California has declared a state of emergency as a severe case of H5N1 bird flu case has been confirmed. This is the first severe case linked to the virus reported in the United States. A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (H5N1 bird flu) infection in Louisiana, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) confirmed on Friday, December 13.
It was found that the patient had contact with the sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. Also, this is the first case of H5N1 bird flu linked to exposure to a backyard flock in the U.S. The authorities haven’t found any person-to-person transmission in this case yet.
A total of 61 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the United States, since April 2024. According to the CDC, the partial genome data from the H5N1 avian influenza virus that infected a patient in Louisiana indicates that it belongs to the D1.1 genotype, which is similar to the viruses detected in wild birds and poultry in the United States and fresh human cases in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state.
The CDC hinted that this bird flu genotype is different from the B3.13 genotype reported in dairy cows, sporadic human cases in multiple states, and some poultry outbreaks in the United States. The genomic sequencing and efforts to isolate the virus from the specimens from the patient in Louisiana are underway at CDC.
After an overall assessment, the CDC notes that the immediate risk to the public’s health from H5N1 bird flu is low. However, this case in Louisiana stresses the importance of avoiding contact with sick or dead animals, whether commercial poultry, dairy operations, wild birds, or backyard flocks.
The CDC also warned that people with work or recreational exposures to infected animals are at higher risk of infection. They also suggest that the best way to prevent H5 bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible.
The saliva, mucous, and feces of the infected birds contain the avian influenza A viruses. In animals, the virus will be present in respiratory secretions as well as other bodily fluids (e.g., in unpasteurized cow milk or ‘raw milk’).
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Precautions
- Avoid contact with sick or dead animals, especially wild birds, and poultry.
- Individuals with direct/close contact with wild birds or sick or dead poultry or other animals, should wear recommended personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Wild birds too can be infected, even if they don’t look sick, so avoid contact.
- Do not touch surfaces or materials (e.g., animal litter or bedding material) contaminated with saliva, mucous, or animal feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected
avian influenza A virus infection.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
I’m Manas Ranjan Sahoo: Founder of “Webtirety Software”. I’m a Full-time Software Professional and an aspiring entrepreneur, dedicated to growing this platform as large as possible. I love to Write Blogs on Software, Mobile applications, Web Technology, eCommerce, SEO, and about My experience with Life.
