First case this year without a documented occupational exposure to infected animals.
On September 6th, the CDC confirmed a new human case of avian influenza A(H5), known as bird flu, in Missouri. This is the 14th case reported in the US this year and the first without documented occupational exposure to infected animals. The case was identified through Missouri's seasonal flu surveillance system and confirmed by CDC testing on September 5th. The patient, who had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized, treated with antiviral medications, and has since recovered.
Unlike the previous human cases this year, which involved direct contact with infected poultry or dairy cattle, this case does not have an obvious link to animal exposure. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is investigating potential alternative transmission routes.
The national flu surveillance system has previously detected other novel flu cases, but this is the first instance of H5 detection. The patient's specimen initially tested positive for flu A but negative for seasonal flu A subtypes, leading to further testing.
The FDA confirms that properly handled and cooked poultry, meat, and eggs are safe to eat. Proper cooking kills avian flu viruses, and the safety of the interstate commercial milk supply remains unaffected as milk is pasteurized before reaching the market. No consumers of poultry, eggs, or meat have been reported sickened.2
It is also important to note that no poultry, eggs, or meat consumers have gotten sick,2 but this investigation is ongoing.
The CDC monitors avian influenza cases across the US and investigating potential spread among people and animals. Sequencing of the neuraminidase (the "N") in the patient’s specimen is pending, and genome sequencing of the virus is ongoing. Current assessments indicate that the risk to the general public remains low due to the lack of sustained human-to-human transmission and limited virus spread.3
“CDC is actively looking at multiple flu indicators during the current situation to monitor for influenza A(H5N1) viruses, including looking for spread of the virus to, or among people, in jurisdictions where the virus has been identified in people or animals,” the federal agency writes.3
CDC recommendations related to H5 remain unchanged, but findings from the ongoing investigation may lead to updates in guidance.
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