By Julie Steenhuysen and Leah Douglas
(Reuters) – U.S. and California well being officers confirmed two new circumstances of H5N1 chook flu in dairy farm staff within the state on Friday, bringing the whole of contaminated dairy staff in that state to 6, and the whole of human circumstances nationwide this 12 months to twenty.
Ten of the U.S. circumstances had been tied to publicity to contaminated poultry, 9 had been tied to sick or contaminated dairy cows, and one case in Missouri occurred in an individual who had no recognized contact with contaminated animals, the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated in an announcement on Friday.
The CDC stated all six of the circumstances in California look like attributable to animal-to-human unfold. Thus far, the contaminated staff had gentle signs, which included eye redness or conjunctivitis. None had been hospitalized.
The company stated it believes the quick threat to most people from chook flu stays low, however individuals with publicity to contaminated animals are at greater threat of an infection.
Genetic sequencing of three virus samples from the California circumstances present they’re carefully associated to these detected in dairy cattle, the CDC stated.
Sequencing of the primary two circumstances reveals no modifications within the virus to counsel it could unfold extra simply between individuals or that it’s turning into immune to antiviral drugs, the company added.
The California Division of Public Well being stated in an announcement they’re working carefully with native public well being laboratories and departments to supply well being checks for uncovered people and guarantee testing and therapy can be found as wanted.
Of the six California circumstances, all occurred in staff uncovered to the virus. California well being officers stated they count on extra circumstances to be recognized amongst people who’ve common contact with contaminated dairy cattle.
The state stated it has obtained 5,000 extra doses of seasonal flu vaccine for farm staff from the CDC with the goal of decreasing the chance of turning into contaminated with each chook flu and seasonal influenza.
Infections with each sorts of virus concurrently may enhance the chance of modifications that might make chook flu unfold extra simply in individuals.
Based on the U.S. Division of Agriculture, 298 dairy herds in 14 U.S. states have confirmed circumstances of H5 chook flu virus infections in dairy cows.
