US - New York: Vet Catches H7N2 Bird Flu From a Cat in New York - December 22, 2016

[Treyfish]

Vet Catches Bird Flu From a Cat in New York
Dec 22 2016, 6:49 pm ET
by Maggie Fox

A vet at a New York City animal shelter where cats were infected with a strain of bird flu has also been infected, health officials said Thursday.

The vet only had mild illness from the virus, called H7N2, the New York City Department of Health said.


The illness was mild, short-lived and has resolved," the department said in a statement.

"More than 160 Animal Care Centers of NYC employees and volunteers, including several people who had similar exposure to sick cats, were screened by the Health Department and not found to have infection with the H7N2 virus," the department said.
Related: Bird Flu Infects Cats at NYC Shelter
"Additionally, the Health Department contacted more than 80 percent of the people who adopted cats from the Manhattan shelter, and none is suspected of having H7N2," the department added.
It's unusual for bird flu to affect cats.
"Since last week, more than 100 cats have tested positive for H7N2 across all NYC shelters," the department said. "This was expected because the virus is highly contagious among cats and cats are sometimes moved between shelters. All of the newly infected cats are experiencing mild illness and have been separated from other animals in the shelters. They are expected to recover."
Vets, doctors and other scientists keep an eye on bird flu because it can and does spread to people and has the potential to cause epidemics. So far, H7N2 hasn't. It has only ever infected a few people....http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...t-cold-n699291

[sharon sanders]

Government notice:

Health Department Investigation of H7N2 Influenza in Shelter Cats Confirms Risk to Humans is Low

One person, of more than 350 people screened, has been found with H7N2; this person is a veterinarian who had prolonged close exposure to respiratory secretions of sick cats at Animal Care Centers of NYC?s (ACC) Manhattan shelter and has recovered from mild illness
Precautionary guidance issued for people who recently adopted a cat from any NYC shelter or rescue group
December 22, 2016 ? The Health Department today announced that its ongoing investigation of an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza H7N2, a strain of influenza A virus, among cats housed at Animal Care Centers of NYC?s (ACC) shelters confirms that the risk to humans is low. One person has been found with a presumptive diagnosis of this virus, which was identified by Health Department lab testing and preliminarily confirmed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lab testing yesterday. Further testing will be forthcoming in coming days.
The infected person is a veterinarian who was involved in obtaining respiratory specimens from sick cats at the Manhattan shelter. The illness was mild, short-lived, and has resolved. More than 160 ACC employees and volunteers, including several people who had similar exposure to sick cats, were screened by the Health Department and not found to have infection with the H7N2 virus. Additionally, the Health Department contacted more than 80% of the people who adopted cats from the Manhattan shelter, and none is suspected of having H7N2.
There have been two previous documented human cases of H7N2 infection in the United States ? one in a person managing an outbreak of the virus in turkeys and chickens in 2002 and the other with an unknown source in 2003. Both of these patients also had mild illness and recovered. This is the first reported case due to exposure to an infected cat. There has been no documented human-to-human transmission.
?Our investigation confirms that the risk to human health from H7N2 is low, but we are urging New Yorkers who have adopted cats from a shelter or rescue group within the past three weeks to be alert for symptoms in their pets,? said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. ?We are contacting people who may have been exposed and offering testing as appropriate.?
As a precaution, the Health Department is issuing guidance to health care providers and veterinarians today to provide information on how to manage suspected cases.
Seasonal flu is on the rise in New York City and as always, the Health Department recommends that anyone with flu symptoms should promptly seek medical care, especially if you are pregnant or have an underlying illness or immunocompromising condition which could make seasonal flu more severe. Speak with your provider to see if you should be started on antivirals.

Although the flu vaccine does not protect against H7N2 virus, the Health Department continues to recommend New Yorkers get vaccinated to prevent seasonal flu. Find a place to get vaccinated here.
New Yorkers should avoid nuzzling and close facial contact with sick cats, especially if they are pregnant or have an underlying disease that affects the immune system, such as cancer, diabetes, or chronic lung disease.
The Health Department will contact all employees and volunteers at ACC?s three shelters to offer specific guidance to them.
The Health of Infected Cats
Since last week, more than 100 cats have tested positive for H7N2 across all NYC shelters. This was expected because the virus is highly contagious among cats and cats are sometimes moved between shelters. All of the newly infected cats are experiencing mild illness and have been separated from other animals in the shelters. They are expected to recover. One cat admitted to the shelter with H7N2 infection died. ACC suspended adoptions of cats once the virus was discovered. The Health Department, working with ACC, the ASPCA and New York City Emergency Management, has identified a location where the cats will be quarantined soon, which will allow ACC to resume full intake and adoption of cats. The ASPCA will assume operational costs and manage the care of the cats.
All other ACC operations have continued. Cats are the only animal species that has tested positive for H7N2. Testing has been conducted by ACC on various other animal species, including dogs and rabbits, and all have tested negative. Until cats are removed to the new location and ACC?s cat facilities are disinfected, New Yorkers are urged not to drop off cats at any ACC shelter. ACC will continue to distribute instructions to all new and recent cat adopters to monitor their cats, which includes guidance on checking animals for upper respiratory illness.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Maibe Ponet/Julien Martinez, (347) 396-4177
pressoffice@health.nyc.gov

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Also please see:


NYC: Cats catch the flu from new strain of feline influenza- H7N2 - December 11, 2016

[gsgs]

I remember several human H7N2 in the UK in 2007, when we were watching H5N1, none fatal
one outbreak of H1N2 (H1N1 reassorted with H3N2) in humans at that time
European 1 looks like American 7

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https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/outbreaks.htm

H7N2 in Virginia, 2002
In 2002, a person involved with culling activities developed influenza-like illness when
a low pathogenic avian influenza A (LPAI) (H7N2) outbreak occurred among commercial
turkey and chicken flocks in Virginia. Serological testing confirmed infection with avian
influenza A (H7N2) virus; no human-to-human transmission was evident and the person
made a full recovery.5,7

[gsgs]

the problem is not the cats or the vet or H7N2 in general.
The problem is, how could that virus hide and survive 9 years ?
This isn't been talked about in the press.

If it is indeed related to the 2006-NY-virus (in some of the segments.)
Is the mutation rate normal in all segments since 2007 ?

I seems unlikely that the strain went from poultry to wild birds, evolve
there and then go to cats, because
1.) flu doesn't usually go from poultry to wild birds (except maybe sometimes in China)
and 2.) there are so many strains in wild birds and the same H7N2 would be a strange
coincidence.

[gsgs]

The Agriculture department is involved because the North American H7N2 virus has been
sequenced and is reportedly identical to the virus found in turkeys and chickens in
Pennsylvania and Virginia during the 2002-2003 winter season.
Dr. David Wolfgang
"identical" , whatever that means ... including 14 years of mutations or not ?
MEDIA CONTACT: Bonnie McCann - 717-783-0133

[gsgs]

as it happens there was just a study about bats in NYC
http://www.welcome2thebronx.com/word...n-our-borough/

well, if some species of wild birds is unlikely as H7N2 reservoir,
then bats seem even more unlikely, no food-virus-chain

remembering the H7N9 discussion in 2013 ... pigeons ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_New_York