US investigating potential human-to-human bird flu transmission
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A microscopic view of the H5N1 bird flu virus.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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The health authorities in the US are studying seven people who developed influenza symptoms after being exposed to a Missouri bird flu patient, raising the possibility of the first human-to-human transmission of the infection.
None have tested positive for avian influenza and work is under way to see if they have antibodies to the virus that has been spreading among birds and dairy cows in the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Sept 27 in a statement.
Six were healthcare workers who encountered the first American known to be infected with bird flu without prior exposure to a sick animal, and the other was a close household contact of the patient. All developed mild respiratory symptoms after their exposure.
One tested negative for bird flu and the others were not tested for active infections since they were not identified quickly enough to definitively diagnose it or rule it out, the CDC said.
More than 100 healthcare workers were exposed to the Missouri patient to varying degrees while the person was hospitalised, the agency said.
“CDC continues to closely monitor available data from influenza surveillance systems, particularly in affected states, and there has been no sign of unusual influenza activity in people, including in Missouri,” the agency said.
There have been 14 cases of avian influenza reported in the US in 2024, including the Missouri patient disclosed in early September. The source of that infection has yet to be identified. BLOOMBERG
