September 9, 2024 – Health officials are attempting to find out how an individual in Missouri contracted H5 avian influenza, or bird flu. It's the most recent twist on the virus's latest behavior, which was discovered earlier this yr in farm staff, cows and milk.
The Missouri case is unusual in two ways: The person was hospitalized and had no known contact with an infected animal. So far this yr, greater than a dozen people have tested positive for bird flu, but all have had mild symptoms equivalent to conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis) or signs of the flu equivalent to a sore throat and a runny nose. In addition, all of those infected had contact with poultry or cattle. These cases involved agricultural staff in Colorado, Michigan and Texas.
Missouri health officials reported that the person had one other illness and was hospitalized on August 22, treated with antiviral flu medication and has since recovered. Follow-up tests by the CDC confirmed The diagnosis is made and the agency conducts further testing to learn more in regards to the specific strain.
Missouri health officials are still investigating how the person can have been exposed to bird flu. Avian influenza has not been detected in cattle in Missouri, however it has been detected in business and backyard poultry flocks this yr. Close contacts of the Missouri patient showed no signs of the virus. It is feasible that the infection resulted from close contact with an infected migratory bird, Michael Osterholm, PhD, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy on the University of Minnesota, told USA today.
This is the primary case of bird flu detected by the country's influenza surveillance system. Flu samples from various health centers, equivalent to health departments and emergency rooms, are comprehensively examined for detailed details about virus strains. The other human cases of bird flu were identified this yr through a human testing program linked to animal outbreaks.
So far, there isn't any evidence of human-to-human transmission of bird flu, and health officials proceed to say the chance of bird flu to humans is low. The said the FDA that the business milk supply is protected as testing of pasteurized dairy products has found only non-viable signs of the virus.