Colorado has recorded three presumptive H5N1 bird flu infections in the state from poultry workers, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the CDC, three people on a poultry farm in Colorado tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, most commonly known as the H5 bird flu.
Bird Flu Cases in Poultry Workers of Colorado
The trio had mild symptoms and samples have been sent to the CDC for further testing.
Everyone who had a presumptive positive test had mild symptoms and were workers participating in the depopulation of poultry at a facility with an H5N1 virus outbreak, which is present in wild birds and has been causing outbreaks in dairy cows and poultry across multiple states.
At the request of the state, a team from the CDC is being sent to Colorado to assist with their investigation.
Colorado authorities stated that individuals exhibited symptoms of conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, as well as typical symptoms of respiratory infections, with no hospitalizations reported.
State epidemiologists stated that the infections seem to have been contracted by coming into contact with infected poultry.
The current risk assessment by the CDC for the general population is still low. As the agency obtains more information, they have mentioned that they will keep evaluating the situation and giving updates.
Once more, the initial findings emphasize the danger of coming into contact with infected animals. No indications of sudden rises in flu levels have been observed in Colorado, as well as in other states impacted by the H5 avian flu epidemics among livestock and poultry.
Precautionary Measures To Prevent Pandemic Concerns
If confirmed, these cases would mark the fourth instance of bird flu in Colorado and the seventh in the United States since March. As per the CDC, a single case of H5N1 in humans connected to contact with poultry has been reported since April 28, 2022. In addition, there have been four human cases linked to contact with dairy cows since 2022, all of which have occurred in the current year.
Infections in humans from this new influenza virus are worrying because they could lead to serious illness and have the potential to trigger a pandemic if the virus changes to become more transmissible among humans. Nevertheless, there have been no identified genetic alterations in the virus to date that would raise the chances of human-to-human transmission.
The guidelines for H5N1 issued by the CDC are still the same. The current inquiry will decide if there is a necessity for any changes, specifically regarding the utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Throughout history, the majority of cases of bird flu in humans have been seen in people who did not use the recommended PPE. Examining the virus sequences in this outbreak will also aid in evaluating potential alterations in risk levels.
The CDC still recommends that people steer clear of getting too close for long periods of time or having unprotected contact with sick or deceased animals, such as wild birds, poultry, and other domesticated animals. This also involves refraining from coming into contact with animal waste, trash, raw milk, or items that have been in contact with animals believed or confirmed to have avian influenza.
