On MONDAY, July 22, 2024, two more cases of bird flu have been reported in Colorado poultry workers, but research shows the virus isn’t causing hidden infections, according to U.S. health officials.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that there have been two additional H5N1 avian flu infections in Colorado, bringing the total to six, in a health advisory posted on Friday.
“Since April 2024, a total of 10 human cases of avian influenza A[H5] infection have been reported in the United States. Four cases were linked to contact with sick dairy cows and six cases were linked to H5N1-infected poultry,” the CDC reported. “This includes two new cases in Colorado confirmed by the CDC this week. The two new cases were in poultry workers exposed to infected poultry during depopulation and disposal activities. The illness was mild, similar to previous cases.”
In addition to these new cases, some positive news emerged. A study by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services was conducted last month on 35 workers who had contact with cows affected by bird flu.
The study aimed to determine if there were individuals who had evidence of past infections without showing symptoms. However, none of the blood tests showed antibodies indicating past infection, the CDC revealed.
“This finding is significant as it suggests that asymptomatic infections in people are not happening, supporting the current testing approach of collecting samples from symptomatic individuals exposed to sick animals,” the CDC mentioned in its advisory.
Since 2020, a bird flu virus has been spreading among mammals, includingalpacas. Earlier this year, the virus, known as H5N1, was detected in U.S. dairy cows and is now present in livestock in several states.
Previous cases were reported among dairy farm workers in Michigan, Texas, and Colorado earlier this year.
As of the latest update, the H5N1 virus has been confirmed in 157 dairy cow herds across 13 states. Since April 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported bird flu cases in 34 commercial flocks and 16 backyard flocks, affecting a total of 18.3 million birds.
For more information:
Visit the CDC’s website for updates on the bird flu outbreak.
SOURCES: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, July 19, 2024
What This Means For You
U.S. health officials have reported two additional cases of bird flu in Colorado poultry workers, and a recent study suggests silent infections are not occurring.
