Category: Flu Virus

A shiver of fear has swept across California as a new threat has emerged: avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. This highly contagious viral disease, primarily affecting birds, has triggered an outbreak of unprecedented scale, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Poultry farms are under lockdown, wild birds are falling from the sky, and anxieties are skyrocketing. Is this danger only for birds, or should humans and their pets worry too? What exactly is this avian flu, and what are the potential risks and treatments?

Also read: Avian flu wreaks havoc in California, poultry industry takes an existential hit

Bird flu, also referred to as avian influenza, is a respiratory condition that is usually brought on by infection with a specific type of influenza (flu) virus. These influenza viruses are frequently seen in domestic poultry, including guinea hens, ducks, geese, and chickens. Although there is little chance of human infection, incidences of avian flu viruses have been reported, especially in people who often interact with poultry or wild birds.

Human infections with the avian flu virus have caused illnesses ranging in severity from mild cases with no symptoms to fatal cases of severe disease. As per the CDC, Asian lineage H7N9 and highly pathogenic avian influenza Asian lineage H5N1 viruses have been responsible for most human illness from bird flu viruses worldwide to date.

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Infected birds typically release the bird flu virus through their saliva, mucus, and feces. Human exposure can occur when the virus is present in the air (in droplets or potentially dust), and a person inhales it. Additionally, there is a risk of infection if a person touches a surface contaminated with the virus and then touches their mouth, eyes, or nose.

Certain bird flu viruses have the ability to infect and transmit to other animals. There have been instances where these viruses have been known to occasionally affect mammals that consume (presumably infected) birds or poultry.

As a precaution, isolate yourself at home from other family members if you suspect infection or develop symptoms within 10 days of your last interaction with infected birds. Refrain from going to work or school until a flu test confirms the absence of the avian flu virus, and you have fully recovered. It is crucial to act responsibly and promptly report your symptoms and any recent exposure to infected or unwell birds to a healthcare provider, particularly if the illness involves respiratory symptoms. You will receive guidance on whether to stay at home or be hospitalized in isolation from other patients. Depending on the situation, you may be prescribed antiviral medication.

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What is Avian flu that's wreaking havoc in California? Symptoms and treatment - Hindustan Times

PETALUMA, Calif. -- Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive for avian flu.

Following government rules, Weber's company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens 550,000 birds to prevent the disease from infecting other farms in Sonoma County north of San Francisco.

Its a trauma. Were all going through grief as a result of it, said Weber, standing in an empty hen house. Petaluma is known as the Egg Basket of the World. Its devastating to see that egg basket go up in flames.

A year after the bird flu led to record egg prices and widespread shortages, the disease known as highly pathogenic avian influenza is wreaking havoc in California, which escaped the earlier wave of outbreaks that devastated poultry farms in the Midwest.

The highly contagious virus has ravaged Sonoma County, where officials have declared a state of emergency. During the past two months, nearly a dozen commercial farms have had to destroy more than 1 million birds to control the outbreak, dealing an economic blow to farmers, workers and their customers.

Merced County in Central California also has been hit hard, with outbreaks at several large commercial egg-producing farms in recent weeks.

Experts say bird flu is spread by ducks, geese and other migratory birds. The waterfowl can carry the virus without getting sick and easily spread it through their droppings to chicken and turkey farms and backyard flocks through droppings and nasal discharges.

California poultry farms are implementing strict biosecurity measures to curb the spread of the disease. State Veterinarian Annette Jones urged farmers to keep their flocks indoors until June, including organic chickens that are required to have outdoor access.

We still have migration going for another couple of months. So weve got to be as vigilant as possible to protect our birds, said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation.

The loss of local hens led to a spike in egg prices in the San Francisco Bay Area over the holidays before supermarkets and restaurants found suppliers from outside the region.

While bird flu has been around for decades, the current outbreak of the virus that began in early 2022 has prompted officials to slaughter nearly 82 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens, in 47 U.S. states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Whenever the disease is found the entire flock is slaughtered to help limit the spread of the virus.

The price of a dozen eggs more than doubled to $4.82 at its peak in January 2023. Egg prices returned to their normal range as egg producers built up their flocks and outbreaks were controlled. Turkey and chicken prices also spiked, partly due to the virus.

I think this is an existential issue for the commercial poultry industry. The virus is on every continent, except for Australia at this point, said Maurice Pitesky, a poultry expert at the University of California, Davis.

Climate change is increasing the risk of outbreaks as changing weather patterns disrupt the migratory patterns of wild birds, Pitesky said. For example, exceptional rainfall last year created new waterfowl habitat throughout California, including areas close to poultry farms.

