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A hiss flu virus scream H5N1 recently infected animals that it had never been seen in before : goats and cows . Now , it ’s suspected that four people have picked up the infection after being exposed to infected cow , or potentially their corporeal fluids or bedding .
Here ’s what we know so far about these strange cases of H5N1 in the U.S.
The bird flu virus H5N1 has been spreading among cows in the U.S.
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What is H5N1 bird flu?
H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza A , a across-the-board grouping of related bird flu viruses . It ’s categorized as a form of " highly morbific " avian grippe , or HPAI , because it causes severe and fatal disease in poultry . For example , H5N1 and other " H5 " bird flu virus can speedily have organ damage in wimp and kill up to 90 % to 100 % of chickens they infect , often within 48 hours , according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC ) . H5N1 has been responsible for for the major hiss flu outbreaksseen on U.S. fowl farmsand onfarms in other countriessince 2022 .
Although HPAI viruses are have it away for devastating domestic bird populations , H5N1 also infects raving mad bird and occasionally taint various mammal , including multitude . In non - avian species , it can still cause calamitous disease , but some cases are soft or asymptomatic .
H5N1 infections in mammals , in general , raise concern that the computer virus could evolve to taint humans more easy and perhaps spread widely between multitude , sparking apandemic , harmonize to the World Health Organization(WHO ) . But scientist have n’t seen any change in the virus that propose that ’s happening at this stage .
H5N1 was spotted in goat kids just before it was found in cows.
Which animals can H5N1 infect?
H5N1 most often infects domesticated and uncivilised bird , although some wild birdie playact as " reservoir " for the computer virus , meaning they can express and spread it without getting gruesome . These carriers include waterbird , such as duck , goofball and swan ; and shorebirds , such as plover and sandpipers , the CDC enjoin .
In the past 20 years or so , H5N1 has also been observe in at least48 mammal speciesacross 26 nation . These includefoxes , bears , seals , ocean lions andpolar bears , as well aspet catsand dogs and farmed mink coat . The U.S. Department of Agriculture ( USDA)maintains a mapof where unlike mammals have been infect in the U.S.
This year , for the first time , H5N1 was detected in caprine animal and cows . This marks the first time H5N1 has been found in ruminants , which include hooved , rechewed food - manducate mammals like cows , goats and sheep .
The U.S. milk and beef supply are both safe, officials have confirmed.
The contagion amonggoats were account in mid - Marchon a Minnesota farm where ducks and chickens had previously tested electropositive for the virus . The first infections in oxen were cover a hebdomad lateramong dairy cow in Texas and Kansas , which also in all probability begin the virus from birdie .
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Where has H5N1 been detected in cows?
After being find in moo-cow in Texas and Kansas , H5N1 infections were also confirmed in cows inIdaho , Michigan andNew Mexico , according to the USDA ’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service . As of June 14 , theUSDA has reportedthat 92 dairy cow herds in 12 U.S. states have corroborate cases of transmission .
Early datum advise that the specific strain of H5N1 infect moo-cow equalize one introduced to the U.S. by wild bird — do it as clade 2.3.4.4b — back in 2021 . Before that , the form had distribute mostly in Europe , Asia and Africa .
" [ H5N1 ] could have been infecting dairy kine a yr ago . We just never thought about looking … for it,“Dr . David Swayne , a bird influenza expert who is now a private adviser after having mold for the USDA , distinguish STAT . Experimental data published in 2008 suggestedthat at least one H5N1 straincan infect babe cows , so it ’s not altogether unexpected to see the virus in cattle .
The latterly infected cows have been report to produce less Milk River , show short appetency , make grow moth-eaten - alike symptom and become lethargic . There have been no reported deaths among the cows .
Can H5N1 infect people, and how dangerous is it?
H5N1 can from time to time infect people and can lead to destruction , withabout 50%to60 % of report casesresulting in black disease . More than 880 human case of H5N1 have been reported worldwide since the late nineties , harmonise to the CDC .
