by: Abigail Jones , Travis Schlepp Posted: Apr 1, 2024 / 12:19 PM PDT Updated: Apr 1, 2024 / 12:19 PM PDT A human case of avian influenza A(H5N1), also known as bird flu, has been confirmed in Texas, the Department of State Health Services reported Monday, according to KTLA sister station KXAN . The person had direct contact with dairy cattle presumed to be infected with avian influenza, the department said. Their only reported symptom was eye inflammation, and they’re now being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir, commonly known by the brand name Tamiflu. DSHS did not specify where the person lives or where they contracted the virus, however, officials last week confirmed an illness that impacted dairies in the
Texas Panhandle was bird flu. It’s the second known case of someone sickened by this strain of the virus in the U.S, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The other occurred in 2022 with a person in
Colorado who worked with poultry. The Texas case is the first to possibly be linked with exposure to cattle. In late March, the CDC received confirmed reports of avian flu in dairy cows in both Texas and Kansas. Cases were also reported among a dairy herd in Michigan, which had recently received cows from Texas. The Federal Drug Administration and the
United States Department of Agriculture say there are no current concerns about avian flu reaching the commercial milk supply because those products go through the pasteurization process, which kills bacteria by heating. Texas DSHS has issued a health alert asking health care providers around affected dairies to be vigilant for more possible human cases. The CDC says this infection “does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public,” which it considers to be low. However, those with prolonged exposure with infected birds or other animals face much greater risk. Bird flu is a disease caused by infection with avian influenza Type A viruses, the CDC says . These viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans but sporadic human infections with bird flu viruses have occurred. Federal and state health officials are investigating both human and animal cases of avian influenza to understand how the virus is spreading. Illnesses in people with H5N1 flu infections have ranged from mild (such as eye infection and upper respiratory symptoms) to severe (such as pneumonia and death), according to the DSHS release. The FDA is also reiterating its stance that unpasteurized raw milk may contain dangerous microorganisms that can make people sick. Consumers are urged to know the risks associated with raw dairy products. Submit Δ Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.