The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the first case of severe bird flu in the United States.
The federal health agency reported the patient’s admission to a Louisiana hospital on Wednesday. According to state health officials, the patient is over the age of 65 and has several underlying medical conditions.
According to a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health, the patient is in critical condition due to severe respiratory illness caused by a bird flu infection.
The CDC reports that the Louisiana patient contracted a strain of the virus that is currently spreading among wild birds and poultry in the US, as well as in some human cases in Canada and Washington state.
In the US, dairy cows and some poultry have spread a different virus.
The CDC is still investigating the source of the illness, despite the Louisiana patient’s exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. This is the first reported case of human bird flu in the United States, linked to exposure to a backyard flock.
The CDC reports 61 human cases of bird flu in the United States since April.
Almost every confirmed case involved direct contact with infected cattle or livestock. Prior to the case being confirmed in the Louisiana patient, cases had been mild, and all patients had recovered after receiving antiviral medication, according to the CDC and state officials.
Health officials hospitalized a previous case in Missouri, but attributed the patient’s admission to other health issues, not the bird flu infection.
According to the CDC, signs and symptoms of infection in humans include a sore throat, cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.
According to the CDC, infections can cause no symptoms or mild illness, such as flu-like symptoms, or more serious illness, such as pneumonia, which may necessitate hospitalization.
“The best way to avoid bird flu is to avoid contact whenever possible. Infected birds shed avian influenza. The CDC issued a press release on Wednesday, stating that the virus is present in their saliva, mucous, and feces.
Other animals that are infected could potentially shed avian influenza. The virus can be found in respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids, such as unpasteurized cow milk or ‘raw milk’.
The CDC reported no detection of person-to-person transmission, indicating a low risk to the general public. However, those who work with birds, poultry, or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at a higher risk and should take the health agency’s recommended precautions.
The United States Department of Agriculture issued a new federal order last week mandating the collection and sharing of raw milk samples nationwide for bird flu testing.
The discovery of the bird flu virus in raw milk samples from a California farm earlier this week prompted a recall of all raw milk products. State health officials also ordered a quarantine for the farm.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday “to streamline and expedite the state’s response” to bird flu. The CDC reports 33 confirmed cases of human bird flu in California this year.
