Discussion thread: H5N1 avian flu in US dairy cows including human cases (poultry, dairy workers) - March 24, 2024 +

[Commonground]

https://substack.com/@adamkucharski

H5N1 influenza: some troubling preliminary signals

A few data sources to keep an eye on [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
[TR]
[TD] [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
[TR]
[TD] [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
[TR]
[TD]ADAM KUCHARSKI[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
[TR]
[TD]NOV 27[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Sometimes three data points can tell us a lot. Back in early May 2021, the REACT study in the UK reported the results of genomic sequencing of three newly detected infections in London. Unlike routine COVID case data, these infections had been identified among people randomly tested in the community. And two of the three turned out to be the Delta variant.

At the time, it was still unclear how much Delta was spreading in the community, as opposed to just reflecting imported cases from India. But thanks to REACT, we knew two out of three randomly detected infections were Delta in London. It wasn’t a definitive signal, but it was an important one.

Which brings us to the current H5N1 avian influenza situation in North America. In recent weeks, there have been three unusual cases reported. In September, there was a hospitalised case in Missouri who had no known contact with animals. Then, earlier this month, a severely ill case in British Columbia without a clear source of infection. And finally, an infected child in California reported last week, again with the source of infection unknown.

When assessing potential epidemic threats, unusual cases like these may mean little, or they may mean a lot. So it’s important to also look at other emerging evidence as well. Here are a couple of recent findings that have also stood out:

• Scott Hensley had a useful thread on Bluesky that discusses evidence of a potential mutational change at residue 226 of the HA surface protein of the virus from British Columbia. This is notable, because a study earlier this month showed that mutations at this location can change the preference of H5N1 to bind to the α2-6 sialic acids on cells in the upper airway (as it does with human adapted human viruses), rather than α2-3 sialic acids found on cells deeper in the lungs (as avian viruses historically do). In short, such a mutation could mean the virus is becoming better adapted to humans. In the comments, Jesse Bloom also points to a potential change at residue 190, which is also known to be important for which types of acids viruses bind to.
• Sam Scarpino also had an interesting thread on Bluesky looking at wastewater surveillance in California. He noted that several urban areas are seeing an increase in influenza virus concentration in wastewater alongside an increase in the frequency of H5 positive tests among the water samples. This could be evidence of undetected human infections (which we know can happen from antibody studies among dairy workers). H5N1 has recently been found in raw milk on sale in California, which may be one possible route of exposure.

These are just early data points, of course. But the challenge is that outbreaks that don’t go anywhere can generate similar early signals to outbreaks that lead to major epidemics. As with every emerging disease threat, we therefore need a better understanding of what we’re facing, and a clearer plan for what to do about it.

Thanks for reading Understanding the unseen! This post is public so feel free to share it.


​

 

[Pathfinder]

WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
Influenza A, California

All 57 wastewater sites​
Past 6 weeks
10/18/2024 - 11/29/2024 (42 days)

​
https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tra...VuemEgQXgqigEGZWEzMzM0&selectedChartId=ea3334

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Avian influenza in humans: unresolved questions

Pascal Lapointe Thursday, November 28, 2024

Three cases in two months have alarmed bird flu observers: three people who had no contact with infected livestock. One of them is a teenager in whom the virus is showing signs of adapting to humans.

That doesn't mean the worst-case scenario is happening. "This is not, by any stretch of the imagination, Day 1 of a pandemic," University of Pennsylvania microbiologist Scott Hensley told the medical journal STAT on Nov. 18. "There's no indication of human-to-human transmission, which is good. But that's the scenario we're worried about."

His remarks are a reference to the fact that every time a virus succeeds in transmitting itself from an animal to a human, this does not mean that it has acquired the mutations necessary to then transmit itself between humans. Except that since 1997 when it was identified in Hong Kong, the H5N1 avian flu has shown an ability to infect first all sorts of bird species, then more and more species of mammals including, more recently , cows.

