After contact with cows: person in the US infected with bird flu

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The only symptom reported by the affected person was redness in the eyes, which resembled conjunctivitis. He was ordered to self-isolate, given antiviral medication and is on the mend.

The H5N1 virus was first discovered in dairy cows in the US in late March. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cows were likely contaminated by wild birds. The person in Texas is the second recorded case of bird flu in humans in the United States. The first case occurred in 2022 in the state of Colorado.

The CDC continues to assess the risk of infection for people in the United States as low. The authority says it is working with health authorities to monitor and test possible high-risk patients after contact with potentially infected birds or farm animals.

Bird flu or avian flu, like human flu, is caused by influenza A viruses, but through several other subtypes. The largest wave of bird flu ever documented is currently raging, spanning almost the entire world and also affecting Europe. The pathogen mainly affects birds, but has also been found in many mammals, including cats, bears and seals.

Human infections occur only sporadically. Symptoms range from eye or respiratory infections to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, which can lead to death, according to the CDC. Health experts warn of the danger that the virus adapts to humans and can then be transmitted from person to person. (SDA)

Source: Blick