A second health worker in Missouri who was in contact with a patient infected with H5N1 bird flu developed respiratory symptoms but was not tested for influenza. The initial patient, who did not have contact with poultry or dairy cows, was hospitalized in August and tested positive for the H5 virus. The patient had severe underlying conditions but has since recovered.
Initially, the CDC reported that a healthcare worker caring for the patient developed mild respiratory symptoms and tested negative for influenza. Another person who lived with the patient also became sick on the same day, showing gastrointestinal symptoms.
The CDC has collected blood samples from the patient and the household contact to conduct serological testing, which could confirm a previous H5N1 infection. Although the test results may take several weeks.
H5 viruses do not typically spread from person to person, but health officials are concerned due to their high mortality rate globally. The CDC is investigating how the patient may have been infected. Outside experts are alarmed by the unusual timing of the illnesses and are exploring the possibility of human-to-human transmission.
It is important to determine the source of infection, as it could help prevent further spread. It is unclear how the Missouri patient was infected, as they had no known contact with animals. The CDC is investigating potential interactions with wild birds, bird feeders, or consumption of meat and dairy products. Infectious disease experts emphasize that limited human-to-human transmission does not necessarily mean the virus has become more easily transmissible to humans. Since March, there have been 14 confirmed bird flu infections, mostly in dairy and poultry workers, amid an outbreak of H5N1 in dairy cows across multiple states.
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Second healthcare worker linked to Missouri bird flu case shows symptoms, according to CDC
