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By Matthew Impelli
Life & Trends Reporter
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What's New
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States.
The patient had been exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, according to the CDC. Officials did not immediately provide details about the individual's symptoms.
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"A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus ("H5N1 bird flu") infection in Louisiana. This marks the first instance of severe illness linked to the virus in the United States. The case was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday, December 13," the agency said in a press release on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Previous cases in the U.S. have been mild with the vast majority occurring among farmworkers who had direct exposure to sick poultry or dairy cows.
The CDC confirmed the Louisiana infection last Friday but did not announce it until Wednesday. This marks the first U.S. human case tied to exposure from a backyard flock.
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What To Know
More than 60 bird flu infections have been reported this year with over half of the cases occurring in California. In two instances—an adult in Missouri and a child in California—health officials have yet to determine how the individuals were infected.
"While an investigation into the source of the infection in Louisiana is ongoing, it has been determined that the patient had exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. This is the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock," the CDC said in a press release on Wednesday.
Where Are Other Cases Located
California remains the state with the most bird flu cases in humans with 34 confirmed by the CDC, while Colorado comes in second with 10. Five other states have at least one case: Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
What People Are Saying
"Although it is difficult for any virus to move from one species to another, influenza A viruses are particularly good at it—most often causing one-off 'spillover' infections but occasionally adapting to spread effectively in a new host species," Professor Ed Hutchinson, a virologist at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, previously told Newsweek.
He continued, "In the late 1990s, an H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) began spreading in birds, and began causing repeated spillover infections of other animals, including humans."
What's Next
Health officials maintain that bird flu remains primarily an animal health concern with minimal risk to the general public. There have been no documented cases of the virus spreading from person to person.
In their press release on Wednesday, the CDC said that the recently discovered "severe" case "underscores that, in addition to affected commercial poultry and dairy operations, wild birds and backyard flocks also can be a source of exposure."
"People with work or recreational exposures to infected animals are at higher risk of infection and should follow CDC's recommended precautions when around animals that are infected or potentially infected with H5N1 avian influenza virus," the CDC said.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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