Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Jun 11, 2024 6:31:38 GMT
I’m Now Worried About Bird Flu—and You Probably Should Be Too Published June 7, 2024
This article was republished from Sequencer with updates to reflect additional information.
Uh, guys? Are you in the right headspace to receive information that could possibly hurt you? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed last week that a third person in the U.S. has tested positive for a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Like the first and second cases reported in Michigan and Texas, respectively, this Michigan resident had been exposed to cows infected with the virus while working on a farm.
The two Great Lakes State residents worked on different farms; we also know that for the first time, this third case experienced respiratory symptoms like a cough and eye discomfort. The respiratory symptoms are a cause for concern, since it means the virus could spread more easily between humans and lead to more serious illness. Besides that, the CDC press release doesn’t say much else about the farmworker, only that they are taking an antiviral, “isolating at home, and their symptoms are resolving.”
Of the three human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza found in the U.S. this year, we know most about the Texas patient, since researchers quickly published a case report in the New England Journal of Medicine. That person worked on a dairy farm, and only experienced conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye) from the virus. They told officials they came into close contact with both healthy and sick cows, and reported wearing gloves but not respiratory or eye protection. Some have speculated that their infection might have been brought on by getting infected milk in their eye.
Keywords: H5N1, Avian Flu, Outbreak, Livestock, Animal reservoir
This article was republished from Sequencer with updates to reflect additional information.
Uh, guys? Are you in the right headspace to receive information that could possibly hurt you? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed last week that a third person in the U.S. has tested positive for a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Like the first and second cases reported in Michigan and Texas, respectively, this Michigan resident had been exposed to cows infected with the virus while working on a farm.
The two Great Lakes State residents worked on different farms; we also know that for the first time, this third case experienced respiratory symptoms like a cough and eye discomfort. The respiratory symptoms are a cause for concern, since it means the virus could spread more easily between humans and lead to more serious illness. Besides that, the CDC press release doesn’t say much else about the farmworker, only that they are taking an antiviral, “isolating at home, and their symptoms are resolving.”
Of the three human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza found in the U.S. this year, we know most about the Texas patient, since researchers quickly published a case report in the New England Journal of Medicine. That person worked on a dairy farm, and only experienced conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye) from the virus. They told officials they came into close contact with both healthy and sick cows, and reported wearing gloves but not respiratory or eye protection. Some have speculated that their infection might have been brought on by getting infected milk in their eye.
Keywords: H5N1, Avian Flu, Outbreak, Livestock, Animal reservoir