First severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. is confirmed by CDC

The first known severe human infection of H5N1 bird flu in the United States has been confirmed in a person in Louisiana. The individual is believed to have contracted the virus through contact with sick or dead birds in a backyard flock. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the confirmation of the case, which was initially reported by Louisiana on Friday.

According to Emma Herrock, communications director of Louisiana’s Department of Health, the unidentified person is in critical condition with severe respiratory illness. The individual is over the age of 65 and has underlying health conditions that increase the risk of serious illness from influenza.

This marks the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. this year, with 61 confirmed human cases so far. Prior to this case, all reported cases had very mild symptoms. Most of the affected individuals were either farm workers on dairy farms or cullers hired to depopulate infected poultry flocks.

During a news conference on the H5N1 situation in the country, Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, confirmed the case but deferred questions about the individual’s age, health status, and symptoms to the state health department. Louisiana had previously withheld specific information to protect the patient’s privacy.

Individuals with certain health conditions, such as obesity, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, blood disorders like sickle cell disease, heart disease, or kidney and liver disorders, are at higher risk of severe illness from the flu.

Genetic sequencing of the virus in the Louisiana case revealed that it belongs to the 2.3.4.4b genotype D1.1, which is circulating in wild birds, rather than the clade 2.3.4.4b genotype B3.13 found in U.S. dairy cows. This strain of the virus has also been linked to a recent severe illness in a teenager in British Columbia, Canada.

The Canadian teenager, who was critically ill and required a ventilator to breathe, is now out of critical care but remains hospitalized. The connection between these cases highlights the potential risks associated with H5N1 bird flu and the importance of monitoring and managing outbreaks effectively.