Latest news with #HPAIH5N9
Fox News
31-01-2025
- Health
- Fox News
New bird flu strain detected on poultry farm as experts monitor mutations
A new strain of bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI) has been detected on a duck farm in California. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reported the outbreak of the new strain, H5N9, earlier this week on its website. The more common H5N1 strain was also found at the same farm, which is located in Merced County, according to reports. "This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States," WOAH wrote. Health agencies are conducting "comprehensive epidemiological investigations and enhanced surveillance," according to the statement. David J. Cennimo, an associate professor of medicine and pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said this new strain could point to the "adaptability" of influenza viruses. "Birds are very susceptible to avian influenza in general. Some strains of the virus are mild, some deadly," he told Fox News Digital. H5N9 has been seen in the past, Cennimo noted, and generally causes mild illness in birds. "The ducks in California, however, were dying," he said. "Genetic testing showed this H5N9 was different from historical samples and was, in fact, a reassortment." (Reassortment is the process by which influenza viruses swap gene segments, according to the National Institutes of Health.) With influenza viruses, scientists name them based on the Hs and Ns (hemagglutinin and neuraminidase surface proteins), according to Cennimo. There are "continual mutations" of flu strains, so not all H1 versions are the same, the doctor said. "This is why humans are getting influenza vaccines yearly, and you will see the strain compositions change some years, even though they remain H1N1 and H3N2," he said. "In this case, the H5 in the H5N9 was the H5 from the currently circulating H5N1 bird flu that is more pathogenic." "While H5N9 is not generally a very dangerous virus, we need to keep an eye on this new strain." With H5N9, he said, the virus appears to have switched its N1 and picked up an N9 from another virus. This can happen when two different viruses simultaneously infect the same animal, he said. "While H5N9 is not generally a very dangerous virus, we need to keep an eye on this new strain," Cennimo cautioned. "To date, I am not aware of any human infections with H5N9. Again, this will be monitored." Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, told Fox News Digital, noted that birds are "constantly a reservoir" for many types of influenzas that normally do not infect people. "Researchers monitor them, as the bird flus have evolved to become human global pandemic strains multiple times in the past," he told Fox News Digital. "In order to infect humans, they need to mutate in order to adapt from a bird to human host." Researchers become concerned when there are large outbreaks of bird flus in poultry farms, according to Glanville. In addition to interfering with the food supply, having many infected birds in proximity to pigs, cows and humans greatly increases the risk of mutations that could spill over into "mammalian infections." For more Health articles, visit "Currently, this is the main concern for H5N1," he said. "Other reports of bird flu are worth monitoring but are currently low risk." To date, there have been 67 confirmed cases of human bird flu in the U.S. and one death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Should You Eat Chicken And Eggs During The Bird Flu Outbreak? An Infectious Disease Doctor Explains
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The bird flu has been infecting American flocks for years, leading to a series of infections and increased egg prices. But now, there's a new twist: A different strain has been detected in U.S. poultry. So far, bird flu outbreaks in the U.S. have been from a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) called H5N1. That strain has been responsible for all the egg shortages and infections in humans. Now, a strain called H5N9 was just detected on a duck farm in California, according to a report from World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). 'This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States,' the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in the report, per Reuters. To make things more complicated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other government organizations are not allowed to publicly comment on this and other public health matters due to a communications pause put in place by the Trump administration, per The Washington Post. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is nominated to be the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will likely address this at his confirmation hearing on January 29. Here's how H5N1 and H5N9 are different, plus how to protect yourself from bird flu, according to an infectious disease doctor. Meet the expert: Thomas Russo, MD, is a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. H5N1 and H5N9 are both strains of avian flu, explains Thomas Russo, MD, a professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. H5N9 is a rare form of the influenza A virus that causes highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a.k.a. bird flu, Russo says. While H5N1 and H5N9 are similar, they're definitely different—a little like second or third cousins, Russo says. 'They're a little distant,' he says. Both strains can cause HPAI, which can cause these symptoms in humans, per the CDC: eye redness mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms pneumonia requiring hospitalization fever cough sore throat runny or stuff nose muscle or body aches headaches fatigue shortness of breath Yes, Russo says that poultry is safe to eat right now. 'People should follow appropriate food safety measures,' he says. 'Just make sure your poultry is appropriately cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.' It's also important to wash your hands well with soap and water after handling raw chicken and poultry. To put things in perspective, Russo says you're much more likely to get something like salmonella from poultry than bird flu. 'The concern of infections from one of these avian influenza viruses is trivial compared to other infections you could get if you don't handle it properly,' he says. Yes, eggs and milk are safe to eat. However, Russo says it's important to cook your eggs well and to wash your hands after handling eggs. 'Don't eat raw eggs,' he adds. In terms of milk, Russo says it's important to avoid raw milk, which has contained bird flu in the past. Unfortunately, since so many flocks are being killed due to infections, egg prices are soaring across the country. They're likely to stay high until the outbreaks are under control. There is a bird flu vaccine, and a federal stockpile holds several million doses, per The New York Times. However, Kennedy, who has been an outspoken vaccine critic, previously said on X that the bird flu vaccines 'appear to be dangerous.' Basically, if a bird flu vaccine is needed, there are concerns that people will actually have access to it. If you don't currently work with livestock and don't have a backyard flock of birds, Russo says that 'your risk is extraordinarily low.' However, he recommends doing all of the things mentioned above and steering clear of dead animals, if you happen to spot any. Ultimately, Russo says that the average person should not be stressed about bird flu right now. 'There is no grounds for panic at this time,' Russo says. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
First US case of H5N9 bird flu strain found in California
MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The country's first case of H5N9 bird flu has been identified in Merced County, California, officials say. This H5N9 strain, which was identified earlier this month, is different from the H5N1 strain that had already been documented in multiple cases across the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more than 60 people who have been sickened and one person who was killed by H5N1. 2 cats die from suspected bird flu traced to raw milk in California In a notification, the World Organisation for Animal Health confirmed that the strain detected in Merced County is a new strain in the country. The investigation began on Nov. 23, 2024, and it was confirmed on Jan. 13 that 'this is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States.' The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in conjunction with State Animal Health and Wildlife Officials, are conducting comprehensive epidemiological investigations and enhanced surveillance in response to the HPAI related events. World Organisation for Animal Health This strain of H5N9 was found in a commercial duck premises in Merced County. The specific location of the facility was not officially released. The announcement states that control measures have been undertaken in an attempt to contain the virus, including control of movement, surveillance and quarantine. The report from the World Organisation for Animal Health also stated that a total of 118,954 birds were killed in December after state officials quarantined the affected area. 'Bird flu symptoms': Online searches spike after first severe case in US Bird flu is primarily spread by wild birds such as ducks and geese as they migrate. While it is fatal to a variety of animals, those species can generally carry it without getting sick, which offers the virus a chance to mutate and thrive. The virus can be spread through droppings or any interaction between farm-raised poultry and wild birds. It's also easily tracked into a farm on someone's boots or by vehicle. Unlike previous outbreaks, the one that began in 2022 didn't die out in high summer temperatures. The virus found another new host when dairy cattle started getting sick last March. That creates more opportunities for the virus to linger and spread and unlike poultry, cattle aren't slaughtered when they get sick because they rarely die from bird flu. Nearly all of the people infected with bird flu worked around sick animals. Health officials haven't yet found evidence of the disease spreading from person to person. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Khaleej Times
28-01-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
119,000 poultry culled after new strain of bird flu confirmed in US
A new strain of bird flu has been confirmed at a duck farm in California, the first time the variant has been discovered in poultry in the United States, an international agency said. A report by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which AFP saw on Tuesday, said "highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N9" had been confirmed in a commercial duck premise in Merced County, California. "This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States," said Paris-based WOAH, which monitors animal diseases worldwide. It said the outbreak, whose origin was unknown, was confirmed on January 13 and all 119,000 poultry at the farm in question had been culled. The H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is widespread among animals in the United States, was also registered at the farm. US animal health officials were conducting "comprehensive epidemiological investigations" and had increased surveillance in response to the outbreak, the WOAH said. The emergence of the new strain of bird flu in the United States comes at a time when President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the country from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The US is the largest donor to the United Nations health agency, which coordinates the worldwide response to health emergencies. Health experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential pandemic threat to humans posed by bird flu, which has been showing signs of mutating as it spreads among cows and infects people in the United States. They have for months been urging US authorities to increase surveillance and share more information about its bird flu outbreak. If the US and the WHO no longer cooperate and share critical data, tracking the spread of viruses internationally will be more difficult. The US withdrawal is "a concern for global health", the WHO said last week. Sixty-seven people in the United States have contracted bird flu, one of whom died in early January, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. These cases were caused by direct exposure to a sick animal and the WHO has stressed that, to date, no human-to-human transmission has been reported. But scientists have raised fears that if a person becomes infected with both bird flu and seasonal flu, the bird flu virus could mutate into a strain that is contagious between humans and potentially trigger a human pandemic.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New strain of bird flu confirmed in US
A new strain of bird flu has been confirmed at a duck farm in California, the first time the variant has been discovered in poultry in the United States, an international agency said. A report by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which AFP saw on Tuesday, said "highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N9" had been confirmed in a commercial duck premise in Merced County, California. "This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States," said Paris-based WOAH, which monitors animal diseases worldwide. It said the outbreak, whose origin was unknown, was confirmed on January 13 and all 119,000 poultry at the farm in question had been culled. The H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is widespread among animals in the United States, was also registered at the farm. US animal health officials were conducting "comprehensive epidemiological investigations" and had increased surveillance in response to the outbreak, the WOAH said. The emergence of the new strain of bird flu in the United States comes at a time when President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the country from the World Health Organization (WHO). The US is the largest donor to the United Nations health agency, which coordinates the worldwide response to health emergencies. Health experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential pandemic threat to humans posed by bird flu, which has been showing signs of mutating as it spreads among cows and infects people in the United States. They have for months been urging US authorities to increase surveillance and share more information about its bird flu outbreak. If the US and the WHO no longer cooperate and share critical data, tracking the spread of viruses internationally will be more difficult. The US withdrawal is "a concern for global health", the WHO said last week. Sixty-seven people in the United States have contracted bird flu, one of whom died in early January, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. These cases were caused by direct exposure to a sick animal and the WHO has stressed that, to date, no human-to-human transmission has been reported. But scientists have raised fears that if a person becomes infected with both bird flu and seasonal flu, the bird flu virus could mutate into a strain that is contagious between humans and potentially trigger a human pandemic. sb/ico/sla/gil/gv