Since this spring, 52 farm workers in the United States have been diagnosed with the H5N1 virus, due to exposure to infected poultry or cows. That figure is suspected to be an underestimate, as many farmers have been reluctant to allow routine testing of their herds. Health officials in Washington and the affected regions have also been criticized for not cracking down harder on farmers.

Of the three cases not linked to farms, two are in the United States. The first was reported in September in Missouri. The second is a child in California, who was reported on November 19. Neither required hospitalization. The third is a teenager in British Columbia, who was hospitalized on November 8 and was described at the time as being in “critical condition.”

It is in this adolescent that the sequencing of the virus's genes, deposited by Canadian researchers in a public database, reveals three differences described as "keys" for possible transmission between humans.

More specifically, these are mutations in hemagglutinin , a protein that, present on the surface of the virus, attaches to the cells that the virus is trying to "invade". In other words, these mutations would, in theory, enhance the virus's ability to "attach" to human cells.

Not all of the viruses identified in the teen contain these mutations, suggesting that researchers were dealing with a "mixture" of two types of the virus , one similar to the one currently found in poultry — not cows, unlike the two U.S. cases — and a second, believed to be the newcomer. The British Columbia Ministry of Health said Nov. 26 that follow-up with relatives had revealed no other infections.

Just as the 52 farmworkers could be an undercount, so too could these three cases: So far, the vast majority of these human cases have not resulted in serious symptoms, meaning many more may have slipped under the radar. That’s precisely what worries observers : “The bottom line is that there’s more community transmission than is being detected,” Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease researcher at Stanford University, told Salon magazine on Nov. 26 .

https://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/act...e-aviaire-chez-humains-questions-non-resolues

 

[sharon sanders]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
·
42s


US -We are going to count any #H5N1 re-infection of a
herd as a new infection and include this event in our herd count.
A re-infection should be counted for clarity of the current
situation.

Same with human cases. Any positive test results should be counted.

Just unreal...


​

 

[Commonground]

​
Exclusive-US issues order mandating bird flu testing of milk supply

December 6, 2024 at 12:12 PM EST

Reuters) - The U.S. issued a federal order on Friday mandating that the national milk supply be tested for bird flu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters, as authorities seek to grapple with rapid spread of the virus among dairy herds.
-snip-
The testing plan, which will involve monthly or weekly sample collection from bulk milk tanks and dairy processors, will be rolled out first in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Oregon, Vilsack said.

The latter three states have not reported bird flu infections in dairy cattle.

"It gives us the opportunity to get potentially a heads up about potentially new virus in areas of a state that currently has the virus, or new states," Vilsack said of the testing.

The agency will begin the testing on Dec. 16, Vilsack said.

The pace of testing will depend on whether virus is detected in initial sampling, said Rosemary Sifford, USDA's chief veterinarian.

Continued...
​
https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-us-issues-order-mandating-171202238.html

​

 

[Pathfinder]

WastewaterSCAN Dashboard

​

​https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tra...QtMTItMTGKAQY1NzQ5NzA=&selectedChartId=574970

 

[Treyfish]

Bird flu can infect horses without causing any symptoms, according to new research.

​
Dec 12, 2024 #skynews #avianflu #healthA new study from Glasgow University has shown that horses in Asia have been infected with H5N1, avian flu, and that infections have been occurring undetected, raising fears that the virus could be spreading unnoticed. It's the latest development in a global outbreak that is alarming scientists, as the H5N1 virus is widely seen as the most likely cause of the next pandemic. Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, Dr Tulio de Oliveira, who first detected the Omicron variant in the COVID pandemic, says he is watching events in the US with dread saying “the last thing that they would need at the moment is another pathogen that evolved and mutated”.​
:tiphat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC3Ne9XBi5E

 

