By SDCN Editor
A human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5), commonly known as “H5 bird flu,” has been confirmed in Colorado, marking the first case in the state and the fourth in an ongoing multistate outbreak affecting dairy cows, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Texas has reported one virus case, and Michigan has two.
The infected individual in Colorado is a worker on a dairy farm where cows tested positive for the A(H5N1) virus. The person experienced only eye symptoms, received treatment with oseltamivir, and has since recovered.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection that primarily affects birds but can also infect humans and other animals.
According to the CDC, the virus primarily spreads from infected birds to humans through close contact with birds or contaminated environments, such as in backyard poultry farm settings and markets where birds are sold. There have also been limited reports of transmission from other infected animals to humans.
People who come in contact with infected poultry (live or dead) or contaminated environments, such as farms or live bird markets, are at risk of exposure to avian influenza viruses. Slaughtering, defeathering, handling carcasses, and preparing poultry for consumption, especially in household or backyard settings, are also risk factors.
Symptoms in humans range from mild to severe, and in some cases, can be fatal. Respiratory symptoms, such as cough, shortness of breath difficulty breathing, and sore throat are more common but non-respiratory symptoms such as fatigue and muscle or body aches are also reported. Asymptomatic infection has also been found in humans with exposure to infected animals or their environments.
The CDC has been monitoring influenza surveillance systems, especially in states affected by the outbreak. So far, there has been no indication of unusual influenza activity among the general population, including in syndromic surveillance.
Based on current information, the infection does not alter the CDC’s assessment of the H5N1 bird flu risk to the general public in the United States, which remains low. However, the CDC emphasizes the importance of recommended precautions for individuals exposed to infected animals. Those with close or prolonged unprotected exposure to infected birds, livestock, or contaminated environments are at a higher risk of infection.
