In a concerning development, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first human case of bird flu (H5N1 virus) without known animal contact. The case was detected in Missouri through the state’s routine seasonal flu surveillance system, marking a significant shift in how these cases are identified.The patient, a 22-year-old with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized on August 22, treated with antiviral medications, and has since recovered and been discharged. This is the 14th human case of bird flu in the U.S. in 2024, but the first without a reported animal contact.While the CDC maintains that the risk to the general public remains low, the case has raised concerns among health experts. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert, emphasized the need for a detailed investigation, stating, ‘The question now is: how did this patient acquire the infection? We need a very thorough examination’.The World Health Organization (WHO) considers it encouraging that the case was detected by the national surveillance system and that the patient was treated promptly. However, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s pandemic and epidemic prevention specialist, stressed the importance of further investigation into the patient’s exposure.Experts fear that increased circulation of the virus could facilitate a mutation allowing human-to-human transmission. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, suggested that the Missouri patient might have caught a different strain of the virus after coming into contact with an infected migratory bird.The CDC recommends avoiding contact with sick or dead animals and warns against drinking raw milk, as pasteurization kills the virus. As the investigation continues, health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance of animal diseases to protect both animal and human health.
Key points
- First U.
- Patient, a 22-year-old with underlying conditions, has recovered after antiviral treatment.
- CDC maintains low risk to general public, but experts concerned about potential virus mutation.
- Case detected through routine flu surveillance, marking a shift in identification methods.
S.
human case of bird flu detected without known animal contact in Missouri.
Contradictions👾While most sources report this as the first case without known animal contact, one source mentions it as the ‘first case of H5 without a known occupational exposure’, which might imply different interpretations of ‘animal contact’.
