Fourth Dairy Worker Infected With Bird Flu, but CDC Says Public Risk Still Low

Medically reviewed by Medicine.com.

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 — Amid an ongoing outbreak of fowl flu in dairy cows, a fourth case of H5N1 avian flu has been confirmed in one other dairy employee, U.S. well being officers reported Wednesday.

The most recent case was reported in Colorado, the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated in a information launch.

“As with earlier instances, the particular person is a employee on a dairy farm the place cows examined optimistic for A[H5N1] virus,” the CDC stated. “The particular person reported eye signs solely, acquired oseltamivir [Tamiflu] remedy, and has recovered.”

The primary two human fowl flu instances — the primary in Texas and a second in Michigan — additionally concerned solely a short discomfort of the eyes, linked to conjunctivitis, or “pink eye.” Each sufferers recovered.

Nonetheless, a 3rd case, additionally reported in Michigan, was the primary to current with extra typical respiratory signs, the CDC famous in a current well being replace. That affected person has been handled and has since recovered.

To this point, H5N1 has not been simply handed between folks, and all 4 farm employees grew to become contaminated after extended contact with dairy cows.

Regardless of the fourth case of human fowl flu, “this an infection doesn’t change CDC’s present H5N1 fowl flu human well being danger evaluation for the U.S. normal public, which the company considers to be low,” the CDC stated. “Nonetheless, this improvement underscores the significance of really useful precautions in folks with publicity to contaminated animals.”

Infectious illness specialists worldwide have been alarmed that an influenza pressure beforehand confined to birds has now made its means into mammals resembling seals, dolphins, cows and — as reported just lately — alpacas.

The priority is {that a} mutation would possibly come up which renders H5N1 simply transmittable amongst members of one other mammalian species — folks.

Proper now, the hazard appears to be restricted to individuals who have extended contact with animals contaminated with the virus, resembling dairy employees.

For these people, the CDC recommends they “put on really useful private protecting tools when interacting with contaminated or probably contaminated animals and monitor their well being for 10 days after their most up-to-date publicity.”

“Folks also needs to keep away from unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding [litter], unpasteurized [‘raw’] milk or supplies which have been touched by, or near, birds or different animals with suspected or confirmed A[H5N1] virus,” the company added.

Uncooked milk is a particular concern, as a result of pasteurization kills off the H5N1 virus. One examine launched just lately discovered excessive ranges of avian flu virus in uncooked milk, even after refrigeration.

Nonetheless, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration reported simply final week {that a} new examine it carried out discovered that the flash pasteurization used within the dairy trade successfully kills all fowl flu virus. That analysis has not been printed in a peer-reviewed journal but, so the findings needs to be considered preliminary.

Sources

U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, information launch, July 3, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical knowledge in medical articles present normal traits and don’t pertain to people. Particular person components can differ drastically. All the time search customized medical recommendation for particular person healthcare selections.

Posted July 2024