By Amber Roman
Jun 14, 2024, 16:51 PM EDT
Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has highlighted the urgent need to increase testing for bird flu in both humans and animals in USA. Shah has noted that while he would like to do more testing, especially on symptomatic farm workers and those exposed on farms, it is crucial to maintain trust between workers and farm owners.
According to the CDC, the risk to the general public of contracting bird flu remains low. However, for agricultural workers who have direct contact with animals, the risk is significantly higher. This also extends to people close to these workers. In a recent report, the CDC mentioned that it is preparing for the possibility that the H5N1 virus will evolve and spread more easily among people.
Dr. Shah has emphasized the importance of the use of personal protective equipment for agricultural workers. Despite this, no specific vaccines have been implemented for these workers, who are the most vulnerable to contracting and spreading the highly pathogenic strain of bird flu. Recently, a third case in the United States was confirmed in a farm worker in Michigan who had respiratory symptoms typical of the flu, in addition to the eye symptoms seen in previous cases.
Shah has clarified that the appearance of respiratory symptoms in this new case does not necessarily indicate a mutation of the virus. However, these symptoms increase the possibility of transmitting the virus to others, underscoring the importance of more rigorous monitoring and testing.
To date, in 2024, only 44 people have been tested for H5N1. Although undetected cases are suspected due to limited testing, current data from influenza monitoring systems have not shown any red flags. Shah has mentioned that no significant differences in markers, such as emergency visits, have been observed in areas with bird flu outbreaks compared to those without outbreaks.
CDC’s infrastructure to combat influenza is robust and well established, unlike the initial infrastructure for Covid-19. Testing is available across the country and a promising vaccine candidate is being developed for this strain. However, Shah has expressed a desire to increase testing efforts.
Some states have begun testing the blood of dairy farm workers for the presence of antibodies to H5N1. These studies will help scientists better understand the circulation of the virus. Shah has indicated that these studies have been carried out in poultry workers and that they now hope to replicate them in dairy farm workers.
Additionally, testing methods for H5N1 detection have been expanded, including the use of eye swabs in conjunctivitis test kits. These swabs can now be analyzed in local laboratories, accelerating the public health response without waiting for confirmations from the CDC.
H5N1 continues to spread among poultry farms, with a recent case in Iowa where 4.2 million laying hens were euthanized after the virus was detected. In Idaho, alpacas tested positive after an outbreak on the same farm, suggesting that highly pathogenic avian flu could be jumping between different animal species, which could facilitate the accumulation of mutations.
A recent genetic analysis revealed that the second person infected with H5N1 in the US this year had a mutation that could facilitate the spread of the virus among mammals. This discovery underscores the need for continued vigilance and more rigorous preventive measures to control the spread of the virus and protect both agricultural workers and the general public.
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