Most often , human H5N1 infection occur after a someone had close or lengthy unprotected contact — without mitt , a face masquerade or heart protection — with septic birds or with objects pollute with unhinged wench ' spittle , mucous secretion or poop . These case have not been tie to free burning homo - to - man spread of the computer virus , but there ’s been some evidence ofvery limited scatter between mass .
Although H5N1 infections can be fatal , some people show no symptoms or only mild symptoms . soft symptom might include eye contagion , such as conjunctivitis ( pink middle ) , and upper respiratory symptoms , like sneezing and coughing . Severe cases can lead to life - threaten pneumonia .
Bird flu can be cover with antiviral drug used for seasonal flu . The CDC also hasseveral candidate vaccinum preparedfor fabrication , just in case this or a closely related computer virus were to suddenly open between citizenry ; seasonal flu vaccine do not protect against H5N1 .
There have been five human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. The first was in 2022,in a soul in Coloradowho’d had direct picture to septic poultry . It ’s possible that this showcase was n’t a full - blow infection but rather leftover of the virus being discover in the person ’s nasal passages .
The second case was in April 2024 , when aperson in Texas caught the virusafter probably being exposed to infect cattle ; this person ’s only reported symptom was pinkish eye . Thethird was reported in Michigan in May 2024 , also in connection with infect cows on a farm . This third individual also only showed eye - related symptom . The fourth case wasreported subsequently in May 2024 , when a worker at a dissimilar Michigan dairy farm train mild respiratory symptom , including coughing . Thefifth was reported in July 2024 , in a dairy actor in Colorado who develop only oculus symptom .
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Should you worry about H5N1 in cows?
Finding H5N1 in cows is interesting to scientists because it has n’t been construe before , but as of now , it perplex a low-toned risk to the general world .
As for cows , there ’s some early hints that the computer virus can distribute among cattle — the cows in Idaho reportedly became sick after being exposed to cows ship from Texas , Science reported , and the Michigan cases were also thought to be attach to kine from Texas , the CDC cover . However , H5N1 ’s power to spread among moo-cow still require to be reassert .
In regard to people , " initial testing has not found changes to the [ H5N1 ] computer virus that would make it more transmissible to humans,“the USDA note in an April program line . " While cases among mankind in unmediated inter-group communication with infected animals are possible , this indicate that the current risk to the public remains low . "
The CDC also reported that there have been no changes to the virus that would make it less vulnerable to Food and Drug Administration ( FDA)-approved antiviral drug for the flu .
Nevertheless , the CDC recommends thatpeople avoid wan or dead animal carcass , include uncivilized hoot , poultry and cattle . They should also avoid raw Milk River , the skinny , litter or other materials foul by animate being with suspected H5N1 infections , and they should avoid uncooked and undercooked nutrient product from such fauna .
Is the milk and beef supply safe?
The discovery of H5N1 in oxen does not threaten the country ’s milk supply , the USDA noted . Dairies are required to send only Milk River from healthy brute into processing for human consumption , and the commercial-grade milk supply is pasteurized before going to market , which kill viruses . Unpasteurized milk always carries a riskof causing severe infections , but the likelihood of H5N1 infection from raw milk is not yet known .
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Since March 25 , presently after intelligence of the cow infections fall to light , weekly sales of raw milk have increase byas much as 21 % compared with previous geezerhood . Butexperts have warnedthat eat raw milk could peril individual to dangerous pathogens , alongside increasing the likeliness of H5N1 gain the necessary mutations to jump to and spread between humans .
Notably , there is n’t yet enough grounds to know whether drinking tender milk contaminated with H5N1 could lead in a human infection .
— UK ’s first human suit of H5N1 avian influenza detected in man with preferent ducks
— China report first human expiry from H3N8 bird flu , WHO says
— A branch of the influenza family tree has die and wo n’t be include in future US vaccines
More entropy on milk base hit make the current place can be found on theFDA ’s internet site .
So far , H5N1 has been found in dairy farm cattle , but theUSDA also underline that the beef cattle supply is safeand that cooking meat properly kills virus .
This article is for informational purpose only and is not mean to offer medical advice .
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