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Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/6/23-0103_article
Volume 29, Number 6—June 2023
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Risk for Infection in Humans after Exposure to Birds Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus, United States, 2022
Krista Kniss1Comments to Author , Kelsey M. Sumner1, Katie J. Tastad, Nathaniel M. Lewis, Lauren Jansen, Derek Julian, Mike Reh, Emily Carlson, Robin Williams, Samir Koirala, Bryan Buss, Matthew Donahue, Jennifer Palm, Leslie Kollmann, Stacy Holzbauer, Min Z. Levine, Todd Davis, John R. Barnes, Brendan Flannery, Lynnette Brammer, and Alicia Fry
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (K. Kniss, K.M. Sumner, K.J. Tastad, N.M. Lewis, L. Jansen, M. Reh, B. Buss, S. Holzbauer, M.Z. Levine, T. Davis, J.R. Barnes, B. Flannery, L. Brammer, A. Fry); Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (L. Jansen, D. Julian, M. Reh, E. Carlson, R. Williams, S. Koirala, B. Buss, M. Donahue); Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA (J. Palm, L. Kollmann, S. Holzbauer)
Abstract
During February 7─September 3, 2022, a total of 39 states experienced outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in birds from commercial poultry farms and backyard flocks. Among persons exposed to infected birds, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) viral RNA was detected in 1 respiratory specimen from 1 person.
Infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus results in high mortality rates in chickens, gallinaceous birds, and some wild bird species (1). Potential for HPAI virus transmission and adaptation to human hosts poses a pandemic risk (2). In 2021, HPAI viruses belonging to influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b were detected worldwide in migrating birds and commercial poultry flocks (3). HPAI H5N1 viruses were first detected in the United States in January 2022 in hunter-harvested wild birds in North and South Carolina (4); reports of infected wild and domesticated birds in other states followed. Infection risk among persons exposed to birds with H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection is unknown, although 2 human cases were reported in China, 1 in Chile, 1 in Ecuador, 2 in Spain, and 1 in the United Kingdom (5,6) . Using active symptom monitoring of exposed persons in the United States during February 7–September 3, 2022, we estimated the risk for symptomatic H5N1 virus infection in humans and developed a surveillance protocol for monitoring asymptomatic infection by using serologic testing among persons exposed to H5N1- infected birds...
Volume 29, Number 6—June 2023
dispatch
Risk for Infection in Humans after Exposure to Birds Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus, United States, 2022
Krista Kniss1Comments to Author , Kelsey M. Sumner1, Katie J. Tastad, Nathaniel M. Lewis, Lauren Jansen, Derek Julian, Mike Reh, Emily Carlson, Robin Williams, Samir Koirala, Bryan Buss, Matthew Donahue, Jennifer Palm, Leslie Kollmann, Stacy Holzbauer, Min Z. Levine, Todd Davis, John R. Barnes, Brendan Flannery, Lynnette Brammer, and Alicia Fry
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (K. Kniss, K.M. Sumner, K.J. Tastad, N.M. Lewis, L. Jansen, M. Reh, B. Buss, S. Holzbauer, M.Z. Levine, T. Davis, J.R. Barnes, B. Flannery, L. Brammer, A. Fry); Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (L. Jansen, D. Julian, M. Reh, E. Carlson, R. Williams, S. Koirala, B. Buss, M. Donahue); Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA (J. Palm, L. Kollmann, S. Holzbauer)
Abstract
During February 7─September 3, 2022, a total of 39 states experienced outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in birds from commercial poultry farms and backyard flocks. Among persons exposed to infected birds, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) viral RNA was detected in 1 respiratory specimen from 1 person.
Infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus results in high mortality rates in chickens, gallinaceous birds, and some wild bird species (1). Potential for HPAI virus transmission and adaptation to human hosts poses a pandemic risk (2). In 2021, HPAI viruses belonging to influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b were detected worldwide in migrating birds and commercial poultry flocks (3). HPAI H5N1 viruses were first detected in the United States in January 2022 in hunter-harvested wild birds in North and South Carolina (4); reports of infected wild and domesticated birds in other states followed. Infection risk among persons exposed to birds with H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection is unknown, although 2 human cases were reported in China, 1 in Chile, 1 in Ecuador, 2 in Spain, and 1 in the United Kingdom (5,6) . Using active symptom monitoring of exposed persons in the United States during February 7–September 3, 2022, we estimated the risk for symptomatic H5N1 virus infection in humans and developed a surveillance protocol for monitoring asymptomatic infection by using serologic testing among persons exposed to H5N1- infected birds...