A case of bird flu in the USA raises questions. The patient had no contact with infected animals – an unusual situation.
Washington – Bird flu is rarely contagious to humans, but exceptions prove the rule. For example, the virus strains A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) have been detected in humans, as reported by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). One such case is currently causing concern among health authorities in the USA.
An unusual case of bird flu in the USA raises questions
The US health authority CDC confirmed a case of bird flu A(H5) in the state of Missouri, according to a notice from Friday (September 6). The patient had to be temporarily hospitalized and treated with antiviral medication. He has since been discharged. How the infection came about remains unclear for the time being.
This is the 14th case of bird flu in the US in 2024. Unlike the previous cases, however, the patient had no contact with infected animals. This raises questions because, according to the RKI, people who contract bird flu have usually had close contact with sick or dead poultry beforehand. “People probably have to ingest very large amounts of virus to become infected,” the institute explains.
However, there is a possibility that the virus can evolve and adapt in mammals. Therefore, in the current case in Missouri, there is concern that the virus may have been transmitted from a human. The CDC is now investigating this possibility. However, so far, no transmission has been detected among close contacts of the patient.
Was the bird flu virus transmitted from a human? The authority is investigating the case
“It is impossible to predict whether a particular bird flu virus can change genetically and adapt to humans in such a way that it can be transmitted from person to person,” the RKI states on its website This has not been the case so far with the viruses A(H5N1) and A(H7N9).
Nevertheless, there have been repeated cases in the past in which mammals have become infected with bird flu. The H5N1 virus has so far been found almost exclusively in wild and farm animals. In the USA, for example, infections were first detected in dairy cows in March and April of this year. In June 2023, there were cases in several dozen cats in Poland. Outbreaks have also occurred repeatedly on fur farms. Even the Antarctica is affected by bird flu.
In principle, it is possible that the viruses adapt better to humans via various intermediate hosts. However, according to current knowledge, there is no continued transmission from person to person. The CDC therefore classifies the risk to the population as low.
Possible symptoms of bird flu in humans
To avoid infection, people should avoid contact with sick or dead animals. The conventional flu vaccination does not offer protection against this. But How does bird flu manifest itself in humans? According to the medical portal MSD Manual, the virus strains H5N1 and H7N9 cause the following symptoms, among others:
- Fever
- Cough
- Neck and muscle pain
- Conjunctivitis
- Breathing difficulties
Epidemiologists recently expressed their alarm about the rampant bird flu wave. Virologist Hendrik Streeck also spoke in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA of a pathogen “that must be taken seriously.” (kas/dpa)
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