[Treyfish]

was just telling a guy 8 days ago horses were next because I haven’t heard of any on all these farms but you got to figure everything else is catching it. The report is from a Mongolian study.
:tiphat:
https://news.sky.com/story/virus-mo...ed-to-humans-from-horses-study-finds-13271625

 

[sharon sanders]

was just telling a guy 8 days ago horses were next because I haven’t heard of any on all these farms but you got to figure everything else is catching it. The report is from a Mongolian study.
:tiphat:
https://news.sky.com/story/virus-mo...ed-to-humans-from-horses-study-finds-13271625

Please see:

EID Journal: Evidence of Influenza A(H5N1) Spillover Infections in Horses, Mongolia​

 

[Commonground]

Media
December 13, 2024 Updated: 1 hour ago​

MAMMOTH LAKES, California (KOLO) - Officials in Mammoth Lakes, California say they have detected avian influenza in the sewage system.

They say they found the virus during a routine virus surveillance testing conducted since Nov. 13. Officials also say avian flu infections in California dairy herds and commercial poultry flocks are widespread, with numerous localities having recently found avian flu in wastewater.

This wastewater detection is the second time the virus has been detected in Mono County, the first time being when two mountain lions were found dead near Mono Lake during the winter of 2022-2023. Investigation determined they were apparently killed by the virus.

Officials say they are unsure where the flu detected in the wastewater is coming from, but that it does not appear to be a sign of human flu infections. Experts tell Mono County officials they are most likely detecting virus in milk that has been dumped down the drain.

https://www.kolotv.com/2024/12/13/avian-flu-found-mammoth-lakes-sewage-system/
​

 

[Commonground]

Media: Forbes
Concerns Grow Over Bird Flu Risks From Raw Milk
Dec 13, 2024,
Judy Stone
Senior Contributor, Dr. Judy Stone focuses her writing on infectious diseases.​
​
Excerpt:

It’s not only people who are at risk from raw milk. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating the deaths of two cats from H5N1 after they drank raw milk linked to the recalled batches from Raw Farm, LLC. The LADPH is concerned enough that they even offered antiviral prophylaxis to the people in contact with the cats.​

https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2024/12/13/concerns-grow-over-bird-flu-risks-from-raw-milk/

 

[Commonground]

Louisiana Department of Health
LDH detects first presumptive positive human H5N1 case in Louisiana
December 13, 2024
​
Excerpt

[QUOTE Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces.... If you have been exposed to sick or dead birds or other animals or work on a farm where avian influenza has been detected, watch for respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis. If you get symptoms within 10 days after exposure to sick or dead animals, tell your healthcare provider that you have been in contact with sick animals and are concerned about avian influenza. This will help them give you appropriate advice on testing and treatment. Stay home and away from others while you have symptoms.[/QUOTE]

https://www.ldh.la.gov/news/H5N1-2024

 

[Commonground]

Mega-Farms Are Driving the Threat of Bird Flu

​December 14, 2024
An excellent read

Excerpts:

In the United States, a trend of consolidation in agriculture, particularly dairies, has seen more animals housed together on ever-larger farms as the number of small farms has rapidly shrunk. In 1987, half of the country’s dairy cows were in herds of 80 or more, and half in herds of 80 or fewer. Twenty years later, half the country’s cows were raised in herds of 1,300 or more. Today, 5,000-head dairies are common, especially in the arid West.​

Some researchers worry that large farms with multiple species are providing the optimal conditions for more species-to-species transfer. In North Carolina, the second-largest hog-producing state after Iowa, some farmers have started raising both chicken and hogs under contracts that require huge numbers of animals.

“So you’ve got co-location at a pretty substantial scale of herd size, on a single property,” said Chris Heaney, an associate professor of environmental health, engineering, epidemiology, and international health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In northern Colorado, home to dozens of large dairies, Schultz started to ask dairy workers in May if they were getting protective gear and whether anyone was falling ill. Many workers told her they were feeling fluish, but didn’t go to the doctor for fear of losing a day of work or getting fired.

