas caught the virus after likely being exposed to infected cows; this person's only reported symptom was pink eye.

Related: 1st-known 'highly pathogenic' bird flu cases in Antarctic could threaten penguins

Finding H5N1 in cows is interesting to scientists because it hasn't been seen before, but as of now, it poses a low risk to the general public.

As for cows, there's some early hints that the virus can spread among cattle the cows in Idaho reportedly became sick after being exposed to cows shipped from Texas, Science reported, and the Michigan cases were also thought to be tied to cows from Texas, the CDC reported. However, H5N1's ability to spread among cows still needs to be confirmed.

In regards to people, "initial testing has not found changes to the [H5N1] virus that would make it more transmissible to humans," the USDA noted in an April statement. "While cases among humans in direct contact with infected animals are possible, this indicates that the current risk to the public remains low."

The CDC also reported that there have been no changes to the virus that would make it less vulnerable to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved antiviral drugs for the flu.

Nevertheless, the CDC recommends that people avoid sick or dead animal carcasses, including wild birds, poultry and cattle. They should also avoid raw milk, poop, litter or other materials contaminated by animals with suspected H5N1 infections, and they should avoid uncooked and undercooked food products from such animals.

The discovery of H5N1 in cows does not threaten the country's milk supply, the USDA noted. Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption, and the commercial milk supply is pasteurized before going to market, which kills viruses. Unpasteurized milk always carries a risk of causing dangerous infections, but the likelihood of H5N1 infection from raw milk is not yet known.

More information on milk safety given the current situation can be found on the FDA's website.

So far, H5N1 has been found in dairy cows, but the USDA also emphasized that the beef supply is safe and that cooking meat properly kills viruses.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

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H5N1: What to know about the bird flu cases in cows, goats and people - Livescience.com

H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes severe respiratory disease in birds but has occasionally been known to jump to humans as well.

Bird flu is '100 times worse than the Covid pandemic', a report by Daily Mail stated. According to the UK-based tabloid, bird flu can lead to high fatalities. Several scientists have raised alarm over the latest bird flu outbreak in the US.

Dr Suresh Kuchipudi, bird flu researcher in Pittsburgh told Daily Mail, "We are not really talking about a virus that is yet to make a jump, we are talking about a virus that is globally present, already infecting a range of mammals and is circulating." He added that it is high time that people get prepared.

Another expert John Fulton said: "This appears to be 100 times worse than Covid, or it could be if it mutates and maintains its high case fatality rate."

He added that if the flu infects humans, then there is only hope that the fatality rate drops.

Bird flu

The bird flu virus that is now drawing attention was first identified in 1959. Since 2020, the virus has spread among more animal species including dogs and cats in several countries.

The symptoms of bird flu are like any other flu, including cough, body aches, and fever. However, some people may even develop severe, life-threatening pneumonia.

Since 2022, there have been two documented instances of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, being transmitted to humans in the United States. One notable case included a farm worker based in Texas who displayed symptoms indicative of bird flu exposure such as conjunctivitis. According to various media outlets, avian influenza has led to deadly infections among individuals exposed regularly to either domestic or wild birds.

The H5N1 strain, presently accountable for the reported cases, has not yet reached a level of virulence that would easily facilitate extensive human transmission. Nonetheless, scientific experts continue to diligently monitor its potential evolutionary trajectory which could significantly enhance its contagion capacity among humans, thereby creating a possibility for a worldwide outbreak.

Bird flu vaccine for humans

The US has a stockpile of vaccines matched with the strain of bird flu currently circulating, as well as antivirals that could be used to treat human infections. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has sample or "seed" strains of the virus that manufacturers could use to make more vaccines.

Pharma giants such as Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline are also monitoring avian flu to develop avian flu vaccines as and when the need arises.

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Bird flu virus: Experts warn it is '100 times worse' than COVID pandemic - Business Today

Topline

Officials in Texas reported only the second case of avian influenza (bird flu) in a person in the U.S. on Mondayin a patient who had direct contact with infected cattle the infection spreads rapidly among herds across five states, having impacted millions of animals in the land and sea.

Mondays case is the second human case of the H5N1 virus in U.S. history.

The patient was tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after reporting eye inflammation, according to a news release from the Texas Department of State Health Services, and is recovering while being treated with oseltamivir, an antiviral.

It is the second reported human case of H5N1 in the U.S., after an individual was reported in Colorado in April 2022 who had direct contact with infected poultry.

The new case, which involved direct exposure with suspected infected cattle, does not change the risk for the general public, which remains low, according to TDSHS.

There are no safety concerns about the nations dairy supply as of March 29 because of the pasteurization process required before products hit the market, according to a joint statement from the CDC, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The agencies said in the statement product loss from infected cattle is too limited to have a major impact on supply, adding that it should not have an impact on milk or other dairy product pricesciting the nations seasonally higher production of dairy in spring.

5. Thats how many statesMichigan, Idaho, New Mexico, Kansas and Texashave detected the illness in cattle herds, according to a March 29 joint statement from federal agencies.

There is limited information on the spread of the virus in raw milk, according to federal officials, so the FDA has recommended the dairy industry refrain from manufacturing or selling raw milk or raw/unpasteurized milk cheese products made with milk from cows showing symptoms of illness, including cattle infected or exposed to the virus.

Minnesota reported a case of the virus in a goat on March 20, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which marked the first case in a domestic ruminant in the U.S.

Avian flu is typically divided into two categorieshighly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)based on its ability to infect poultry, according to the U.S. Geologic Survey. The current outbreak has reportedly affected millions of birds across the globe, and has begun spreading to sea mammalsreportedly killing more than 5,000 sea lions in Peru in 2023which has scientists concerned about the potential risk to human health. Multiple human cases of different strains of the flu have been reported in China and Cambodia. The USDAs dashboard indicates seven flocks of birds in the U.S. have been infected with HPAI in the last 30 days, as of March 20. The cause behind the outbreak in cattle is unknown, the New York Times reported, but federal agencies said transmission between cattle cannot be ruled out. Human cases of the HPAI flu are rare but can occur with prolonged exposure to infected birds, according to the CDC, and there has been no known human-to-human spread of H5N1. There have been only four reported human cases of LPAI in the nations history, according to the CDC, which resulted in mild-to-moderate illness. The virus can present asymptomatically in humans, but common symptoms include conjunctivitis and upper respiratory symptomswhile severe symptoms include fever, shortness of breath and even death.

Bird Flu Found in Michigan, Idaho Cows as Virus Spreads in US (Bloomberg)

Avian flu hits dairy producing cattle farms (ABC News)

First human case of avian flu in Texas raises alarm (Politico)

For the first time, U.S. dairy cows have tested positive for bird flu (NPR)

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Person Catches Bird Flu In TexasOnly Second In U.S. History - Forbes