A Louisiana person was hospitalized for what could be the first case of bird flu in the state, state health officials reported Friday.
The case affects “a resident of southwest Louisiana,” the state Department of Health said on its website. “The individual had exposure to sick and dead birds suspected of being infected with H5N1,” the virus that causes bird flu.
State public health officials said they are coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The patient is the second individual in the United States who has been hospitalized with the virus.
In a statement to NBC News, the CDC indicated that while Louisiana is leading the investigation, the agency “will carry out confirmatory tests”.
Avian flu has been infecting dairy cows in the United States since the spring. As of Friday, the outbreak had spread to 845 dairy herds in 16 states, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The vast majority of those herds are located in California.
Last week, the USDA ordered milk tested for the bird flu virus, with the goal of better identifying infections among herds and preventing further spread.
At least 60 human cases of avian flu have been diagnosed in the United States this year. Most of them took place in California and Washington and affected agricultural workers who had been in contact with infected poultry or dairy cows.
This figure is likely an underestimate. A November report from the CDC found evidence of asymptomatic bird flu infections in agricultural workers.
There is no evidence that bird flu is spreading among humans. Almost all of the people who have become ill had direct contact with animals, except for a patient in Missouri who was hospitalized and a child in California.
Most cases have been considered mild, and the main symptom has been conjunctivitis. No deaths have been reported. A Canadian teenager infected with bird flu last month became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized.
Studies carried out so far on the national pasteurized milk supply have given negative for avian flu virus. However, it has been detected in raw milk, which is not pasteurized.
The Louisiana Department of Health offered several guidelines to avoid contagion:
- Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings, and do not bring sick wild animals into your home.
- Keep pets away from sick or dead animals and their droppings.
- Avoid raw products, such as unpasteurized raw milk or cheese from animals with suspected or confirmed infection.
