The U.S. Division of Agriculture says cows in a number of states have examined constructive for chook flu.
Charlie Litchfield/AP
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Charlie Litchfield/AP
The U.S. Division of Agriculture says cows in a number of states have examined constructive for chook flu.
Charlie Litchfield/AP
On Monday, an individual in Texas examined constructive for chook flu — also called the extremely pathogenic avian influenza — after coming in touch with dairy cattle presumed to be contaminated.
The virus, which is extremely contagious amongst wild birds and poultry, has now unfold to dairy farms, in response to the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
Not solely is that this the primary time that chook flu has been present in dairy cattle, in response to the American Veterinary Medical Affiliation, however that is additionally solely the second time a human has contracted the virus within the U.S.
Authorities and well being officers say that the chance to the general public stays low, since there have been no recorded cases within the U.S. of human-to-human transmission of avian flu.
All Issues Thought of host Ari Shapiro spoke to Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, concerning the potential dangers and the federal government’s response.
This interview has been evenly edited for size and readability.
Interview highlights
Ari Shapiro: The CDC says the chance to people from the H5N1 flu that’s driving this outbreak is low. Proper now, it seems that the 2 instances in people had been from contact with sick animals. Do you could have any purpose to imagine that people may go this on to one another?
Mandy Cohen: So we’ve got by no means seen a case of human-to-human unfold of avian flu right here in america. And the model of avian flu that we’re seeing in cattle, and on this one human case, is identical pressure [H5N1] that we’ve got seen beforehand in birds. We have by no means seen that unfold human to human. That each one being stated, [what] we have realized by way of COVID in our expertise is: viruses change, and we have to keep forward of it. That is why we at CDC and the entire of U.S. authorities is taking this very significantly and monitoring the state of affairs very carefully.
CDC director Mandy Cohen in 2023.
Win McNamee/Getty Photographs
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Win McNamee/Getty Photographs
CDC director Mandy Cohen in 2023.
Win McNamee/Getty Photographs
Shapiro: You say we have to keep forward of it. Inform us what that includes, what are the steps you take?
Cohen: One is clearly working very carefully to verify we’re understanding the extent of the unfold, what number of cattle and farm[s] are concerned, after which clearly on the lookout for any people which are in touch with cattle or sick birds, and testing of us which have signs, and ensuring that we’re understanding if it has unfold to folks. Up to now, there’s solely been one case in Texas. The individual had very gentle signs. They’re recovering effectively. However we need to make certain, once more, that we’re testing of us who might have been in touch.
Shapiro: You stated widespread testing is vital – is there a danger that instances are going to go below the radar as a result of individuals are afraid to report? Whether or not it is farm house owners who don’t desire their operation to be shut down or farm staff who may not have well being protection.
Cohen: We’re working carefully with our state and native companions, our companions by way of agriculture and the U.S. Division of Agriculture and farm staff. Once more, we need to get forward of this. So we’re making an attempt to speak of us by way of it and construct belief, and folk have actually been receptive. We have been significantly working with a whole lot of the veterinarians which are a part of the farms which have been impacted. Up to now, all working effectively collectively.
Shapiro: Cows weren’t considered a species at excessive danger, and so if the virus is now spreading in cows, what are the possibilities that it may mutate to turn out to be a danger to people?
Cohen: Properly, it’s true – that is the primary time we have seen avian flu, or “chook flu,” in cattle. And, as you recognize, cows are mammals, so it is a new reservoir or a bunch of animals that we’re seeing this virus in. And that simply means extra alternative for this virus to mutate and alter. And that is what we need to make certain we’re persevering with to remain forward of.
Shapiro: Monitoring whether or not it continues to unfold and evolve is one factor – making ready for the chance that it would is one other. In a New York Instances opinion piece, columnist Zeynep Tufekci stated the federal government must gear as much as probably mass produce vaccines shortly. Do you agree with that?
Cohen: Properly, the excellent news is america has been making ready for avian flu outbreaks for greater than 20 years. We have invested in our capability to check for this, to forestall it and to deal with it. And we all know that the pressure we’re seeing proper now is identical pressure we’ve got seen earlier than. And we imagine from all of our laboratory testing that our take a look at will choose this up. Our therapy, which is Tamiflu, which we’ve got each doses in stockpile and across the nation, works. And we even have vaccine candidates which are able to go. So it’s totally totally different than what we skilled, for instance, firstly of COVID, after we’re seeing a model new novel virus the place we did not have checks, we did not have therapy and we did not have vaccine.
Shapiro: However simply particularly, if it does take time to mass produce vaccines, is that one thing the U.S. needs to be doing in earnest proper now on the possibility that the virus evolves?
Cohen: We’ve by no means seen a transmission from a human-to-human. That’s one thing we’re looking forward to very carefully. And so there could also be set off factors the place we’d transfer to fascinated by scaling up vaccine. However keep in mind, there’s at all times a tradeoff there – if we transfer to manufacturing one sort of vaccine, it might be on the expense of with the ability to manufacture that vaccine for the seasonal flu. Once more, one thing that additionally impacts us. So, we’ve got the power to scale up if we have to. And once more, we have already began down that course of and we’ll preserve monitoring to see if we have to set off and do this.
Shapiro: The instances to this point have all been in dairy cows. Ought to individuals be involved about consuming milk and different dairy merchandise?
Cohen: [The] FDA has indicated that our milk provide is secure due to the pasteurization course of. Unpasteurized and uncooked milk stays a danger, however the overwhelming majority of our milk provide is secure due to pasteurization.
