The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are closely monitoring potential red flags related to the bird flu and its potential to develop into a pandemic, as reported recently. Currently, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S., with the CDC planning to resume updates on human cases after the holiday break on Jan. 3.
The CDC spokesperson highlighted the significance of identifying epidemiologically linked clusters of influenza A(H5N1) human cases, as this could indicate a higher potential for the virus to spread between humans. The CDC is actively searching for genetic changes in circulating viruses that might suggest an increased ability to transmit between humans.
Red flags being monitored by the CDC include outbreaks that spread from person-to-person and evidence of virus mutation, according to Newsweek. A recent case in Louisiana involved a patient hospitalized with severe bird flu illness who was found to have a mutated version of the virus, falling into the red flag category.
The CDC's analysis revealed low-frequency mutations in the hemagglutinin gene of the patient's sample, not present in virus sequences from poultry samples on the patient's property, indicating emergence post-infection. While such changes are rare in humans, they have been reported in severe cases of A(H5N1) in other countries.
Despite these developments, the CDC emphasized that there has been no known transmission of the virus from the Louisiana patient to others. Avian influenza, or HPAI, is a highly contagious virus that can spread through various means among flocks, including contact with infected animals, equipment, and caretakers' clothing and shoes.
According to the CDC, the public health risk associated with avian influenza remains low, with assurance that no birds or bird products infected with HPAI will enter the commercial food chain.