In California, the outbreak has impacted more than 7 million chickens in about 40 commercial flocks and 24 backyard flocks, with most of the outbreaks occurring over the past two months on the North Coast and Central Valley, according to the USDA.

Industry officials are worried about the growing number of backyard chickens that could become infected and spread avian flu to commercial farms.

We have wild birds that are are full of virus. And if you expose your birds to these wild birds, they might get infected and ill, said Rodrigo Gallardo, a UC Davis researcher who studies avian influenza.

Gallardo advises the owners of backyard chickens to wear clean clothes and shoes to protect their flocks from getting infected. If an unusual number of chickens die, they should be tested for avian flu.

Ettamarie Peterson, a retired teacher in Petaluma, has a flock of about 50 chickens that produce eggs she sells from her backyard barn for 50 cents each.

Im very concerned because this avian flu is transmitted by wild birds, and theres no way I can stop the wild birds from coming through and leaving the disease behind, Peterson said. If your flock has any cases of it, you have to destroy the whole flock.

Sunrise Farms, which was started by Webers great-grandparents more than a century ago, was infected despite putting in place strict biosecurity measures to protect the flock.

The virus got to the birds so bad and so quickly you walked in and the birds were just dead, Weber said. Heartbreaking doesnt describe how you feel when you walk in and perfectly healthy young birds have been just laid out.

After euthanizing more than half a million chickens at Sunrise Farms, Weber and his employees spent the Christmas holiday discarding the carcasses. Since then, theyve been cleaning out and disinfecting the hen houses.

Weber hopes the farm will get approval from federal regulators to bring chicks back to the farm this spring. Then it would take another five months before the hens are mature enough to lay eggs.

He feels lucky that two farms his company co-owns have not been infected and are still producing eggs for his customers. But recovering from the outbreak wont be easy.

We have a long road ahead, Weber said. Were going to make another run of it and try to keep this family of employees together because theyve worked so hard to build this into the company that it is.

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Avian flu is devastating farms in California's 'Egg Basket' as outbreaks roil poultry industry - ABC News

A year after the bird flu led to record egg prices and shortages across the U.S., the virus is wreaking havoc on California poultry farms. Experts say the outbreaks are being fueled by ducks, geese and other migratory birds. (Jan. 27) (AP Video/Terry Chea)

A year after the bird flu led to record egg prices and shortages across the U.S., the virus is wreaking havoc on California poultry farms. Experts say the outbreaks are being fueled by ducks, geese and other migratory birds. (Jan. 27) (AP Video/Terry Chea)

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Bird flu devastates farms in California's 'Egg Basket' as outbreaks roil poultry industry - The Associated Press

Coughs are common during every winter virus season. But this year it seems like more people than usual are complaining about a cough that just wont go away.

Cathy Conger, 60, who works at a vintage furniture store in Washington, said shes had a persistent cough for a month now after traveling over the holidays. She often wakes up coughing in the middle of the night. Im probably going to just keep the bowl of cough drops by my bed, she said.

Adam Tampio, a 16-year-old who lives in Alexandria, Va., said hes had a really bad cough since he caught a cold in the middle of December.

On social media TikTok, Bluesky and Threads people are also commiserating about their persistent coughs. Bryan Jun, 26, who lives in New York, complained about his lingering cough on TikTok last month, in a video thats garnered more than 7 million views. Im coughing in Georgia, wrote one viewer. Everyone is coughing in New Jersey, wrote another.

Cases of persistent cough arent tracked in any official way, so its impossible to know how this coughing season compares to past seasons. But some physicians say they are seeing more lingering cough than usual. Many of these patients have tested negative for the coronavirus, and the cough may be the aftermath of other circulating respiratory viruses.

Natasha Bhuyan, national medical director and physician at the primary care provider One Medical, said many of our members are reporting lingering coughs that they just cant shake. (Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon, which owns One Medical.)

This winter, it felt like a lot of these circulating illnesses were all peaking at the same time, she said. Everywhere you turned somebody around you had a cold or had covid or the flu.

Michael Stephen, a pulmonary physician at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, said his practice has basically been taken over by patients who have persistent coughs.

Its basically hijacked my whole practice, said Stephen, whos also the author of Breath Taking: The Power, Fragility and Future of Our Extraordinary Lungs. Stephen said his patients have been coughing for one or two months at a time, which can strain chest muscles.

Its beating them up, he said. These people are coming in with baggy eyes, not sleeping and pulled muscles. By the time they get to me, theyre not doing well.

Its possible, say some physicians, that people are just more tuned into coughing since the pandemic. Before covid, people routinely went to work and social gatherings with coughs. Today, thats frowned on.

Russell Buhr, a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, said anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of adults who get a viral infection can develop a post-infection cough that persists for two to eight weeks.