“I feel like there’s a lot more avian flu incidents, but no one knows about it because they don’t go to the doctor and they don’t get tested,” Schultz said. “In all the months that we’ve been doing outreach and taking protective gear and flyers, we haven’t had one single person tell us they’ve been to the doctor.”

​
​https://www.wired.com/story/mega-farms-are-driving-the-threat-of-bird-flu/

 

[Commonground]

Another excellent read.

Impact of USDA Mandated Bird Flu Testing: Insights for Dairy Farmers
Friday, December 13th, 2024​

How will USDA’s bird flu testing in milk affect your farm? Find out how to prepare and protect your operations.

Summary:


The USDA has mandated national milk testing in response to rising bird flu cases, emphasizing biosecurity within the dairy industry. This involves regular sampling from bulk milk tanks and processors, initially focusing on states like California and Pennsylvania. Despite heightened human infections, public risk is low, although cross-species transmission remains under surveillance. The initiative aims to protect the milk supply and farmers, marking a new safety era, with potential financial implications due to testing and biosecurity investments. Key Takeaways:

• The USDA has issued a federal mandate for nationwide milk testing to detect bird flu, with initial implementation in six states.
• This testing move is a response to the rapid spread of bird flu among dairy herds, aiming for early detection and containment.
• Bird flu has significantly impacted dairy herds across the U.S., with over 700 infections reported, raising concerns for both the milk supply and human health.
• Human cases of bird flu have been recorded among farm workers, though there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
• The USDA’s testing requirements apply to farms and processors, who must provide raw milk for sampling and report any positive virus cases.
• Enhanced biosecurity practices and strict compliance with testing protocols are essential for dairy farmers to mitigate the risk of bird flu.

​Excerpt:

​

Sweeping Across States: Bird Flu’s Impact on Policy and Practice

• California is a place where bird flu can grow.
• California is still the leader in monitoring for bird flu, with more than 500 dairy herds reporting cases. Alarmingly high cases are a big reason why the USDA improved testing methods. Because of the state’s large dairy industry and long history of bird flu infections, there needs to be much stricter animal health monitoring. Because there are so many infected herds in California, it is a key part of the USDA’s plan to test all milk supply chains across the country to protect public health and milk supply chains.
• In Iowa, there was another cold front and the recent comeback.
• The situation in Iowa shows how hard it is to deal with dangerous resurgences of the virus at random. The fact that avian influenza has been found in both turkey and hen flocks recently is a stark reminder of how persistent the virus is. There is no doubt that these outbreaks have affected federal policy. Iowa is a major poultry producer, making discussing regional health measures and proactive surveillance more critical. As things like this happen, it becomes clearer how important it is to bridge the gap between finding new infections and implementing containment plans.
• Arizona: Getting Past the Species Line
• The report of probable human cases in Arizona is a worrying turn in the bird flu story. Even a single case of the virus being passed from animals to people is a red flag for health officials. This infection between species has sped up discussions about adding human health measures to animal health surveillance, supporting the USDA’s thorough testing case. These events change the conversation and force health officials to think about more complex and interconnected ways to stop and control diseases.

As a catalyst, the events in these states show how the USDA has responded decisively to a complex biosecurity threat. By combining these lessons into a unified national plan, the USDA can lead a well-informed fight against avian flu, strengthening the dairy and poultry industries.

...https://www.thebullvine.com/news/im...-bird-flu-testing-insights-for-dairy-farmers/
​

 

[Commonground]

December 22, 2024
NBC News
Key warning signs about bird flu are all going in the wrong direction

​Excerpt:

“The traffic light is changing from green to amber,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies infectious diseases. “So many signs are going in the wrong direction.”

No bird flu transmission between humans has been documented, and the CDC maintains that the immediate risk to public health is low. But scientists are increasingly worried, based on four key signals.

