CDC warns of bird flu case
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday that officials have identified a second case of the H5N1 bird flu.
A 55-year-old Michigan dairy worker became ill after working with H5N1-infected cattle, the CDC said in a news release. While an upper respiratory sample tested negative, a sample from his eye confirmed the H5N1 bird flu infection.
A Texas farm worker was diagnosed with the disease in March. Both the Michigan and Texas patients suffered from conjunctivitis, or pink eye. Neither showed signs of a respiratory infection.
“Conjunctivitis (eye infection) has been associated with previous human infections with avian influenza A viruses and is part of the current CDC case definition for A(H5N1) surveillance,” the CDC explained in a Wednesday news release.
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This year, at least two farm workers have been infected with H5N1 bird flu. (iStock)
“Although it is not known exactly how eye infections result from exposure to bird flu, this could be due to contamination of the eyes, possibly from a splash of contaminated liquid, or from touching the eyes with something contaminated with A(H5N1) . virus, like a hand.”
The Texas case was the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. It was the first time worldwide that a human contracted H5 bird flu from a cow.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that at least 49 dairy herds in nine states have been exposed to H5N1. On Wednesday, the CDC claimed that the health risk posed by H5N1 bird flu to humans remains low.
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Fatinah Albeez, a research associate at the Broad Institute's Sabeti lab, works with milk samples in May 2024. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“Based on available information, this infection does not change the current H5N1 avian flu risk assessment for the American public, which the agency believes is low,” the CDC said. “However, this development underlines the importance of recommended precautions in people exposed to infected or potentially infected animals.”
Officials are still monitoring the outbreak but say pasteurized milk is safe to drink.
“I can say without reservation that our commercial milk and meat supplies are safe,” USDA official Eric Deeble said during a May 16 briefing. “At no time were animals sick with H5N1 or any other animal disease allowed into our food supply.”
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Jon Arizti Sanz, PhD, postdoctoral researcher working in the laboratory testing bird flu samples in May 2024.
The CDC encourages Americans to avoid exposure to dead animals and animal waste. Officials also discourage drinking raw milk.
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“Following these recommendations is critical to reducing an individual's risk and limiting the overall risk to public health,” the organization advised.
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
For more health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