Ive seen it more frequently in my practice than I did a few years ago, Buhr said. But he thinks its because people have been paying more attention to their coughs, and other respiratory symptoms, since the start of the pandemic. Everyone is a little hesitant to show up at work with anything that resembles any kind of illness, Buhr said.

Ashwin Vasan, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and a primary care physician, said health-care officials in New York are getting a ton of questions from patients about these lingering coughs, even though post-viral coughs are actually very common.

We are aware of whats getting posted, Vasan said. Its not entirely surprising to doctors, like me, that there is this post-viral cough, because theres always been post-viral cough.

Charles A. Powell, system division chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said its very likely the incidence of these diseases is higher than it was pre-covid and thats why more patients have these lingering coughs.

With the influenza, the covid and the rhinovirus, the common cold virus all those things are coming around the same time for us, Powell said. It makes it very, very common.

A cough is a protective reflex intended to clear the lungs and keep the airway clear, said Peter Dicpinigaitis, director of the Montefiore Cough Center and editor in chief of the journal Lung. When someone has a lingering cough because of a viral infection, the reflex isnt serving any protective or beneficial purpose, he said. It just simply is a bothersome symptom for the patient, Dicpinigaitis said.

A persistent cough after a respiratory virus is often a sign of a lingering inflammatory response to that initial illness, Buhr said. How long someone has the cough can depend on the virus. People who get RSV can cough for weeks, he said.

You can kind of think about it almost like when you get a sunburn. Your skin is much more irritated and sensitive, Buhr said. This is a similar concept on the inside of your lungs, but its an injury related to the infection.

Consult a doctor for coughs that last more than a few weeks. Its usually not something serious, Buhr said. But we also dont want you to suffer through it unnecessarily.

If you have a high fever, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, dizziness or confusion, or other signs that any symptoms are getting worse, Bhuyan said she recommends patients contact their doctor right away.

The key one is if their symptoms are actually getting worse, Bhuyan said. At that point, they might be developing a pneumonia or a bacterial infection, or another kind of infection.

And if a person has been coughing for more than eight weeks, it becomes much more likely that the cough isnt just because of a viral infection and the treatable underlying cause needs to be diagnosed, said Dicpinigaitis. He said some of his patients have been persistently coughing for years. Those chronic coughs, coughs that last more than eight weeks, are often due to one of three conditions: asthma, acid reflux (known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD) and postnasal drip syndrome, he said.

Gina Lee, 42, who lives in Swarthmore, Pa., had recovered from a bout of covid in September and said she developed a cough at the end of December after visiting her sister in Baltimore. We went to the aquarium and I was very stupid and forgot to bring a mask, Lee said.

Lee said she wondered if her lingering cough, from which she just recently recovered, could be related to having covid in the fall. Is it an uptick because of covid? Or is it just everyones more aware of it? she said.

Doctors say its possible that a bad case of covid could affect how quickly a person bounces back from subsequent colds or other respiratory viruses. It takes longer for some patients to heal from a covid infection and, when someones recovering, its possible that other viruses will have an easier time infecting the airway, Stephen said.

Covid has really changed things, Stephen said. The fact that it causes a pretty significant bronchitis, I think, in a lot of people, its changing the immunology of their lungs.

Covid-19 has also been a bit of an eye-opener, said Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the VA St. Louis Healthcare System and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

We have a newfound appreciation that viruses that we trivialized actually can have serious effects, Al-Aly said, adding that the flu and RSV can both lead to a lingering cough. I dont think any of this is new. I think our awareness and our documentation of it is new.

Theres no magic bullet to treating a lingering cough, said Powell. Hydration and hot beverages help and will probably provide the same relief as over-the-counter medications and cough syrups.

Dicpinigaitis said any thick and sweet syrup may suppress your cough by soothing the nerves in the back of your throat. Some patients may need other treatments that have a direct impact on the cough itself if the cough continues, Powell said.

If drinking tea with honey makes you feel better, and its soothing, thats great, Powell said.

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Why respiratory viruses can cause persistent coughs - The Washington Post - The Washington Post

PHNOM PENH: A three-year-old boy from southeast Cambodia's Prey Veng province has been confirmed for H5N1 human avian influenza, the first case of this year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Friday (Jan 26).

"The boy was confirmed positive for H5N1 bird flu virus by the National Institute of Public Health and the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia on Thursday," the ministry said.

"The patient is currently receiving intensive care from a team of doctors."

Investigations from the patient's village found that chickens and ducks had died in the village and around his house about 10 days ago, the ministry said.

"A team of health experts is investigating the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the victim in order to prevent an outbreak in the community," the ministry added.

