Latest news with #AvianInfluenzaA
05-05-2025
- Health
Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the US. Here's what you need to know
Bird flu is continuing to spread in animals across the United States more than a year after the first human case was detected. Since then, at least 70 people have fallen ill and at least one death was recorded in Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of confirmed cases in humans has held steady for almost two months, but hundreds of dairy cows continue to be infected and raw milk samples in several states have tested positive for bird flu, according to federal health officials. There is currently no evidence the virus is spreading between people, and the CDC has said the risk to the general public is low. However, some experts told ABC News fear the virus could still mutate or adapt to become more severe or transmissible. Here's the latest to know about the virus and current situation. Bird flu in the U.S. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is an infectious viral disease that primarily spreads among birds and is caused by infection with Avian Influenza A viruses In March 2024, bird flu was reported in U.S. dairy cows for the first time. As of Friday, the virus has infected more than 1,000 herds across 17 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The CDC confirmed the first human case in April 2024 in a Texas dairy worker who was exposed to cows presumed to be infected. This is believed to be the first instance of mammal to human spread of the H5N1 strain. Bird flu has also been causing outbreaks in poultry, leading to human cases among U.S. poultry farm workers and culling operations workers. Three human cases have had no known or identifiable exposure to the virus. Dr. Tony Moody, a professor of pediatrics and in immunology at Duke University School of Medicine, said there has been so much transmission of bird flu in animals that he wonders if mass immunity is far off. "In terms of the cattle population and other animal reservoirs, I'm starting to wonder exactly how many more cases we'll see because, at this point, we're probably heading toward -- and pun is intended here -- herd immunity," he told ABC News. Moody said there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission, which he says raises the question of whether or not H5N1 is likely to make that jump. What is the U.S. doing to fight bird flu? According to the USDA, the agency is investing $1 billion to fight bird flu, including $500 million for biosecurity measures, $400 million in financial relief for affected farmers and $100 million for vaccine research. Between March 2024 and now, the CDC said it -- along with state and local health departments -- have monitored at least 16,600 people exposed to infected animals and tested at least 880. Meanwhile, USDA is responsible for testing livestock herds. Moody said ramping up testing on both sides would give public health workers better situational awareness. "I think the real question comes down to: how much do we want to test animals and people in order to be able to nail down transmission events and really understand how frequently this is happening?" Moody said, "I would personally like to see better surveillance and more coordinated surveillance." He said he understands this might not be possible due to the allocation of limited resources, but it would provide a better national picture. "I think that the problem we have right now is that we have an incomplete view because testing of animals falls under one department, testing of people falls under a different department," Moody said. "They don't necessarily communicate in real time with accurate information and, the two agencies in question here, they've got very different purposes." Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis Health, said he is worried that there has been a curtailing of testing and surveillance. "If we don't have the data then we don't know what next steps to take," he told ABC News. "There is increased likelihood that there will be increased spread among animals and humans and, by the time we become aware of increased transmission, then it may be too late for successful mitigation."Under the USDA's National Milk Testing Strategy to test raw milk samples for bird flu, the agency has identified at least seven affected states. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration announced last year it was beginning to sample aged raw cheese to test bird flu, with early results showing most samples were negative. On the vaccine front, the U.S. has licensed three bird flu vaccines, targeting the H5N1 strain, which are being held in a national stockpile. They are not available to the public and would only be distributed in case of an emergency. Last year, the World Health Organization it launched an initiative to help accelerate the development of a human bird flu vaccine using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Earlier this year, Moderna was awarded approximately $590 million from the federal government to help speed up the development of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine, alongside other influenza vaccines. What we don't know Although there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission yet, or that the virus has mutated to become more infectious, Moody said he still worried about mutations and adaptations. Earlier this year, a dairy cow was found to be infected with another type of bird flu for the first time, which experts have previously said is evidence that the virus is adapting. "The thing about this virus is that it mutates every time somebody gets infected, right?" Moody said. "We know that there is an intrinsic rate of mutation that the virus has, and as with most mutations, the vast majority … don't lead to any additional pathogenicity or transmissibility." He went on, "But the more cases that you have, whether that is in chickens or cows or people, the more of those random events are occurring and we know that eventually the virus will probably find a way to increase its transmissibility to people or increase some other property that makes it a problem." Moody said he is also concerned about reassortment, which is when a hybrid -- or recombinant -- virus, is formed. An example is an individual getting infected with bird flu and seasonal influenza at the same time and a hybrid virus forming as a result. He clarified that there is no evidence this has happened yet, and that he believes the U.S. is in a better position to respond today if a pandemic-like situation arises, "but nature has a way of surprising us."