For one, the bird flu virus — known as H5N1 — has spread uncontrolled in animals, including cows frequently in contact with people. Additionally, detections in wastewater show the virus is leaving a wide-ranging imprint, and not just in farm animals.

Then there are several cases in humans where no source of infection has been identified, as well as research about the pathogen’s evolution, which has shown that the virus is evolving to better fit human receptors and that it will take fewer mutations to spread among people.

Together, experts say, these indicators suggest the virus has taken steps toward becoming the next pandemic.

“We’re in a very precarious situation right now,” said Scott Hensley, a professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania.

...https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/bird-flu-cases-spread-warning-signs-rcna185084
​

 

[Treyfish]

It’s blinking red unfortunately not many see it .

 

[Commonground]

December 22, 2024

H5N1: Big Cat Carnage- Housecat Raw Foods Threaten Meat's Flu-safe Reputation

Lots of lab work remains to narrow down the questions, but raw meat is in the cross hairs

​One of my best sources for early notifications of developing events is FluTrackers News and Information. Friday night I caught wind of a large cat die-off at a wild felid cat sanctuary in the state of Washington on post #7 on this link: Washington: 2024 Avian flu in mammals - FluTrackers News and Information.​
-snip-

On Saturday morning my second reliable source, Michael Coston with Avian Flu Diary posted updated information from the LA County Health Department (animal health division) regarding their investigations of H5N1 cat infections in LA county:​...
-snip-


The big cat die-off in Washington and the housecat case in Los Angeles both reinforce practical risks with H5N1 and raw meat. We will learn much in the next few weeks regarding species and genotypes involved in both cases; excessive speculation for required mitigations are premature.

Regardless, we are reminded once again by these cases as well as the recent FSIS positive H5N1 PCR finding that we lack knowledge regarding systemic virus presence in dairy cattle, potentially non-dairy cattle, and for other meat animal species (pigs, sheep and goats, etc.).

The existing research and postmortem evidence we already possess has shown viral presence in multiple tissues in addition to the udder. Cows consistently show respiratory signs with bloody nasal discharge and fluid imbalances prior to clinical mastitis; in fact, bulk tanks go positive up to 15 days pre-clinical outbreak, indicating that virus is systemically passing from the blood stream into milk very early. Baby calves have been shown by ARS researchers to become infected by ingestion of H5N1 positive milk, not yet published but disclosed at the Leman Swine Conference 2024.

Despite all this evidence, the dairy and regulatory establishment has clung to the theme of exclusive udder-based infections spread through fomite transmissions and spread through biosecurity breaches. I can only conclude that discarding this favored “lactating cow only” mechanism leads to the inescapable conclusion that ALL cattle classes of all ages may be susceptible to infection, requiring a much broader surveillance and response effort than either the dairy and beef cattle industry or regulatory medicine has been willing to muster to date.

It’s time for the entire U.S. red meat and milk industries to unite with their poultry partners to develop an ongoing strategy for addressing this serious virus H5 influenza virus complex. H5 assessments will need to expand beyond B3.13 to include newer strains as they arise, such as the current D1.X strains affecting poultry flocks.

We can start with 2 basic questions, researched free of political agendas:
​
continued: https://hogvet51.substack.com/p/h5n1-big-cat-carnage-housecat-raw

 

[Commonground]

The Rand Group
Getting Ahead of H5N1: Declare a Public Health Emergency, Expand Wastewater Testing, and Increase Vaccine Research and Availability—Sooner Rather Than Later

​Dec 23, 2024
The United States is failing to act decisively against the growing H5N1 threat, with human cases already emerging from unknown origins and evidence of widespread animal transmission. Without immediate nationwide livestock testing and isolation, expanded wastewater surveillance, and rapid vaccine distribution to at-risk populations, the virus risks mutating into a form capable of sustained human transmission—repeating the catastrophic delays of COVID-19. With the news of the first severe H5N1 case requiring hospitalization in Louisiana, concern for U.S. response has escalated. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on December 18th, in response to more than 300 herds testing positive in the last month. Time is running out to contain this threat before it spirals out of control.​
-snip-
"The ongoing H5N1 outbreak among U.S. dairy farms is proving to be a painful indicator of ever-present failures in response, coordination, and prioritization."
Coupled with a slow response and challenges in scaling up testing, there is growing concern that the outbreak could easily and rapidly spread beyond control.

