United States: Reports from Texas health authorities on Monday revealed an instance where an individual, having come into contact with bovines, has contracted the H5N1 avian influenza, marking only the second documented case in the United States.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the person had interacted with dairy cattle suspected of carrying the virus. As per their statement, the only symptom exhibited by the individual is ocular inflammation—an infection of the conjunctiva, the membrane enveloping the eye.
Nirav Shah, serving as the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, commented on the situation, stating that the afflicted person is responding well to treatment with the influenza antiviral oseltamivir, commonly known as Tamiflu. The individual has been advised to undergo isolation to mitigate the risk of transmission to others, and as of now, there have been no reports indicating further dissemination of the virus, as per Shah’s assertion.
“We have not received any information regarding the onset of symptoms in any close contacts of this individual,” Shah informed STAT.
The individual underwent testing toward the end of the previous week, with confirmatory tests conducted by the CDC over the weekend. Shah clarified that the CDC is not currently conducting additional confirmatory tests for H5, stating, “The absence of ongoing testing provides reassurance, as it suggests no other symptomatic individuals have been identified following exposure to livestock.”
“We are actively monitoring the situation,” he added. “Our attention is focused, and we have been collaborating with state public health authorities in various regions to identify individuals exhibiting signs and symptoms of illness and to ensure they are aware of the testing procedures.”
Recent reports from three states—Texas, Kansas, and Michigan—have indicated confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 in cattle, while New Mexico and Idaho have also reported presumed H5N1 outbreaks among cattle. Although the virus does not prove fatal to cattle, it adversely affects milk production and reduces their feed intake.
Owners of affected herds have been instructed to dispose of milk from infected cattle. However, the CDC statement mentioned that if milk from infected animals enters the food supply chain, pasteurization could effectively neutralize the virus.
Up to date, cows haven`t been diagnosed with this coronavirus. No particular evidence has been found to prove this yet. There have been several recorded cases of highly pathogenic avian flu in animals, specifically big cats, brown bears, foxes, skunks, and pinnipeds. The chance that humans will get it is small, WHO and CDC have concluded.
With the virus macro-expanding its geography and infecting not only humans but also the human population, the chances of grave danger to the human population still remain low. He believed that this viewpoint is invariable, while what transpired in the recent Texas case will likewise not change it.
Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza is an epidemiological hot topic among the colleagues working with the emerging zoonoses. Over the last two decades, it is now estimated that almost 900 human infections have been diagnosed in 23 countries of the globe with an approximately 50 percent mortality rate. On the other hand, the new strains of the virus that are being shared all over the world, including in the US, represent cases of infections of the human body less often, and they are usually milder.
The first documented case of H5 infection in the country occurred in 2022 when a man involved in culling infected poultry in Colorado reported experiencing fatigue and subsequently tested positive for the virus. However, it remained uncertain whether he was truly infected or if the nasal swab test merely detected viruses present in his nasal passages.
Yet, if the human impact on human health had been limited in recent years, the latest finding on cattle opening up a new host range will definitely keep the experts unhappy. The head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the ecology of influenza in animals, Richard Webby, from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, emphasized the new disease in cows as an unexpected reality, calling for a constant inspection.
Michael Osterholm director, University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy noted the fact that the virus’s extension of the range, but also he highlighted the vagueness of the implications about the possible transferrable disease between the pig and the humankind. Though livestock being infected now indicates the growing ability of this virus to infect another type of host, Osterholm does not consider the likelihood of disease transmission to humans as anything new. “While the situation could change rapidly with further mutations, there is currently no evidence to suggest such changes have occurred,” Osterholm concluded.