Tamiflu (oseltamivir), an antiviral drug to prevent the bird flu from spreading, was also handed out to people who had direct contact with the boy, the ministry said.

H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry but can sometimes spread from poultry to humans. Its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness.

From 2003 to date, there were 63 cases of human infection with H5N1 influenza, including 41 deaths in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry.- Xinhua

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Cambodia reports first human case of bird flu in 2024 - The Star Online

Markers for all three of the main respiratory viruses that are making Americans sick declined this week, and new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that the current flu season has been moderate so far and that people with chronic conditions continue to make up the bulk of flu hospitalizations.

In its respiratory virus snapshot, the CDC said activity is still elevated but decreasing across most of the country. More specifically, flu and COVID-19 activity are stabilizing or decreasing, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections continue to decline.

Most flu markers, including outpatient visits for flulike illness, declined for the third week in a row, and the percentage of respiratory specimens that were positive for flu held steady, at 14.2%, the CDC said in its latest weekly FluView report today. Influenza A is still dominant, and subtype sampling shows that the 2009 H1N1 virus remains the dominant strain.

Southern states are still reporting the highest activity, followed by the Northeast and Southwest.

Though deaths from flu trended downward overall, the CDC reported 10 more pediatric flu deaths, raising the season's total to 57. The fatalities were reported between the week ending December 23 and the week ending January 13. Six involved influenza A, and three involved influenza B. Of subtyped influenza A viruses, all were 2009 H1N1.

One of the children who died was coinfected with 2009 H1N1 and influenza B.

In separate data updates, the CDC today posted a preliminary severity estimate for the current flu season, which it listed as moderate across all age-groups. The CDC included the caveat that the classification could change as the season progresses, and in other updates it said a second peak in activity sometimes occurs after the winter holidays.

Also, the CDC today released a deeper dive into flu hospitalizations, which show that people with chronic health conditions continue to make up the lion's share of hospital cases.

For adults, the most common underlying conditions for those hospitalized for flu were high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and obesity. For children, the most common chronic conditions for asthma, obesity, and neurologic disease. However, 31.1% of children hospitalized for flu had no known underlying health conditions.

In the CDC's COVID-19 data updates, severity and early indicators all showed declines, including deaths, which had trended upward in its previous update. Activity remains elevated, however.

Emergency department visits for COVID are highest in highest in infants and older adults, but are also elevated among young children.

The CDC's wastewater surveillance system dashboard shows that SARS-CoV-2 detections are still listed as very high, but have declined steadily since the start of the new year. Biobot wastewater tracking shows that detections are highest in the Northeast, followed by the Midwest. However, levels are declining for all parts of the country.

Despite continued high wastewater levels, COVID infections appear to be causing less severe disease than earlier in the pandemic. Hospital bed occupancy and intensive care unit capacity for all patients remains stable nationally, the CDC said.

RSV indicators continue to decline in some areas, and though hospitalizations are decreasing among children, they remain elevated in older adults.

In new developments, the CDC today sent a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Now message to clinicians, reminding them of seasonal differences in its recommendation regarding RSV (Abrysvo) vaccination for pregnant women during 32 to 36 weeks gestation.

In most of the continental United States, the RSV vaccine should be given to the group from September 1 through January 31 to get the most protective effect for babies born during increased RSV activity.

However, RSV seasonality varies in some parts of the nation, including Alaska, southern Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the US Pacific Island territories, and the US Virgin Islands. The CDC said health practitioners in those areas may consider RSV vaccination of pregnant women after January 31.

"Infants born to unvaccinated mothers should receive nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody that provides immediate protection to the infant against RSV-associated LRTD [lower respiratory tract disease]," the CDC said.

In another development this week, the CDC added nirsevimab (Beyfortus) coverage to its RSV vaccine coverage dashboard, which indicates that, as of December 2023, 28.7% of women who had an infant younger than 8 months said their babies had received the injection.

The new monoclonal antibody is designed to protect newborns against RSV and was in short supply this fall after demand exceeded manufacturer expectations.

Another 31.4% said they plan to get nirsevimab for their babies, and 33.9% who are currently pregnant say they their newborns will definitely receive it. Of women trying to get pregnant, 44.2% say they plan to have their babies get the drug.

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US respiratory virus activity still high but continues to ebb - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

A UAB infectious diseases physician breaks down what you need to know about flu, RSV and COVID as people navigate colder months and have exposure to these viruses.

A UAB infectious diseases physician breaks down what you need to know about flu, RSV and COVID as people navigate colder months and have exposure to these viruses.This winter, influenza, COVID and RSV cases are surging across the United States. It seems as if everyone knows someone who has a runny nose, a fever or a cough, or who has had to call out of work for themselves or to take care of a sick child. Happy new year tis the virus season.

