Colorado dairy employee assessments optimistic for fowl flu, fourth particular person linked to outbreak

A fourth farm employee has been contaminated with fowl flu within the rising outbreak linked to dairy cows, well being officers reported Wednesday.

The employee had direct contact with contaminated dairy cows on a northeast Colorado farm, state and federal well being officers stated. The person developed pink eye, or conjunctivitis, obtained antiviral remedy and has recovered.

Three earlier circumstances of human an infection linked to cows have been reported in dairy employees in Texas and Michigan since March. Two of these employees additionally developed pink eye, whereas one had gentle respiratory signs, In 2022, the primary U.S. case of fowl flu was detected in a Colorado farm employee uncovered to contaminated poultry.

The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated the brand new an infection “doesn’t change” the company’s evaluation that the chance to most people stays low. Surveillance techniques monitoring flu within the U.S. have proven no uncommon exercise, officers stated. Nonetheless, individuals with extended contact with to contaminated birds or different animals, together with livestock, or to their environments, are at increased threat of an infection.

The Colorado man was being monitored when he developed signs due to his work with dairy cows, in line with the CDC. Checks on the state degree had been inconclusive, however samples despatched to CDC examined optimistic. Full outcomes of genetic evaluation of the pattern are pending.

As of Wednesday, greater than 135 dairy herds in a dozen states had reported infections with the H5N1 virus that originated in poultry, in line with the Agriculture Division.

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