A third instance of bird flu has been confirmed in humans.
Sooner or later, another case of bird flu in a human would pop up. In this situation, though, it's unlike any previous ones. The experts in the US assure us there's no heightened threat to the general public.
A third instance of H5N1 infection in a human has been confirmed in the States. The Michigan Department of Health disclosed that this worker had direct interaction with infected cows. This marks the second documented case in this region. The initial H5N1 infection, presumed to be through contact with infected cows, was identified in a worker from Texas some time back. "None of the cases are associated with one another," explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Distinctively, the man in this recent event had respiratory issues such as coughing, sneezing, a sore throat, and watery eyes, according to recent reports. "This person exhibited respiratory symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, and watery eyes," expressed Dr. Nirav Shah, the deputy director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a press conference.
The nature of the respiratory symptoms is uncertain. The CDC is investigating to determine if the virus has evolved. The respiratory tract issues could also imply that the man inhaled infectious aerosols while at the milking station.
In the first instance of Michigan, conjunctivitis-like symptoms manifested after being sprayed directly into the eye with infected milk. In this scenario, respiratory symptoms surfaced following direct interaction with an infected cow. "Nobody in the first case wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), and this demonstrates that direct contact with affected livestock is a risk for humans and that PPE is an instrumental measure to hinder the spread of the virus among individuals working in dairy and poultry farms," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's Chief Medical Executive, in an interview with CNN. "We've not spotted any instances of person-to-person transmission so far, and the current risk for the general public stays low."
The CDC also echoes this sentiment. Individuals dealing with livestock, such as cows and birds, should wear protective gear and exercise caution when dealing with ill or deceased animals. Concurrently, they should report any flu-like symptoms to their local health department. The agency also recommends avoiding raw milk and only drinking pasteurized milk.
Over 220 individuals in Michigan are under observation for any possible virus infection. This includes family members and coworkers of the worker with respiratory issues. The worker is experiencing mild symptoms and is undergoing treatment with Oseltamivir, a drug with the same active ingredient as Tamiflu. He's currently in home confinement. Not a single family member or other employee at the dairy farm has reported feeling sick, CDC announced.
"Since people interact intimately with dairy cows, it's unsurprising that there are more human infections," says Dr. Seema Lakdawala, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University. She researches the means of transmission of the virus in dairy farms. Nearly seventy dairy herds in the US harbor the H5N1 bird flu virus. Most recently, the H5N1 virus was identified in alpacas in Idaho.
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Despite the escalating number of avian flu cases affecting animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to emphasize that the general public in the USA is not at an increased risk. It's essential for individuals working directly with livestock, such as cows and birds, to wear protective gear and adhere to safety measures to prevent infection. Educating the public about infectious diseases like avian flu and the importance of practicing proper hygiene and precautions when handling animals and their products is crucial in mitigating the spread of the virus.