While hospitalizations are steady for the time of year, they are rapidly increasing due to spread of severe illness, said Rachael Lee, M.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham chief health care epidemiologist. It is important to refrain from going to hospital emergency departments to avoid continued overstressing of the communitys resources.

READ MORE: ER, urgent care or your doctor? What experts really want you to know

Mild cases of the flu, COVID and RSV usually do not require a hospital visit.

If you are experiencing symptoms like fever or feeling feverish or experiencing chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue call your primary health care provider or utilizeUAB eMedicineto engage with a caregiver who can diagnose and assess your condition and needs without an emergency room or clinic visit.

Patients who choose to visit an emergency department or outpatient clinic should be aware of long wait times.All local hospitals are taking necessary steps to ensure patients receive appropriate care. This issue is occurring nationwide, not just in the Birmingham area.

Individuals with mild symptoms are encouraged to stay home from work, school or other gatherings.

Lee stresses that people who are knowingly sick should stay at home and avoid public places like stores, work or school, wear a mask around others, and take other precautions to not make others around them sick.

For those who are in high-risk populations, such as those who are immunosuppressed, prevention is key. This includes masking in crowded areas, avoiding public areas where they could get infected, and staying away from family and friends who are sick.

Click image to enlarge. Graphic by: Jody PotterRegardless of whether someone is sick or not, practicing proactive and frequent hand hygiene is a critical way to stop the spread of germs and viruses.

READ MORE: Cold, flu or COVID got you down? Skip the waiting room and get a diagnosis and treatment plan online.

RSV and flu seasons typically run from October to March, and while researchers are still trying to pinpoint COVID spike patterns, COVID cases have tended to present strongly during fall and winter months as well.

Since all three respiratory viruses have overlapping symptoms and intensities depending on a persons response, it can be difficult to determine what virus one may have without panel testing.

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and, in some cases, lead to death, especially in people who are at high risk. The flu is different from a cold, as the flu usually comes on suddenly without warning.

People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

There is no need to leave the house to get help with cold, flu or COVID symptoms. UAB eMedicine allows you to get the care you need, when you need it, from wherever you are. For on-demand urgent care, please visit uabemedicine.com.

Respiratory syncytial virus is a virus that causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. While cases of RSV in healthy adults can often present mildly and like the common cold, babies 12 months and under and older adults including immunocompromised ones can have a severe infection that can lead to hospitalization.

A long-awaited vaccine for RSV is now available for eligible groups, including children and older adults.

RSV can present some or all of these symptoms:

In the nearly four years since the COVID virus emerged, different strains have presented varying cases of COVID that offer a wide range of reactions. Generally speaking and based on what is being seen currently COVID still is highly contagious and can cause severe reactions in those infected.

People with COVID may experience some or all of the following symptoms:

For all three viruses, there are ways you can protect yourself, family and friends:

Get the flu and COVID vaccines if you are 6 months of age or older; get the RSV vaccine if you are eligible it is not too late to get vaccinated to mitigate or prevent severe outcomes of illness.

Cover your coughs and sneezes.

Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.

Clean living and working areas.

Avoid crowds.

Stay home from work or school if you are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

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'Tis the season: As respiratory viruses surge, protect yourself against flu, RSV and COVID - University of Alabama at Birmingham

Its been a tough winter for respiratory viruses, and doctors are seeing some hospitalized patients who have combinations of COVID, flu and RSV at the same time. Photo: Getty Images.

Its been a rough winter for respiratory viruses, and some hospitalized patients are testing positive for combinations of COVID-19, flu and RSV at the same time.

The symptoms of these dual infections are similar to those that people would have if they had one illness: a bad cough, a fever, aches, exhaustion and difficulty breathing for some.

Its impossible to say whether people who have double infections of COVID-19 and flu or flu and RSV or RSV and COVID feel twice as lousy.

They feel pretty terrible, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical directorof infection prevention and control for UCHealthand aprofessor of medicine and infectious diseasesat theUniversity of Colorado School of Medicineon theAnschutz Medical Campus.

While some people are getting double whammy illnesses, others are getting COVID-19, then getting hit almost immediately with a case of influenza or RSV, or the other way around.

Getting two respiratory viruses at the same time is called a co-infection. Getting them one after another is known as a sequential infection.

A small percentage of patients who are so sick that they need to be hospitalized for flu, COVID-19 or RSV less than 5% are testing positive for two infections at the same time, Barron said.

If you, your friends or your family members are sick right now, youre not alone. And if you feel really lousy, be sure to get help from your doctor. Its possible that theyll have some medications that can help you.

