On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert regarding a case of avian influenza in a person who had contact with dairy cows. The individual, a farm worker from Texas, was confirmed to be infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza on April 1. This is the second case of bird flu identified in a person in the United States, following a 2022 case in Colorado.
The virus is now spreading to new mammals, including dairy cattle. To prevent infection from the virus, the CDC recommends the use of personal protective equipment, testing, antiviral treatment, patient investigations, and monitoring of persons exposed to sick or dead animals. The agency advises monitoring both wild and domesticated animals, including livestock that may have been infected with the virus. Despite this case, the CDC maintains that the risk assessment for the general U.S. public regarding H5N1 bird flu remains low.
The only symptom reported by the Texas patient was eye inflammation as reported by their state’s health department. The CDC continues to closely monitor the situation and provide guidance to clinicians, state health departments and the public as necessary to prevent further spread of this deadly disease
