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With the rise of bird flu in dairy cattle and chickens, human cases are also declining, leading many to wonder if they could be a threat to the recent virus.
Bird flu is very rare in humans. Sixty one Human affairs According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they have been confirmed in the US this year, and all but three have been in people who work in poultry or dairy farming.
As the name suggests, avian influenza viruses prefer to infect birds. They enter cells by attaching to sugars called silicic acid. H5N1, the bird flu virus behind the ongoing pandemic in the US, has actually shown affinity for sialic acid receptors that are abundant in the respiratory system of birds.
But influenza viruses can change rapidly, and as of 2022, H5N1 is infecting a wide variety of mammals, including dairy cattle.
That's what scientists are on the lookout for because the more it spreads in animals, the better it can find new hosts.
Research According to a study published last week in the journal Science, a key change in the virus's genetic material allows it to attach itself to a type of sialic acid that is abundant in the nose and lungs of humans. But it's nearly impossible to predict when that might happen — or if ever.
When people get bird flu, it's almost always through contact with infected animals. All but one of these are simple.
The first serious case in the United States was reported this week in a man who was hospitalized in critical condition in Louisiana. The CDC said Wednesday that the person was exposed to sick and dead birds on their property, not from a commercial poultry farm.
No one infected with H5N1 in the United States is known to have passed it on to another person. Because of this, the CDC estimates that the risk to the public is low, but there are certain jobs and situations that increase a person's risk of contracting bird flu.
Dr. Michael Osterholm, who directs the Center for Infection Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the two groups of people are farm workers who work with cows or poultry and people who look after backyard herds.
Birds shed the virus in their saliva, mucus, and feces, and their droppings and feathers can become airborne when they are burned in barns, especially during moulting.
“It could be up in the air,” Osterholm said. “So it's not just about touching the birds, it's just the dust and the dust that happens when you come in contact with the birds.”
The virus also lives on the udder of milking cows Studies have been found High levels of bird flu virus in raw or uncooked milk.
Dairy dairies are wet areas, and workers can become infected if they get raw milk in their eyes or if they get milk on their hands and then rub their eyes. Virus-laden milk droplets can become airborne if they are sprayed from milking equipment.
One of the most common symptoms of infected farm workers is red, irritated eyes or conjunctivitis. This is possible because human eyes share the same sialic acid receptors found in birds.
What about drinking raw milk?
They have cats contaminated After drinking raw cow's milk. Calves have also been reported sick after drinking contaminated milk.
“We don't have the same information for people,” says Osterholm.
No human infections have been linked to raw milk consumption, although an infant in California recently tested positive for influenza after drinking too much raw milk. The CDC could not confirm the presence of the infection It was bird flu, however, and this child was listed as a suspected case.
But there is more. Data on other pathogens that may be found in raw milk, although there is no specific evidence for H5N1. In the year In 2023 and 2024, epidemics coli And Salmonella The infection returned to raw milk. It can also contain other pathogens such as Listeria and Campylobacter.
Pasteurization kills all of these harmful germs, including H5N1, the latest Government study It shows.
However, the refrigerator does not work. A A recent study By inoculating raw milk from Stanford University with the virus and testing it on cells in a petri dish, he found that the virus can infect cells for up to five days after being refrigerated.
The best way to protect yourself from bird flu is to avoid sources of exposure. As he says CDC.
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People can get bird flu when enough virus gets into their eyes, nose, or mouth, or they breathe it in.
For this reason, the CDC recommends that people stay away from sick or dead birds or other animals, and avoid touching surfaces contaminated with feces or saliva, such as litter or bedding.
If you must handle sick birds, cows, or other animals, such as on a farm or at a rescue, the CDC recommends wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE. This includes:
- Glasses
- Disposable gloves
- N95 face mask
- Covers
- Rubber boots
Raw milk can carry many dangerous germs, so experts recommend avoiding it and sticking to pasteurized dairy products.
But what about raw eggs? of says the US Food and Drug Administration. Because birds get sick so quickly from avian flu and there are safeguards such as testing to prevent infected eggs from reaching the market, it is absurd to put eggs from an infected flock on the shelf.
Still, it's a good idea to cook eggs and poultry at a safe temperature and avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods in the kitchen.