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
First bird flu confirmed in San Bernardino County dairy farms since California outbreak
The bird flu virus has been detected in four dairy farms in San Bernardino County. In the last 30 days, an investigation by the California Department of Food & Agriculture and the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS) has confirmed the presence of H5N1 bird flu in San Bernardino County dairy farms. California has experienced a significant outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as the bird flu, since March 2024. What started as an infection at a duck farm in Merced County has since infected 755 dairies throughout the state. Of the infected, 422 dairies have fully recovered and are released from quarantine, San Bernardino County officials said in a statement. The risk of infection to people from H5N1 remains relatively low and no person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in California thus far. 'While the risk of bird flu to the general public remains low, the detection of this virus in animals across multiple farms serves as a reminder to practice caution when handling animals or animal products,' San Bernardino County Health Officer Sharon Wang said. 'It's crucial to avoid raw milk consumption and follow proper food safety practices to reduce any potential risk of exposure.' On Dec. 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency to streamline and expedite the state's response to Avian Influenza A (H5N1). At the time of the governor's declaration, the virus spread in 16 states among dairy cattle, following its first confirmed detection in Texas and Kansas in March 2024. See map of 70 cases: Where has bird flu been reported in the US? Avian Influenza, commonly called bird flu, is broken down by the CDFA as a disease found in some populations of wild waterfowl that can infect chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl, as well as a wide variety of other domesticated and wild birds. Once the disease is introduced into domestic bird populations, subsequent spread is typically caused by domestic bird-to-bird contact or through contact with contaminated people, feed, or equipment. Each year there is a flu season for birds (just as there is for humans) and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse than others, according to public health officials. Stage set for pandemic: How America lost control of the bird flu outbreak According to the CDFA, a dairy will be placed under a 60-day quarantine to reduce the risk of viral spread when tested positive for H5N1 bird flu. After that timeframe, the CDFA will begin testing infected dairies through creamery samples. Clinical signs include fever, dehydration, lethargy, abnormal tacky or loose feces, sudden drop in milk production, and respiratory signs like clear nasal discharge. An infected dairy will need three consecutive negative creamery samples with seven days between tests. Once the dairy has three negative test results, the CDFA will complete a quarantine release form. Dairies released from quarantine will be placed on the surveillance list for weekly testing through creameries. More: As bird flu continues to spread, is there a vaccine for humans? Milk from clinically affected or known positive dairy cattle must be discarded for a minimum 30-day quarantine. According to the California Department of Public Health, only pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume as pasteurization inactivates the bird flu virus. Symptoms typically appear within two to eight days of exposure, but can be up to 10 days, and may include: Eye redness or discharge Cough or sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Diarrhea or vomiting Muscle or body aches Headaches Fatigue Difficulty breathing Fever Cat food recalled for bird flu risk: Here's which products are affected The San Bernardino Department of Public Health recommends avoiding the consumption of unpasteurized 'raw' milk and undercooked meat. Raw milk can contain harmful germs that may cause serious illness, particularly in children under 5 years old, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems. Choose pasteurized milk and dairy products, as the pasteurization process eliminates the bird flu virus. Try to avoid interacting with infected dairy cows, poultry, or wildlife to decrease the risk of infection. Wearing protective clothing when working with birds, wildlife, livestock, or their environments, and washing hands frequently after handling animals or being in their environment may also help prevent the spread of bird flu. For more details on bird flu, please visit the California Department of Public Health's Current Bird Flu Situation webpage. McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@ This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Bird flu confirmed in San Bernardino County dairies
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bird flu suspected in deaths of nearly 100 mallards in Little Chute
LITTLE CHUTE, Wis. (WFRV) – Nearly 100 dead birds were removed from a stormwater pond in Little Chute, with authorities suspecting an outbreak of bird flu as the cause. According to Kent Taylor, the Village of Little Chute's Director of Public Works, employees recovered 90 dead mallard carcasses from the pond at Buchanan Street. Wisconsin to end frozen road declaration amid warming temperatures The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was notified, and testing suggests the deaths were linked to Avian Influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu. The Village of Little Chute continues to work with the Wisconsin DNR on the incident. No further details have been released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