Failing to act decisively risks repeating the missteps of early COVID-19 response efforts, where hesitation and underestimation allowed opportunities for containment to slip away. Building on heightened awareness and the lessons of recent history, we present three recommendations that, if enacted, can curtail H5N1 transmission, enhance preparedness for a potential human epidemic, and foster trust within the scientific and public health communities.

Recommendation 1: Declare H5N1 a PHE and mandate ongoing nationwide testing of representative samples of dairy and beef cattle, free of charge to farmers. Implement increased testing of farm and dairy workers, livestock vaccinations, and indemnity payments.
​-snip-
Recommendation 2: Expand CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance program to test for H5N1 and associated variants from different hosts.
-snip-
Recommendation 3: Make H5N1 vaccines available to anyone likely to have been exposed to infected animals, and prepare a plan for nationwide distribution.​
-snip-
...But the question remains: when is it best to distribute doses to farmworkers, dairy workers, or other individuals in close contact with animals, or the general population. Increasing concerns regarding viral reassortment and missed cases during the 2024/2025 seasonal flu season should prompt a rapid distribution of this available vaccine now.​...
-snip-
In conclusion, the ongoing H5N1 outbreak presents a critical test of the United States' ability to apply the hard-earned lessons of all too recent health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic and mpox outbreak. Mandating testing and isolation of at-risk livestock, expanding wastewater surveillance, ensuring protection for farms, and increasing vaccine availability are urgent steps to contain the virus, prevent further zoonotic spillover, and prepare for potential human-to- human transmission. By acting decisively now, we can reduce the risk of further disease transmission, safeguard public health, and reinforce the resilience of our national and global security infrastructure. The time to act is not when the threat becomes unmanageable—it is now, when swift, coordinated efforts can make the greatest impact.​

https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentar...f-h5n1-declare-a-public-health-emergency.html

RAND is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that provides leaders with the information they need to make evidence-based decisions
​

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Experts concerned about bird flu

Jessica Nadeau
Posted at 8:02 a.m.

A mutation of the avian flu virus, discovered through the case study of two infected people in North America, is causing concern. In an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine published on December 31, two experts speak of "the growing threat of H5N1 to human health." But there is no need to panic, say Quebec experts.

"It's certainly worrying," says Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal, who works in various research groups on the epidemiology of zoonoses and public health.

But for the public, there is no "direct concern at this point," he said. "For humans, the focus should be on farm workers, poultry workers and follow-up for [those who work with] dairy cattle." Indeed, the vast majority of cases reported in the United States involve people who work with animals.

“It takes close contact with sick animals or close contact with a contaminated surface,” Vaillancourt explains. “That’s why I say that for ordinary people, for members of the public, there’s no reason to panic. The risk is very low that someone like you will be infected, unless the virus becomes capable of passing from one human being to another. But there’s a good chance that we’ll know before it affects everyone because we do a lot of surveillance, we test in several places.”

He says Canada is doing better than the United States in terms of surveillance. He sees "an effort on the part of Public Health to engage with veterinarians" and with wildlife specialists who work with wild birds. "It's happening, and I would say that Canada is in a better position than the United States right now. There's a flow of data and exchange of information that's better than in the United States."

The other good news, he says, is that in Canada, unlike in the United States, there is no reason to believe that dairy cattle are infected. "We would know if there were any," he says. "But we have outbreaks in domestic birds right now. British Columbia is the most affected province. Then it's Alberta. In Ontario and Quebec, recently, we have had a few outbreaks, so the virus is in the environment, we have to be careful."

