The U.S. Division of Agriculture says cows in a number of states have examined optimistic 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 optimistic for chook flu.
Charlie Litchfield/AP
On Monday, an individual in Texas examined optimistic for chook flu — also referred to as 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 keeping with the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
Not solely is that this the primary time that chook flu has been present in dairy cattle, in keeping with 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 flippantly 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 have been from contact with sick animals. Do you’ve got any motive to consider that people might go this on to one another?
Mandy Cohen: So we’ve by no means seen a case of human-to-human unfold of avian flu right here in the USA. 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 seen beforehand in birds. We have by no means seen that unfold human to human. That each one being stated, [what] we have discovered by 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 Photos
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Win McNamee/Getty Photos
CDC director Mandy Cohen in 2023.
Win McNamee/Getty Photos
Shapiro: You say we have to keep forward of it. Inform us what that includes, what are the steps you are taking?
Cohen: One is clearly working very carefully to ensure 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 can be 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 other people. To date, there’s solely been one case in Texas. The particular person had very gentle signs. They’re recovering properly. However we wish to be sure that, once more, that we’re testing of us who could have been in touch.
Shapiro: You stated widespread testing is essential – is there a threat that instances are going to go beneath the radar as a result of persons are afraid to report? Whether or not it is farm homeowners who don’t need their operation to be shut down or farm employees who won’t have well being protection.
Cohen: We’re working carefully with our state and native companions, our companions by agriculture and the U.S. Division of Agriculture and farm employees. Once more, we wish to get forward of this. So we’re making an attempt to speak of us by it and construct belief, and people have actually been receptive. We have been significantly working with plenty of the veterinarians which can be a part of the farms which have been impacted. To date, all working properly collectively.
Shapiro: Cows weren’t regarded as a species at excessive threat, and so if the virus is now spreading in cows, what are the probabilities that it might mutate to develop into a threat to people?
Cohen: Effectively, it’s true – that is the primary time we have seen avian flu, or “chook flu,” in cattle. And, as , 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 wish to be sure that 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 likelihood that it would is one other. In a New York Occasions opinion piece, columnist Zeynep Tufekci stated the federal government must gear as much as doubtlessly mass produce vaccines rapidly. Do you agree with that?
Cohen: Effectively, the excellent news is the USA has been making ready for avian flu outbreaks for greater than 20 years. We have invested in our potential to check for this, to stop it and to deal with it. And we all know that the pressure we’re seeing proper now is identical pressure we’ve seen earlier than. And we consider from all of our laboratory testing that our take a look at will choose this up. Our therapy, which is Tamiflu, which we’ve each doses in stockpile and across the nation, works. And we even have vaccine candidates which can be able to go. So it’s totally completely different than what we skilled, for instance, firstly of COVID, once 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: Now we have by no means seen a transmission from a human-to-human. That’s one thing we’re expecting very carefully. And so there could also be set off factors the place we might transfer to fascinated with scaling up vaccine. However bear in mind, there’s all the time a tradeoff there – if we transfer to manufacturing one kind of vaccine, it could 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 the power to scale up if we have to. And once more, we have already began down that course of and we’ll maintain monitoring to see if we have to set off and do this.
Shapiro: The instances thus far have all been in dairy cows. Ought to folks 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 threat, however the overwhelming majority of our milk provide is secure due to pasteurization.
