US wastewater tests show bird flu virus limited to areas with farm animals

An in depth take a look at wastewater samples taken throughout america from Might to July discovered traces of the H5N1 hen flu popping up—however solely in areas populated by cattle.

The avian flu virus has been widespread in U.S. poultry in addition to herds of dairy cows, elevating alarms that the virus would possibly in some way mutate and unfold between folks.

The wastewater testing carried out between Might 12 and July 13 is reassuring, suggesting the virus remains to be centered on animals.

9 of 41 states with wastewater detection of flu viruses in place confirmed websites with traces of the H5N1 virus current in samples, the CDC stated.

Nonetheless, “the 9 states with H5 detections in wastewater included seven states with an HPAI A[H5N1]–contaminated herd reported throughout this era and one extra state with an contaminated herd reported earlier than this era,” the company reported Sept. 19 in its journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

These 9 states are California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Dakota and Texas.

Thus far, there have solely been 14 reported circumstances of human an infection with H5N1, usually triggering minor sickness, with virtually all occurring amongst folks in shut contact with contaminated animals, comparable to dairy employees.

Within the new wastewater report, “two of those 9 states [Colorado and Michigan] reported confirmed human circumstances of HPAI A(H5N1) virus an infection throughout this time,” stated the staff led by Souci Louis, an investigator on the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service.

“Observe-up investigations in lots of of those states revealed possible animal-related sources, together with these associated to exploit processing,” the staff concluded.

Nonetheless, the researchers added that wastewater testing shouldn’t be but foolproof as to the supply of virus, as a result of “though influenza viruses could be detected in wastewater, present strategies can not distinguish between human and animal sources.”

The identical staff additionally seemed for indicators of influenza A viruses as an entire (of which H5N1 is a subtype). Influenza A viruses are linked to seasonal human flu.

The report discovered that through the early summer time, “11 websites in 4 states [California, Illinois, Kansas and Oregon] reported excessive ranges of influenza A virus,” indicating common flu was being handed round between folks there.

“None of those 4 states reported H5 human influenza [bird flu] circumstances, nor did they report any confirmed circumstances in livestock herds or poultry inside their sewer sheds or counties throughout this time,” Louis’s staff famous.

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