Canadian Teenager

It was in British Columbia, in fact, that the first human case of H5N1 flu in Canada was detected in the fall. According to the case study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine , the 13-year-old girl had to be hospitalized and intubated. She is now out of danger. In the United States, of the 65 people who were infected, only one man was hospitalized. But what is worrying is that in both cases, the source of the infection has not been determined.

The other thing is that in the Canadian teenager's case, researchers found "three mutations [of the virus] potentially associated with increased virulence and human adaptation," write columnists and experts Michael G. Ison and Jeanne Marrazzo in the New England Journal of Medicine .​ "It is not known whether these mutations were present in the infectious virus or whether they arose during the patient's illness," they say.

According to an article by Agence France-Presse published at the end of December, a mutation of the virus was also observed in the American sexagenarian who was hospitalized after being contaminated by the H5N1 virus.

No human transmission

The bird flu virus has been around for a long time, but it was only in 1997 that it became highly pathogenic. Since then, animals have been infected on every continent. "It is in more than 120 countries around the world, in at least 489 species of domestic and wild birds, dozens of mammals," says veterinarian Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt.

In humans, there have been deaths, particularly in Southwest Asia and Egypt, but the virus has never been transmitted from one person to another. "The concern of Public Health is that someone like you and me will have influenza in their human system, which will be able to reassort with avian influenza, explains Mr. Vaillancourt. In other words, if you have two strains of influenza in your body, you become a vessel [that will] allow an exchange of genetic material between two viruses." These mutations could then make transmission between humans possible. "If that happens, we would have a situation potentially comparable to COVID -19 ," predicts the specialist.

But we're far from there, he says. And unlike COVID-19, which took the world by surprise, experts have been preparing for an avian influenza pandemic for a very long time.

An “expected threat”

An observation shared by Denis Archambault, from the Department of Biological Sciences at UQAM. With his team, the researcher recently made a major breakthrough by developing a vaccine that could attack any variant of the H5N1 flu virus. An avian flu pandemic in humans following the evolution of the virus is a possibility for which the community is preparing.

"It's an expected threat," he says. "When it's going to happen, we don't know. And maybe it won't happen. That's another option."

For experts, we must therefore remain vigilant, continue to monitor all areas and continue research to develop vaccines.

"Without a better understanding of the extent of exposure to, infection with, and evolution and transmission of the virus, we will be unable to adequately protect our communities from a pathogen that has proven to be a formidable challenge to human and animal health," the editorialists in the New England Journal of Medicine conclude .

https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/sante/829156/inquietudes-experts-relativement-grippe-aviaire

--------------------------
See also:

The Emerging Threat of H5N1 to Human Health - NEJM EDITORIAL

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum...threat-of-h5n1-to-human-health-nejm-editorial
​

 

[Pathfinder]

Hat tip to Sharon:

December 31, 2024, 10:06 PM
For Immediate Release:

December 31, 2024 Public Health Warns Against Feeding Pets Raw Food Following H5 Bird Flu Virus Detection

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is advising residents to not feed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food sold at several farmers markets in California due to detection of H5 bird flu virus in product samples. A house cat that consumed this product has been confirmed H5 bird flu positive. Four other house cats from the same household are presumed to have also been positive for H5 bird flu after consuming the product.

Residents who fed their pets Monarch raw pet food products or other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pet is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their veterinarian. A listing of farmers market locations where the raw pet food was sold can be found on the product website.

Residents should avoid consumption of all raw milk and raw meat products and not feed these to their pets.

...
Go to post​

-------------------
From the link to the "product website" provided above:

(Please take note that this company statement was posted on January 3, which was four days following the press release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.)

​

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62d89ce7b18a3bef5ade55c6/67789acebe437367772eee7e_Monarch%20Statement%20v1. 1%2001-03-25.pdf