2 months ago
16
A
Missouri resident
has become the first person in the United States to contract avian influenza without any known exposure to infected animals, authorities confirmed on Friday. This rare case marks a significant shift in the patterns of infection, as all previous US cases have involved contact with farm animals or contaminated environments.
The patient, an adult with pre-existing health conditions, was hospitalized on August 22 after testing positive for a suspicious strain of the flu.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
CDC
) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the individual was treated with antiviral medication, made a full recovery, and was discharged from the hospital shortly after.
Initial tests indicated an unusual flu strain, prompting further investigation at both state and federal laboratories. These tests confirmed the presence of the H5 virus, commonly known as avian or bird flu. This case brings the total number of bird flu cases in the US to 14 this year, but it stands out as the first instance of a human infection without direct animal contact.
Missouri health officials have stressed that no H5 infections have been detected in dairy cattle within the state, although some cases have been reported among wild birds and in commercial or backyard poultry flocks. Historically, bird flu has primarily affected
farmworkers
or those in close proximity to livestock. The first US case of bird flu in a human was reported in 2022, also involving a farmworker.
While avian flu is usually confined to wild birds and poultry, recent outbreaks have been reported in mammals, including cattle. This year has seen a significant number of cattle infections across the country.
The CDC maintains that the risk to the general public remains low, but they warn that this could change quickly as more information becomes available. "Although human infections are rare, circumstances may evolve as we learn more about this case," the agency said in a statement.
In the past, sporadic human infections have been recorded without a clear link to animals. However, the CDC emphasizes that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission—a critical factor that could dramatically raise the threat level of the virus.
Although most previous cases in the US have been mild and involved healthy farmworkers, the broader population, especially those with pre-existing health conditions, could be at greater risk for severe illness. Globally, the mortality rate for confirmed bird flu cases hovers around 50%, though experts believe many mild cases likely go undetected.
