First pediatric case of bird flu confirmed, but should we really be worried?

According to the BMJ, Canadian health officials confirmed that the boy had no underlying health conditions before contracting the virus. This is the first reported case of H5N1 avian influenza in humans in Canada. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on November 22 that it was the first confirmed case of avian influenza in a child in the United States.

So far, most cases have been reported among people who work with or near animals, such as poultry and dairy workers. But the CDC was unable to determine how the Missouri man, who had underlying health conditions, contracted the virus in September. “After several rounds of questioning, public health officials determined that he had no contact with animals or ingested unpasteurized dairy products,” said William, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Schaffner, MD, told Well+Good. . “We don’t know how he got infected, but he didn’t pass it on to anyone else.”

If you’re feeling excited after hearing the news of yet another deadly virus that is baffling doctors and making people sick, we know how you feel. Considering the state of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past five years, it’s hard not to feel a sense of panic.

This may give you some peace of mind. Experts say there is no need to panic at this point. “Is there an immediate risk to the average person in the United States? The risk is very close to zero,” Dr. Schaffner said. “Are we in public health and infectious diseases and the veterinary community watching this with hawk eyes? Absolutely.”

At this time, there is no evidence or suspicion that the currently circulating H5N1 strain of avian influenza can begin to infect more people. But if more people start becoming infected, or if authorities suspect the infection is spreading rapidly from person to person, they have several tools at their disposal. “We have already developed a blueprint for producing an avian influenza vaccine. All the preparatory work has already been completed, so if we need to start producing an avian influenza vaccine, we can start immediately. ” says Dr. Schaffner. He also points out that antiviral drugs used for influenza strains that make humans sick (such as Tamiflu) can also be used to treat bird flu. “We make sure that they have access to treatment if they need it.”

What is bird flu and who is at risk?

The current avian influenza outbreak has been ongoing for many years. “Since 2022, there has been a global outbreak of H5N1 influenza among wild birds,” Dr. Donald Dunford III, an infectious disease physician at the Cleveland Clinic, told Well+Good. “When migratory birds become infected, some can fly thousands of miles during their migrations, so the virus can spread over large geographic areas,” Dr. Schaffner says. In other words, contact with birds and their body fluids (such as saliva and poop) is the most common way the virus spreads from birds to humans.

“There have been a number of spillover events to other animals, including a very small number of cases of human infection,” Dr. Dunford said. The virus has infected a variety of animals, including seals, mink, and many domestic chicken and dairy herds.

Dr Dunford added that agricultural workers are currently most likely to be infected with avian influenza. However, many precautions are taken to protect them. “CDC currently recommends that livestock workers use personal protective equipment, including liquid-resistant coveralls and aprons, eyeglasses, N95 masks, hair coverings, gloves, and boots,” he said. say.

Symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses, Dr. Schaffner says. They include cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, and muscle pain. Conjunctivitis, or red eyes, is also a symptom, Dr. Schaffner added, and is likely to occur when a farmer touches an infected animal and then touches its face.

“For the most part, the cases so far have been relatively mild,” Dr. Dunford said. “Most people infected with H5N1 bird flu experience inflammation of the lining of the eye known as conjunctivitis, along with fever, chills, cough and sore throat.”

But people with underlying health conditions are more likely to get seriously ill from bird flu than those without, Dr. Schaffner said. (Note: Underlying conditions are chronic or long-term conditions that require ongoing treatment. This can range from conditions such as diabetes and liver disease to autoimmune diseases and cancer.)

However, there are some unusual situations occurring during the current outbreak. The Missouri man had no contact with animals and contracted the virus anyway. The Canadian teenager has no underlying health conditions but has severe symptoms. Nevertheless, experts “still” advise everyone to remain calm. “There’s no need to worry too much at this point,” Dr. Dunford says.

What you need to know about current trends

In the United States, 55 human cases of avian influenza have been reported. “All but one of these are related to animal exposure and were discovered through active surveillance that CDC conducts among agricultural workers. “The fact that we only have one case is great news at this point,” Dr Dunford said.

Current cases in the U.S. have been reported in California, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Washington, according to the CDC. Dr. Dunford added that international cases are also occurring in Asia, Europe and South America.

Is it possible that there will be another pandemic?

This is the difficult part. There is no guarantee that H5N1 avian influenza will not develop into a pandemic-level event. No one knows how the virus will evolve or whether it will eventually become more dangerous to humans.

“We can’t predict when or if this will happen,” Dr. Schaffner says. He added: “The current strain of avian influenza has been circulating around the world for about 20 years, but no outbreaks have occurred yet.”

Of course, infectious disease experts don’t want to lose sleep over this issue right now. “At this time, the risk of widespread human infection leading to a pandemic is considered to be low,” Dr. Dunford said.

Do you have any advice? Breathe in, relax your jaw, and rest your shoulders.

How can I protect myself?

Although the risk of avian influenza cases spreading to pandemic levels is low, we already know that prevention is key. Most people probably do not engage in activities that increase their risk of exposure to avian influenza. But just in case, here’s a quick checklist of prevention strategies recommended by the CDC.

Avoid touching dead or sick birds Avoid direct contact with wild birds Avoid consuming raw (unpasteurized) dairy or poultry products Immediately wash your hands after contact with animals Please wash.Call your doctor if you have flu-like symptoms.

The reason you shouldn’t consume raw dairy products is because “the pasteurization process kills microorganisms that may be present in dairy products, including the influenza virus,” Dr. Dunford says.

It is also a good idea to get the seasonal influenza vaccine during this time. “Although this is not aimed at bird flu itself, it is a good overall idea to reduce the risk of other circulating influenza viruses,” Dr Dunford says.

“The World Health Organization (WHO) conducts ongoing surveillance of influenza,” Dr. Schaffner says. “I think if this becomes more likely to be transmitted (between people), we’ll know very quickly. Our science has progressed and (from a surveillance perspective) we’re much more sophisticated about this issue today. It has been.”

The bottom line, experts say, is that while there are some unanswered questions about the current bird flu outbreak, there’s no need to go into a spiral over the issue today. And if a larger outbreak occurs (we hope not), we’ll update you with the latest news.