If youre not able to eat or drink, if your fever persists, or it went away and it comes back, or if you have any kind of breathing issues or if youre in a high-risk group over 65 or you have an underlying medical condition seek help because there may be treatments like Tamiflu or Paxlovid that your doctor can offer you, Barron said.

Soon after the pandemic began in 2020, doctors were worried about multiple viruses circulating at the same time during the traditional fall and winter respiratory virus season.

At first, flu cases declined. So doctors were primarily addressing cases of COVID-19.

But since those early days, flu and RSV infections have come roaring back.

Cases of flu, COVID-19 and RSV are all on the rise, Barron said. At the same time, many people are suffering with a nasty stomach bug called norovirus.

People who are immunocompromised should take precautions to avoid getting sick. And everyone who is eligible should consider getting vaccinated to prevent annual respiratory illnesses.

Its not too late to get your vaccines, Barron said.

The first wave of flu A cases may be peaking soon, which is typical for the winter respiratory season, Barron said. Flu A normally hits first. Then, we often get a second wave of flu B. People who get their flu shots now could still protect themselves from a flu B infection in the coming weeks.

Flu cases seem to be plateauing at a high level now, Barron said. Were probably heading toward the peak for flu, but then theres typically a second upswing in cases of flu B in March and April, Barron said. Thats why is still worthwhile to get your shot. You can still protect yourself against circulating flu A and future flu B.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have been rising since summer lows. And thankfully, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations this winter are the lowest they have been compared to when the pandemic began.

These trends are signaling to Barron that we are now settling into a new normal pattern for the winter respiratory season.

COVID-19 is behaving more like the flu, Barron said.

Yes, people can get COVID-19 all year round, but just like the flu, COVID-19 infections appear to be climbing most during the fall and winter respiratory virus season.

Experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed recently that this pattern is taking hold across the country.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitalizations due to respiratory illness were caused by flu and RSV. But COVID-19 changed respiratory illness patterns. During the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons, flu and RSV activity were significantly lower than usual, CDC experts said in a Jan. 12 update.

The 2022-2023 season marked a departure from the previous two seasons, with flu and RSV circulating simultaneously with COVID-19 at high levels and peaking early, they said.

This winter respiratory virus seasons marks the second year in a row when weve experienced a tripledemic, when COVID-19, flu and RSV all are circulating at the same time.

COVID-19 continues to cause alarger number of hospitalizationsand has been involved in many more deaths than flu and RSVcombined, CDC experts said.

But in a Jan. 22 CDC update, health experts noted that flu cases are causing many ER visits now.

Since testing has declined dramatically since the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, very few people who are sick know exactly what they have.

Some people are getting so sick that they need to receive help in hospitals. Thats when doctors test patients for a variety of viruses. And with some patients, they detect co-infections.

Its not common, but we have some patients now who have both COVID-19 and RSV, Barron said.

We also see combinations of rhinovirus and flu too, she said.

Rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, is the most common respiratory virus that humans get. So its not surprising that patients can get dual infections that include rhinovirus. Most of the time, however, people dont know what illness they have. They just feel sick.

The trends are similar to what they have been throughout the pandemic, Barron said.

Older people and those who are immunocompromised are most vulnerable if they get the flu or COVID-19.

Being over the age of 60 or having underlying medical conditions, like lung disease and asthma, puts people at greater risk for hospitalization, Barron said.

There appears to be a silver lining for everyone else. In general, everyone else who is getting COVID-19 now tends to get a mild respiratory illness, she said. So you still may feel sick and feel bad, but youre not ending up in the hospital.

Earlier in the pandemic, Barron said, older people who became gravely ill with COVID-19 were more likely to die from their infections, but the illness also was making many younger people very sick too.

Thanks to widespread vaccinations and increased immunities to the virus that causes COVID-19, Barron and other infectious diseases experts around the U.S. are seeing fewer critically ill people who need to be hospitalized for COVID-19.

The severity seems to have really tamped down significantly for most people, Barron said.

When it comes to RSV, infants and children can get very sick if they get it. Barron said adults ages 51 and older also sometimes need to be hospitalized with RSV.

JN.1 is a descendant of omicron and is related to BA.2.86. JN.1 is now the dominant variant in the U.S. and around the world.

There is no evidence that JN.1 causes more severe illnesses than previous coronavirus variants, and COVID-19 vaccines should help prevent severe illness for those who get sick.

Barron advises people to get the newest COVID-19 vaccine if they havent done so already.

The vaccine should still have efficacy against JN.1, Barron said.

According to CDC data, as of Jan. 22 of this year, JN.1 accounts for 83 to 88% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. right now. CDC experts have also detected JN.1 among international travelers and through wastewater monitoring.

