Treyfish
Moderator
Bird flu cases are likely being missed in dairy workers, experts say
Experts maintain the milk supply is safe. Their focus is on keeping the people who work with cows from getting sick.
April 26, 2024, 7:06 PM EDT
By Erika Edwards
Dr. Barb Petersen, a dairy veterinarian in Amarillo, Texas, had been caring for sick cows for several weeks in Marchwhen she and a colleague finally pinned down the cause of the illness among the herd: the H5N1 strain of the bird flu.
It was the first time the virus had been detected in cattle.
The sick cows, said Petersen, who owns Sunrise Veterinary Service, tended to produce milk that didn’t look quite right, and had mastitis, an inflammation of the udders.
During that same time, she said, dairy workers — including those who were never in close contact with the sick cows — also fell ill.
“People had some classic flu-like symptoms, including high fever, high fever, sweating at night, chills, lower back pain,” as well as upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, Petersen said. “They also tended to have “pretty severe conjunctivitis and swelling of their eyelids.”
Petersen noted that the people were never tested for H5N1; it’s possible that their symptoms were the result of another illness…..
At least 44 others may have been exposed, the CDC said. Some have been tested, while others were asked to monitor symptoms,such as cough, sore throat, pinkeye, fever, headache and diarrhea.
Dr. Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, said he’s heard reports of flu-like illnesses on affected dairy farms.
“It’s certainly not a large amount,” he said, “but there’s probably a lot of cases
…..
Our job right now is to protect farmworkers,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health. “We can’t do that unless we know where the virus is or where it isn’t.”
It’s still unclear how the bird flu virus spreads from cows to people, though some experts said it could be through multiple paths, such as contact with milk, contaminated milking equipment, or even respiratory droplets.
“I think everything’s on the table at this point,” said Dr. Andrew…… :tiphat:
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...y-missed-dairy-workers-experts-say-rcna149520
Experts maintain the milk supply is safe. Their focus is on keeping the people who work with cows from getting sick.
Experts maintain the milk supply is safe. Their focus is on keeping the people who work with cows from getting sick.
April 26, 2024, 7:06 PM EDT
By Erika Edwards
Dr. Barb Petersen, a dairy veterinarian in Amarillo, Texas, had been caring for sick cows for several weeks in Marchwhen she and a colleague finally pinned down the cause of the illness among the herd: the H5N1 strain of the bird flu.
It was the first time the virus had been detected in cattle.
The sick cows, said Petersen, who owns Sunrise Veterinary Service, tended to produce milk that didn’t look quite right, and had mastitis, an inflammation of the udders.
During that same time, she said, dairy workers — including those who were never in close contact with the sick cows — also fell ill.
“People had some classic flu-like symptoms, including high fever, high fever, sweating at night, chills, lower back pain,” as well as upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, Petersen said. “They also tended to have “pretty severe conjunctivitis and swelling of their eyelids.”
Petersen noted that the people were never tested for H5N1; it’s possible that their symptoms were the result of another illness…..
At least 44 others may have been exposed, the CDC said. Some have been tested, while others were asked to monitor symptoms,such as cough, sore throat, pinkeye, fever, headache and diarrhea.
Dr. Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, said he’s heard reports of flu-like illnesses on affected dairy farms.
“It’s certainly not a large amount,” he said, “but there’s probably a lot of cases
…..
Our job right now is to protect farmworkers,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health. “We can’t do that unless we know where the virus is or where it isn’t.”
It’s still unclear how the bird flu virus spreads from cows to people, though some experts said it could be through multiple paths, such as contact with milk, contaminated milking equipment, or even respiratory droplets.
“I think everything’s on the table at this point,” said Dr. Andrew…… :tiphat:
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...y-missed-dairy-workers-experts-say-rcna149520
Experts maintain the milk supply is safe. Their focus is on keeping the people who work with cows from getting sick.
