What’s the story
The prognosis of the H5N1 chook flu virus in a Texas farm employee within the United States, the second human case within the United States, has raised considerations.
The virus has additionally been detected in dairy cattle throughout 5 states within the nation.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed this as the primary occasion of chook flu transmission to dairy cattle throughout the nation.
Here’s what we learn about it.
Understanding the H5N1 chook flu pressure
Bird flu, often known as avian influenza Type A, is a extremely infectious illness that primarily impacts birds.
The H5N1 pressure was first recognized in home waterfowl in China and has since unfold globally via migratory birds.
Recently, this pressure has jumped from birds to mammals, together with quite a lot of species from sea birds to cows.
Global influence of H5N1 on human well being
Human circumstances of chook flu have been sporadic since an outbreak in Hong Kong’s poultry trade in 1997.
While most human infections have been reported in Asia, there have additionally been circumstances in Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2003 and 2024, there have been 887 human circumstances of H5N1 with an estimated fatality price of 52 p.c.
Experts warn of potential chook flu pandemic
Despite the comparatively low variety of human infections, many have resulted in fatalities.
Experts warn {that a} chook flu pandemic might pose a higher risk than Covid-19.
John Fulton, founding father of Canada-based pharmaceutical firm BioNiagara, said that the H5N1 pressure “seems to be 100 occasions worse than Covid.”
Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a chook flu researcher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, added that “now we’re getting dangerously near this virus doubtlessly inflicting a pandemic.”
Current transmission dynamics of chook flu
The virus has not but developed to transmit from one person to a different.
Most people recognized with chook flu worldwide have had shut contact with contaminated birds or mammals however haven’t transmitted the illness to different people.
The affected person in Texas is believed to have contracted the virus from contaminated dairy cows, marking the primary occasion of cow-to-human unfold of chook flu.
The solely symptom exhibited by the contaminated farm employee was eye redness or conjunctivitis.
