This week, public anxiety regarding bird flu intensified as the H5N1 virus persisted in its spread across the country’s dairy and poultry farms. Additionally, the first American has been hospitalized due to a severe infection.
On Wednesday, federal officials announced that an elderly individual in Louisiana has fallen “severely” ill due to an infection linked to poultry from a backyard flock. An unnamed individual has been confirmed as one of 61 cases of infection reported in the U.S. this year.
In various countries, bird flu has resulted in approximately 50% mortality among those infected. However, in the United States, there have been no reported deaths and only mild cases until this week.
A Louisiana patient has been identified as the first American to contract an illness from a backyard flock. The strain of H5N1 bird flu that affected the patient differs from the variant that has been impacting cattle, poultry, and farmworkers throughout much of this year, according to the CDC. However, it bears resemblance to a strain identified in wild birds, as well as in an individual infected in Washington State and a teenager in British Columbia.
Key information is emerging as the CDC, along with various federal and state agencies, takes action to manage the virus outbreak:
Identifying the individuals or groups that may face potential dangers or threats is crucial.
Individuals who have close interactions with infected animals, including those working in dairy or poultry industries, face a heightened risk of contracting bird flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning for individuals with backyard flocks or those who hunt fowl, advising them to take necessary precautions when handling birds.
Repeated testing has confirmed the safety of pasteurized milk and milk products.Public health officials are issuing warnings regarding the consumption of raw milk, citing instances where it has been detected to contain sufficient virus levels to potentially cause illness. However, there have been no reported cases of infection linked to milk consumption thus far.
What are the symptoms?
In the United States, the majority of individuals infected with bird flu have experienced mild symptoms.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of H5N1 bird flu infection in humans can manifest as pink eye, fever, fatigue, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, a stuffy or runny nose, and shortness of breath.
Experts from the College of American Pathologists have indicated that, although data is limited, farmworkers may exhibit different symptoms compared to other infected individuals. This discrepancy could be attributed to varying strains of the virus or differing modes of infection.
Farmworkers may have experienced irritation in their eyes after coming into contact with a cow infected with the virus, leading to the development of red eyes, which is noted as one of the most prevalent symptoms among them. In contrast, individuals who interacted with backyard chickens or wild birds may have inhaled the virus, potentially leading to more severe illness.
A patient in Louisiana, reportedly exposed through a backyard flock, is currently facing severe respiratory symptoms and is in critical condition, as stated by Emma Herrock, communications director for the Louisiana Department of Health.
According to Herrock’s email, the patient has underlying medical conditions and is over the age of 65, which increases their risk for complications from the flu.
The current status of vaccines is under scrutiny.
Health officials have not yet recommended the use of vaccines for bird flu, citing a lack of evidence for human transmission, a limited number of infections, and the mild nature of most cases.
As the winter respiratory virus season unfolds, officials are actively engaged in efforts to vaccinate the nation’s 200,000 livestock workers against the seasonal flu. Health officials are raising alarms about the potential risks associated with H5N1, noting that standard flu vaccines do not offer protection against this strain. There is a growing concern that if an individual were to contract both the regular flu and H5N1 simultaneously, the two virus strains could merge, resulting in a more virulent or contagious variant of bird flu.
Federal officials have announced the preparation of approximately 10 million doses of the H5N8 vaccine, which they believe could be effective against the H5N1 bird flu, should the virus escalate in danger.
In response to concerns over a potential outbreak within its mink industry that could affect workers, Finland took proactive measures this summer by distributing vaccines to its livestock workers.
The United States has allocated significant funding towards the research of vaccine candidates aimed at combating bird flu. A study released on Wednesday regarding Moderna’s mRNA vaccine indicates potential effectiveness, demonstrating immune responses against the virus in ferrets, which are frequently utilized in flu vaccine testing. In a significant breakthrough, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created an experimental mRNA vaccine that successfully prevented severe illness and death in infected ferrets.
Researchers are actively working on developing vaccines aimed at safeguarding animals, with a particular focus on protecting valuable dairy cows. As of Thursday, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that the virus has infected 875 herds across 16 states.
On Wednesday, Dr. Eric Deeble, a senior official at the USDA, informed reporters that the agency has granted approval for seven vaccine field safety trials in cattle, emphasizing that the vaccine development process is still in its early stages.
At what point should concern arise?
At the time of the initial identification of SARS-CoV-2, testing for the virus was nonexistent. Dr. Ben Bradley, an assistant professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine’s pathology department, stated that a test is already available that can easily identify H5N1.
“The situation we are encountering with H5N1 presents a markedly different scenario compared to COVID-19,” Bradley stated during a briefing held by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) on Friday.
Bradley stated that he is closely monitoring any warning signs that may suggest the possibility of a larger outbreak.
Initial focus will be on any cases that are likely to be transmitted from one individual to another.
Bradley expresses concern that there may be individuals who have been infected without their awareness. Recent tests indicate that certain dairy workers possess antibodies for H5N1, raising concerns that the virus might be spreading more rapidly and subtly than earlier assessments suggested.
The CDC has confirmed 61 cases of bird flu in the United States, but several experts have indicated to USA TODAY that the actual number may be greater.
“The current lack of complete information is troubling,” stated Bradley, who serves as the medical director of virology at ARUP, a national testing laboratory.
The ongoing spread of the virus among humans and animals raises concerns about its potential to mutate, which could lead to increased contagion or heightened danger.
“We find ourselves in a scenario that requires vigilance regarding the potential threat posed by this,” Bradley stated.
Dr. Donald Karcher, president of CAP and a professor at George Washington University Medical Center, stated that it is impossible to predict if bird flu will ultimately pose a greater threat.
“This is a random process that viruses undergo, and it is quite challenging to predict when that event will occur,” he stated.