People who are sick and are in high risk groups like older people, transplant patients and others who are immunocompromised should get in touch with their doctors if they are sick.

And anyone who is having trouble breathing should seek help immediately.

If you find that youre having breathing issues, dont delay. Get in to see your doctor. Also if you cant eat or drink anything and youre becoming dehydrated, you need to get help, Barron said.

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Did you know you can get combinations of COVID, flu and RSV at the same time? - UCHealth Today

PETALUMA, Calif. Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive foravian flu.

Following government rules, Weber's company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens 550,000 birds to prevent the disease from infecting other farms in Sonoma County north of San Francisco.

Its a trauma. Were all going through grief as a result of it, said Weber, standing in an empty hen house. Petaluma is known as the Egg Basket of the World. Its devastating to see that egg basket go up in flames.

A year after the bird flu led torecord egg pricesand widespread shortages, the disease known as highly pathogenic avian influenza is wreaking havoc in California, which escaped theearlier wave of outbreaksthat devastated poultry farms in the Midwest.

The highly contagious virus has ravaged Sonoma County, where officials have declared a state of emergency. During the past two months, nearly a dozen commercial farms have had to destroy more than 1 million birds to control the outbreak, dealing an economic blow to farmers, workers and their customers.

Merced County in Central California also has been hit hard, with outbreaks at several large commercial egg-producing farms in recent weeks.

Experts say bird flu is spread by ducks, geese and other migratory birds. The waterfowl can carry the virus without getting sick and easily spread it through their droppings to chicken and turkey farms and backyard flocks through droppings and nasal discharges.

California poultry farms are implementing strict biosecurity measures to curb the spread of the disease. State Veterinarian Annette Jones urged farmers to keep their flocks indoors until June, including organic chickens that are required to have outdoor access.

We still have migration going for another couple of months. So weve got to be as vigilant as possible to protect our birds, said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation.

The loss of local hens led to a spike in egg prices in the San Francisco Bay Area over the holidays before supermarkets and restaurants found suppliers from outside the region.

While bird flu has been around for decades, the current outbreak of the virus that began in early 2022 has prompted officials to slaughter nearly 82 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens, in 47 U.S. states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Whenever the disease is foundthe entire flock is slaughteredto help limit the spread of the virus.

The price of a dozen eggs more than doubled to $4.82 at its peak in January 2023. Egg prices returned to their normal range as egg producers built up their flocks and outbreaks were controlled. Turkey and chicken prices also spiked, partly due to the virus.

I think this is an existential issue for the commercial poultry industry. The virus is on every continent, except for Australia at this point, said Maurice Pitesky, a poultry expert at the University of California, Davis.

Climate change is increasing the risk of outbreaks as changing weather patterns disrupt the migratory patterns of wild birds, Pitesky said. For example, exceptional rainfall last year created new waterfowl habitat throughout California, including areas close to poultry farms.

In California, the outbreak has impacted more than 7 million chickens in about 40 commercial flocks and 24 backyard flocks, with most of the outbreaks occurring over the past two months on the North Coast and Central Valley, according to the USDA.

Industry officials are worried about the growing number of backyard chickens that could become infected and spread avian flu to commercial farms.

We have wild birds that are are full of virus. And if you expose your birds to these wild birds, they might get infected and ill, said Rodrigo Gallardo, a UC Davis researcher who studies avian influenza.

Gallardo advises the owners ofbackyard chickensto wear clean clothes and shoes to protect their flocks from getting infected. If an unusual number of chickens die, they should be tested for avian flu.

Ettamarie Peterson, a retired teacher in Petaluma, has a flock of about 50 chickens that produce eggs she sells from her backyard barn for 50 cents each.

Im very concerned because this avian flu is transmitted by wild birds, and theres no way I can stop the wild birds from coming through and leaving the disease behind, Peterson said. If your flock has any cases of it, you have to destroy the whole flock.

Sunrise Farms, which was started by Webers great-grandparents more than a century ago, was infected despite putting in place strict biosecurity measures to protect the flock.

The virus got to the birds so bad and so quickly you walked in and the birds were just dead, Weber said. Heartbreaking doesnt describe how you feel when you walk in and perfectly healthy young birds have been just laid out.

After euthanizing more than half a million chickens at Sunrise Farms, Weber and his employees spent the Christmas holiday discarding the carcasses. Since then, theyve been cleaning out and disinfecting the hen houses.

Weber hopes the farm will get approval from federal regulators to bring chicks back to the farm this spring. Then it would take another five months before the hens are mature enough to lay eggs.

He feels lucky that two farms his company co-owns have not been infected and are still producing eggs for his customers. But recovering from the outbreak wont be easy.

We have a long road ahead, Weber said. Were going to make another run of it and try to keep this family of employees together because theyve worked so hard to build this into the company that it is.

