ETHealthWorld’s Post

⚡️ 🇺🇸 Health experts urge tighter biosecurity measures in global poultry production to monitor bird flu. Surveillance in live bird markets reveals high prevalence of avian influenza, increasing the risk of transmission to humans. A recent study highlights the need for bird flu control before poultry reaches wet markets, as nine in ten chickens become infected with the H9N2 virus within one day of entering. Vaccination and strengthened biosecurity are recommended strategies.

Federal agencies with competing interests are slowing the country’s ability to track and control an outbreak of highly virulent bird flu that for the first time is infecting cows in the United States, according to government officials and health and industry experts. The response has echoes of the early days of 2020, when the coronavirus began its deadly march around the world. Today, some officials and experts express frustration that more livestock herds aren’t being tested for avian flu, and that when tests and epidemiological studies are conducted, results aren’t shared fast enough or with enough detail. They fear that the delays could allow the pathogen to move unchecked — and potentially acquire the genetic machinery needed to spread swiftly among people. One dairy worker in Texas has already fallen ill amid the outbreak, the second U.S. case ever of this type of bird flu. Officials and experts said the lack of clear and timely updates by some federal agencies responding to the outbreak recall similar communication missteps at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. They point, in particular, to a failure to provide more details publicly about how the H5N1 virus is spreading in cows and about the safety of the milk supply. “This requires multiple agencies to coordinate and communicate internally, but most importantly externally, which doesn’t seem to be happening due to different cultures, priorities, legal responsibilities, scientific expertise, and agility,” said Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who writes a weekly infectious-diseases newsletter and has closely tracked the avian flu outbreak. “Mix that in with the usual challenges of scientific uncertainty, complexity and, quite frankly global pressure, and you got yourself an utterly, unacceptable mess.” A senior administration official said there have been “no competing interests.” The White House’s Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy is coordinating the outbreak response with relevant agencies “that are working quickly and methodically.” The government is “committed to sharing results as soon as possible,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “This work is an urgent priority as we work to ensure the continued effectiveness of the federal-state milk safety system and reinforce [the Food and Drug Administration’s] current assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the administration official said.

#EcoSaludGlobal WHO EPI-WIN Webinar: Public health risk of avian influenza A(H5N1) detected recently in dairy cattle https://lnkd.in/dDJyq4ps Background The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade of viruses which arose in 2020 from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and in domestic poultry. It spread globally and has been reported in non-avian species including, and most recently in dairy cattle. This has led to widespread concern. On 24th April 2024, WHO, FAO and WOAH published a joint risk assessment. This EPI-WIN webinar will explain the public health risks of the recent avian influenza detected in dairy cattle. Opening remarks – Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Director a.i., Epidemic and Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness (EPP) Moderator – Dr Wenqing Zhang, Head, Global Influenza Programme (GIP), WHO Speakers: Dr Aspen Hammond, Technical Officer, GIP Dr Moez Sanaa, Unit Head, Standard and Scientific Advice on Food Nutrition, WHO Dr Magdi Samaan, GIP, WHO Dr David Swayne, Influenza Veterinarian, USA Dr Mia Torchetti, USDA, USA Dr Richard Webby, WHO CC, St Jude Children’s Hospital, USA Dr Charles (Todd) Davis, CDC

🚨 H5N1 Avian Influenza Update 🚨 Since March 2024, there have been three isolated cases of H5N1 avian influenza in the US, all linked to infected cattle on separate farms in Michigan and Texas. It's crucial for farmworkers and those in close contact with livestock to follow safety guidelines. Key Points: ➡️No Human-to-Human Transmission: All cases are related to direct exposure to infected cattle. ➡️Mitigation Efforts: Monitoring, PPE for farmworkers, and strict testing protocols are in place. ➡️Treatment and Vaccine Development: Tamiflu remains the primary treatment, with ongoing efforts to develop an H5N1 vaccine. For more detailed information on H5N1, visit https://hubs.ly/Q02B6kGc0 #H5N1 #AvianFlu #PublicHealth #FarmSafety #HealthcareReady

A 70-year-old system could help us prepare a bird flu vaccine for humans (BBC) The widespread presence of bird flu in US cattle and milk has vaccine scientists on high alert. Avian influenza is no newcomer in human history. In 1918, a strain ripped through war-stricken populations, resulting in the deaths of more than 50 million people – more than any other recorded disease outbreak. Today, a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, named H5N1, is causing a global animal pandemic, though human infection with this strain has so far been very rare. Since the strain's emergence in 1996, it has led to the deaths of billions of poultry birds, killed millions of birds in the wild and infected at least 48 species of mammals. In the US, farm cats have died after drinking the unpasteurised milk of H5N1-infected cattle. (Read more about how bird flu became an animal pandemic.) The latest strain has not adapted to spread easily between humans. Since 2003, 463 people have died from the virus, which has a fearsome mortality rate of over 50% among humans. So far, cases of human-to-human transmission are thought to have been limited and non-sustained. But the virus's ability to jump from mammal to mammal may be changing. https://lnkd.in/gQY2Z84i

CDC’s update on the availability of influenza testing – CDC has announced that is working with pharmacy networks eTrueNorth and Walgreens on a pilot program to provide free influenza testing of symptomatic persons in California and one other state initially that have confirmed H5N1 bird flu infections in people, poultry, or livestock. By increasing testing for seasonal flu, the program is intends to act as a triage system for H5 testing, and hopefully identify more influenza A-positive specimens when farm or dairy workers are infected with H5N1 bird flu. https://sco.lt/7sNOmO #influenza #avianinfluenza #birdflu #evolution #H5N1 #HPAI #health #globalhealth #publichealth #medicine #CDC #WHO #ECDC

A case of bird flu in Missouri has researchers on edge as the infected individual had no known contact with potential animal carriers of the disease. The ongoing outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle in the United States is a cause for concern. The data from this recent case could shed light on a critical question: has the virus reached a tipping point where it can spread from human to human? However, the lack of comprehensive data is proving to be a major challenge. Missouri does not mandate farmers to test cows for H5N1, and the country is struggling to understand the precise mechanisms of the virus's transmission. To learn more about this worrisome development, check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/d6D-2Q6M

Following the confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in dairy cows in the South Central United States, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt is strongly urging farmers to enhance biosecurity practices on their farm, especially relating to wild birds in proximity to cattle. Leonhardt is encouraging West Virginia dairy farmers to use caution in the movement of dairy cows from affected dairies in states that have ongoing cases. One human case has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a Texas dairy farm worker who exhibited signs of eye redness (consistent with conjunctivitis), with no other symptoms, and is recovering. https://lnkd.in/edySsEe4

👀 👀 Nearly 70 #Colorado-based #poultry workers now have symptoms of the #avian #birdflu. 😷 💉 💊 I fear that widespread, cavalier attitudes toward #publichealth mitigation measures such as #masking with high-quality masks ( #n95 or better) will mean we aren't taking the early preventative measures to stop the spread of #H5N1. 🚨 🚨🚨"Based on available human case data to date, the case fatality rate of avian influenza A(H5N1) is approximately 52%." 🤒 Symptoms of #H5N1: ✅ Fever (often high fever, > 38°C) ✅ Malaise ✅ Cough ✅ Sore throat ✅ Muscle aches ✅ Conjunctivitis (red, inflamed eyes) 🚥 Source: https://lnkd.in/dxYdiQtJ 🚥 https://lnkd.in/dJhTwrA4