The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will review the test results and send a team to Colorado to investigate how the worker contracted the virus. said on FridayThe CDC will also sequence the virus to see if it has mutated.
The virus spread among dairy cows and poultry this spring and summer, but is unlikely to spread from person to person, so the risk to the general public is low, but could increase if it mutates and becomes more susceptible to person-to-person transmission, giving the virus “pandemic potential” and raising concerns about human cases, the CDC said.
“These preliminary results reiterate the risk of contact with infected animals,” the CDC said. “Historically, most cases of avian influenza have occurred among people not wearing recommended personal protective equipment.”
The agency’s low-risk assessment for the general public remains unchanged after the suspected cases were reported. The CDC said Friday that it had seen no signs of increased influenza activity in states affected by the poultry and cattle outbreaks.
The three presumptive cases are the first confirmed cases in the United States of humans who had contact with infected birds. Four other confirmed cases this spring were in humans who had contact with cows: the first in a dairy worker in Texas, followed by two separate cases in Michigan, and a fourth case reported this month in a dairy worker in Colorado.
The three newly infected workers developed cold symptoms and conjunctivitis but none were hospitalized, according to state health officials. Four other infected workers also reported eye irritation and conjunctivitis.
The avian flu outbreak has affected more than 99 million poultry birds and 151 dairy herds in the U.S. The CDC reports that the virus has also been detected in more than 9,500 wild birds. Latest Count.
Outbreaks have been confirmed in poultry across the country, and outbreaks have been confirmed in dairy cattle in 12 states. last monthAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the virus has been detected in poultry flocks in Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota.
The federal government is offering funding to dairy farmers with infected cows in exchange for testing their cattle, encouraging testing and safety measures that will help curb the spread of the disease. The U.S. government also plans to have an avian flu vaccine available as soon as this month, and is funding Moderna to develop an mRNA-based vaccine.
The federal government’s initial response was slow and piecemeal, The Washington Post reported in April, leaving some officials and experts frustrated and calling for more extensive testing of cattle.
The CDC says people should avoid contact with sick or dead animals, including birds and cattle, and avoid animal feces and garbage. Colorado officials recommend that people who become ill after handling potentially infected cattle or poultry contact their doctor or state health department.
Proper cooking kills the avian flu virus. Health officials say it remains safe to eat properly handled and cooked chicken and eggs. Commercially available milk is pasteurized and considered safe, but the CDC recommends avoiding unpasteurized, or raw, milk.