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Avian flu is devastating farms in California's 'Egg Basket' as outbreaks roil poultry industry - Spectrum News 1

A team of scientists from Thailand has developed a curcumin-containing oro-nasal film spray, which shows potential antiviral activity and mucosal immunity-boosting activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses.

The study is published in the Virology Journal.

Study: A novel film spray containing curcumin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infection and enhances mucosal immunity. Image Credit:alicja neumiler/ Shutterstock

SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is an enveloped RNA virus that primarily causes mild to severe respiratory infections. Influenza virus types A, B, and C are also RNA viruses that cause seasonal respiratory infections commonly known as flu.

Infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are associated with high mortality rates. Although both viruses can affect people from all age groups, more deadly infections occur in older people and immunocompromised patients.

Bioactive compounds derived from plants have gained immense attention in the medical community because of their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. Curcumin is a promising plant-derived compound that shows potential antiviral and immunomodulatory activities against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus.

In this study, scientists have developed an oro-nasal film spray containing curcumin and tested its antiviral and mucosal innate immunity-boosting activities against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.

Various actions of the curcumin film spray. Formulation of curcumin film spray shows various actions on prevention of COVID-19; First, it can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting ACE-2 binding. Second, the film spray upregulates the production of antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and HD-5 produced by oral epithelial cells, which have been previously reported to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in silico. Third, the film spray induced the production of antiinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF- produced by oral epithelial cells. In addition, the film spray inhibits influenza virus infection.The infographic was designed by BioRender.com (https://app.biorender.com)

The antiviral activity of oro-nasal film spray containing 10g/ml of curcumin was tested against SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2, and influenza B by plaque reduction assay. Different cytotoxicity assays were conducted to determine the viability of oral keratinocytes, nasal epithelial cells, and other tested cell lines in response to the film spray.

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to determine the levels of oral and nasal innate immune markers (LL-37, HD-5, and human defensin 2) in response to the film spray. Moreover, the levels of pro-inflammatory markers (interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon) were also determined.

Antiviral effect of curcumin film spray against SARS-CoV-2 examined by plaque reduction assay. Dose-response curve of antiviral activity of curcumin film spray against; (a) SARS-CoV-2, (b) influenza A/H1N1, (c) influenza A/H3N2, and (d) influenza B viruses, (e) Diagram for antiviral activity screening by plaque reduction assay, (f) Photo of plaque reduction assay experiment. Each concentration of the film spray was performed in triplicate wells

The fundamental physical properties of the curcumin formulation, including color, pH, droplet size, osmolarity, and viscosity, were tested in the study. The findings showed no alteration in properties after freeze-thawing, indicating the stability of the formulation.

Regarding the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of curcumin, the study found that the compound is capable of inhibiting viral infection at 6.25 g/ml concentration by blocking the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human cell membrane receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). At the tested concentration, no cytotoxic effect of curcumin compound was observed.

Similar to the curcumin compound, curcumin-containing film spray showed significant efficacy in inhibiting viral infection at 10 g/ml concentration without affecting cell viability. The selectivity index of curcumin compound and curcumin-containing film spray was estimated to be 1.23 and 1.68, respectively. The selectivity index defines the window between cytotoxicity and antiviral activity. The higher the index value, the more effective and safer a drug would be during an in vivo treatment for a given viral infection.

Regarding antiviral activities against all tested viruses, the study found that curcumin film spray has the highest inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2, followed by influenza B virus and influenza A/H1N1 virus. However, the spray showed only a slight inhibitory activity against influenza A/H3N2 virus.

Effect of curcumin film spray on mucosal innate immunity

The estimation of oral and nasal innate immunity markers revealed that curcumin film spray could significantly induce the secretion of antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and HD-5 and reduce the secretion of hBD-2 protein by oral keratinocytes. However, no upregulated secretion of antimicrobial peptides from nasal epithelial cells was detected in response to the curcumin spray.

Regarding inflammatory cytokines, oral keratinocytes produced an upregulated amount of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in response to curcumin film spray. However, nasal epithelial cells did not experience such an effect.

The study describes the antiviral and immunomodulatory activities of a novel curcumin-containing oro-nasal film spray. The spray exhibits significant inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses without inducing cytotoxicity at therapeutic doses. The spray is also capable of inducing the secretion of antimicrobial peptides and anti-inflammatory mediators by oral keratinocytes.

Overall, the study indicates that this curcumin film spray may be effectively used to block viral entry into host cells, prevent lung injury, and reduce disease severity.

See the article here:

Curcumin spray shows promise in fighting SARS-CoV-2 and flu viruses - News-Medical.Net