Person infected with bird flu through contact with dairy cattle
Washington DC - A person in the United States is recovering from bird flu after being exposed to dairy cattle, official statements said Monday.
It is only the second case of a person testing positive for bird flu in the country and comes after the virus sickened herds in Texas, Kansas, and several other states over the past week.
"The patient reported eye redness [consistent with conjunctivitis] as their only symptom and is recovering," said the Centers for Disease.
They were told to isolate and are being treated with the antiviral drug used for the flu.
The CDC added the infection does not change its bird flu human health risk assessment for the US general public, which it rates as low.
The first case occurred in Colorado in 2022 – however, that was through infected poultry.
Experts are worried about the increasing number of mammals infected by the current H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and its potential for mammal-to-mammal spread, even as cases among humans remain highly rare.
Are humans facing an increased risk of bird flu?
The Texas Health Department added that cattle infections do not present a concern for the commercial milk supply, as dairies are required to destroy milk from sick cows.
Pasteurization also kills any viruses.
It added it was working to provide guidance to affected dairies about how to minimize workers' exposure, and how people who work with affected cattle should monitor for symptoms and get tested.
Cover photo: IMAGO / SuperStock