An older adult in Louisiana has been hospitalized with bird flu, the first severe human case ofavian influenza A (H5N1), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said that the patient, who has underlying health conditions, likely contracted the virus after exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. This is the first U.S. case of H5N1 bird flu linked to backyard poultry.
On the same day, California declareda state of emergencyover bird flu. Although the risk to humans has not increased in California or elsewhere, hundreds of dairy herds in the state have tested positive for the virus.Abird flu outbreak among dairy cowswas initially reported in Texas and Kansas in March and has since spread to 14 other states.
In his statement, California Governor Gavin Newsom said bird flu has been detected in Southern California dairy herds, emphasizing the need to expand monitoring and strengthen the state’s coordinated response. The emergency declaration allows the state greater flexibility in staffing and regulations to address the outbreak.
How Does Bird Flu Spread to Humans?
How Can You Protect Yourself from Bird Flu?
While the Louisiana case and California’s emergency declaration don’t signal an increased risk to humans, they highlight the importance of public education, saidShira Doron, MD, chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine and a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s Practice and Quality Committee.
“Caution is warranted when interacting with any wild animals and in particular birds including backyard and farm flocks,” Doron added.
The recent news about bird flu should encourage people to learn more about the virus and followCDC’s safety guidelines, saidRobert Hopkins, Jr., MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. This includes taking precautions with farm animals, backyard chicken flocks, wild birds, and dead animals.
Hopkins also advises against visiting petting zoos and animal exhibits at state fairs to help prevent contracting bird flu.
The CDC says the best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible. Infected birds shed H5N1 in their saliva, mucous, and feces, and other infected animals may shed the virus in respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids, includingunpasteurized (“raw”) cow milk.
Doron recommends precautions for families with backyard chicken flocks, making sure that children can wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and practice thorough handwashing before handling eggs or caring for the flock.
First Confirmed Bird Flu Infection in a U.S. Child Has Public Health Experts on Alert
Is There a Bird Flu Vaccine?
There are vaccines designed to protect humans against specific strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, but these are not widely available to the general public. These vaccines are stockpiled for use in case of a pandemic.Doron said it’s a good idea to get the routineinfluenza vaccine. “The flu shot won’t protect you from avian flu, but it can help prevent your getting the flu,” Doron said, adding that if someone gets both flu and avian flu at the same time, they could be the “mixing bowl” for a combined, more severe flu that might transmit more easily to humans.
So far, only 38% of eligible children and adults have gotten the flu shot this year, putting them at risk for flu and severe infection from the flu, according to Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC’s Influenza Division.
What This Means For YouThe CDC recently confirmed a severe case of avian flu likely linked to backyard chicken flocks, but there is no indication that the virus is spreading between humans. Recommended precautions include wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and practicing thorough handwashing when handling farm animals, backyard flocks, hunted or dead animals, and wild birds.While the flu shot does not protect against avian flu, it can help prevent seasonal flu. This is important because contracting both flu and avian flu at the same time could allow the viruses to mix, potentially creating a more severe strain.
What This Means For You
The CDC recently confirmed a severe case of avian flu likely linked to backyard chicken flocks, but there is no indication that the virus is spreading between humans. Recommended precautions include wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and practicing thorough handwashing when handling farm animals, backyard flocks, hunted or dead animals, and wild birds.While the flu shot does not protect against avian flu, it can help prevent seasonal flu. This is important because contracting both flu and avian flu at the same time could allow the viruses to mix, potentially creating a more severe strain.
The CDC recently confirmed a severe case of avian flu likely linked to backyard chicken flocks, but there is no indication that the virus is spreading between humans. Recommended precautions include wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and practicing thorough handwashing when handling farm animals, backyard flocks, hunted or dead animals, and wild birds.
While the flu shot does not protect against avian flu, it can help prevent seasonal flu. This is important because contracting both flu and avian flu at the same time could allow the viruses to mix, potentially creating a more severe strain.
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.STAT.Rapid spread of H5N1 bird flu through California dairy herds suggests unknown paths of transmission.
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.STAT.Rapid spread of H5N1 bird flu through California dairy herds suggests unknown paths of transmission.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
STAT.Rapid spread of H5N1 bird flu through California dairy herds suggests unknown paths of transmission.
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