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How bird flu can infect people

2024-12-24 15:27:00, Shëndeti CNA

There have been 61 confirmed cases of bird flu in the United States, including a 65-year-old man from Louisiana who was hospitalized in critical condition due to the illness.

Most human cases of bird flu, caused by the A(H5) avian influenza virus, have been mild so far, and most were in people who had exposure to sick or infected animals.

The severity of illness associated with bird flu has ranged from mild to severe, including death, according to the Centers for Disease and Infection Control. The reported signs and symptoms of bird flu in humans have varied.

Eye redness has been the predominant symptom among recent cases in the US. Respiratory symptoms and fever were also reported.

The two groups of people most at risk of contracting bird flu are farm workers who work with cows or poultry and people who keep backyard flocks of chickens, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Disease Research and Policy. University of Minnesota Infectious.

He told CNN that the virus can be shed from chickens and become airborne, so direct contact is not necessary to catch the disease. The virus can also live in the udders of dairy cows and has been found in raw and unpasteurized milk.

The best way to protect yourself is to avoid sources of exposure. The virus that causes bird flu cannot be destroyed by chilling, but it can be killed through pasteurization, so stick to pasteurized products.

People who work in potentially infectious environments, such as a farm or rescue setting, should wear PPE personal protective equipment, the CDC notes:

The Food and Drug Administration says eggs purchased at retail markets are safer to eat because safeguards are in place to test infected birds. However, the FDA still advises that eggs be stored properly and cooked thoroughly before eating.

According to USA Today, in other countries bird flu has killed about half of the people who have been infected, but in the US there have been no deaths so far and most cases are mild.

Health officials have not recommended vaccination against bird flu, although they have prepared about 10 million doses of the H5N8 vaccine that they believe will be effective against the H5N1 bird flu virus currently circulating. In Finland, health officials distributed that vaccine to people who work with minks.

The virus has not been transmitted between humans to date, but this is one of the red flags officials will look for before taking more aggressive action to suppress the spread of bird flu./ CNA