Animals

Opinion: Why the New Human Case of Bird Flu Is So Alarming and the need for better monitoring

Mon, 2024-06-03 11:13 — mike kraft

The third human case of H5N1, reported on Thursday in a farmworker in Michigan who was experiencing respiratory symptoms, tells us that the current bird flu situation is at a dangerous inflection point.

The virus is adapting in predictable ways that increase its risk to humans, reflecting our failure to contain it early on. The solutions to this brewing crisis — such as comprehensive testing — have been there all along, and they’re becoming only more important. If we keep ignoring the warning signs we have only ourselves to blame.

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Bird flu infects third US dairy worker; Michigan set to expand testing

Thu, 2024-05-30 15:40 — mike kraft

Bird flu infects third US dairy worker; Michigan set to expand testing A third U.S. dairy worker tested positive for bird flu after exposure to infected cows, and was the first to suffer respiratory problems, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Leah Douglas,Julie Steenhuysen,Tom Polansek Reuters

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Bird flu: US Could See Spike in Cases After Bird Migration Season

Fri, 2024-05-24 10:18 — mike kraft

US Could See Spike in Bird Flu Cases After Migration Season Birds may have spread the disease while migrating for breeding season over the spring. Jordan King Newsweek

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In spring, birds usually return to their breeding grounds, meaning they are making cross-country journeys, often stopping to take breaks along the way. The stopover locations can act as hotbeds for the spread of bird flu, especially if they are near farmland, where infected birds can leave contaminated saliva and feces, transmitting the disease to poultry animals.

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Many US dairy workers yet to receive protective gear for bird flu

Thu, 2024-05-23 12:46 — mike kraft

Many US dairy workers yet to receive protective gear for bird flu Many U.S. dairy farms have not yet increased health protections against bird flu for employees during an outbreak in cows, according to workers, activists and farmers, worrying health experts about the risk for more human infections of a virus with pandemic potential. Tom Polansek,Heather Schlitz Reuters

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Lessons from investigating the original outbreak of bird flu in Texas

Thu, 2024-05-23 10:47 — mike kraft

Clues From Bird Flu’s Ground Zero on Dairy Farms in the Texas Panhandle - KFF Health News Dairy farmers and veterinarians in northern Texas furiously investigated a mysterious illness among cattle before the government got involved. Their observations are telling. khnkit KFF Health News

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Bird flu in cows - is it inching closer to humans?

Thu, 2024-05-23 10:19 — mike kraft

Avian flu is in cows in the US - is it inching closer to humans? The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been around since 1996, but until now its been largely confined to animals. But it has now jumped to cattle in America and some think it means we are inching towards eventual human-to-human infection, with potentially serious consequences. BBC News

... the (spread of the virus between states seems to be down to the movement of infected cows across state lines. ...

Reporting and surveillance of cattle movement in the US is poor compared with the UK and Europe where the BSE outbreaks of the mid-nineties led to all cows having to be tagged.

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Bird flu: Australia reports first human avian flu infection

Thu, 2024-05-23 10:05 — mike kraft

Australia reports first human avian flu infection Australia reported its first human case of avian influenza on Wednesday in a child who authorities said had been infected in India but made a full recovery, while a different highly contagious strain was found on an egg farm. Peter Hobson Reuters

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Store-bought milk could be another way to track the bird flu outbreak in cows

Wed, 2024-05-22 13:06 — mike kraft

Move over, wastewater. Store-bought milk could be another way to track the bird flu outbreak in cows Store-bought milk could provide a work-around, University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson researchers suggested, similar to wastewater surveillance. Helen Branswell STAT

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U.S. Raw milk sales rise despite bird flu warnings

Wed, 2024-05-15 10:17 — mike kraft

People are drinking raw milk 'like crazy' as sales rise despite bird flu warnings Although raw milk is considered one of the "riskiest" foods people can consume, social media influencers heavily promote unpasteurized products. NBC News

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Since March 25, when the bird flu virus was confirmed in U.S. cattle for the first time, weekly sales of raw cow’s milk have ticked up 21% to as much as 65% compared with the same periods a year ago, according to the market research firm NielsenIQ.

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