The advisory, issued January 16, suggests that healthcare facilities confirm the presence of bird flu through a second test on samples other than blood for any patient with seasonal or H5N1 avian influenza – bird flu – history upon admission, US News reported,

More about the news

It also provides guidelines for starting antiviral such as Tamiflu without having to undergo a test first.

The Washington Post has reported that delays when it comes to bird flu can hinder investigations, delay treatment for exposed people, and impact healthcare infection control.

Is it seasonal flu or bird flu? CDC prompts hospitals to fast-track subtype testing of sick patients to tell the difference. https://t.co/U5rL7iufME

— Wisconsin State Farmer (@WI_State_Farmer) January 17, 2025

Patients who are not tested quickly may not recall where they might have been exposed seven to 10 days prior to getting infected or which others they may have been infecting the same, as mentioned by Dr. Nirav Shah, the CDC’s principal deputy director.

“The more time that passes, the more [a patient’s] memories fade,” he added.

What more are the officials stating?

Of the bird flu cases in the ongoing outbreak, bird flu has affected more people.

A few weeks before, a Louisiana man was the first American to die of bird flu, and a Canadian girl was bedridden with severe disease for two months.

CDC urges faster testing to find human bird flu cases https://t.co/EPJ5l9Zb1N pic.twitter.com/g268000VtW

— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) January 17, 2025

Other health departments have also substantiated similar rising incidences of bird flu infections that affected domestic cats feeding on raw pet foods or raw milk.

Who is more vulnerable?

The CDC has maintained its stance that bird flu is not really a threat to the average individual.

However, an updated public health risk assessment notes that certain groups face a higher risk, including:

"Bird Flu Raising Red Flags Among Health Officials, CDC Urges Faster Testing" – Benzinga #SmartNews testing for the bird flu or the injection? We know how speeding up injections can end! Sounds like they’re in a hurry, more. $$$! https://t.co/HrcmXQUE6v

— Emilyjo Collins (@EmilyJCollins10) January 17, 2025

1. Farm laborers involved in treating cattle or their products
2. Owners of backyard flocks
3. Animal care workers
4. Veterinarians
5. The public health staff that conducted the avian flu breakout

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The disease can occur in humans in a variety of ways, namely through bites done by infected ticks and deer flies, the occurrence of skin contact with infected rabbits, hares, and rodents implicated in the transmission of the bacterium Francisella tularensis, which is very responsive to the disease.

Furthermore, as experts state, there are other complex routes of transmission, such as lawn moving over the nests of animals infected with the disease, which has been said to blow the bacteria in the air, thereby infecting the gardener who might never know what hit him.

Details of the disease

This phenomenon was first noted in a vineyard in Massachusetts in 2000, and the resulting tularemia outbreak was prolonged for half a year and consisted of fifteen identified cases and one individual who died from the disease, sciencealert.com reported.

'#Rabbit Fever' in Humans Has Surged in The Last Decade, CDC Reports https://t.co/P6k8umFheC

— Oden (@Gjallarhornet) January 6, 2025

One of at least another half-dozen Colorado cases reported in 2014 and 2015 was also the result of lawn mowing.

CDC constantly monitors this bacterium, mainly because, according to the US administration, it falls under the Tier 1 Select Agents list, which concerns bioterrorism agents, as well as because even if the transmission occurs naturally, it can be fatal if left untreated.

What more are the experts stating?

The author of the report added, “The case fatality rate of tularemia is typically less than 2 percent but can be higher depending on clinical manifestation and infecting strain,” sciencealert.com reported.

Of these, across 47 states, tularemia is relatively uncommon, with 2,462 cases reported for the period of ten years 2011- 2022.

A recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a notable increase in "rabbit fever," over the past decade. Here's all about it. #RabbitFever #US #Healthhttps://t.co/e9J3Sq00Mg

— Mashable India (@MashableIndia) January 6, 2025

However, the CDC approximated that 1.35 million people across the country get food poisoned by the Salmonella bacterium annually.

In 2017, the CDC expanded the ‘probable cause’ category to include cases where F. tularensis was identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which had classified as probable only a person with symptoms of the disease, along with several biomarkers suggesting the presence of the bacteria.

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According to federal data, the cases of vaccine-preventable diseases have registered at a scary high level in the past year this year.

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Pertussis has been a huge concern this year; the CDC expected over thirty-two thousand cases to be reported by December fourteen.

CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Are 6 Times Higher Than a Year Ago https://t.co/Pbtj9arLdx

— Dr. Marvin Lerner M.D., Ph.D. (@DrMLernerMDPhD) December 27, 2024

This is five times the number reported in 2023 when the count was at 6,500 and below. A number of authorities seem to concur that the rise is brought on by a number of factors, and this includes less vaccination.

Pertussis disease

Pertussis is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

The first is characterized by respiratory disorder, the principal of which is paroxysmal coughing, which lies in the acoustics of the sound that patients produce while struggling to breathe – hence ‘whooping’ cough.

According to the CDC, whooping cough cases in the United States are beginning to return to pre-pandemic levels.https://t.co/WpS4Waqdw2

— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) December 27, 2024

While in the grown-ups, the infection causes only mild symptoms, the situation is different for children or for people with suppressed immunities, gizmodo.com reported.

The first vaccine was created for use in the early 20th century; however, it was not popular and was not administered until the mid-1940s, when it came in combination with vaccines for tetanus and diphtheria.

The available vaccine

The combination shot has been a mainstay of vaccination programs in the US ever since and has greatly reduced the burden of pertussis at this stage.

Before widespread vaccine use, there were between 100,000 and 300,000 cases of pertussis every year in the US.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has reported over 32,000 confirmed cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, in 2024. https://t.co/TOv91v1wZZ

— Western Mass News (@WMassNews) December 27, 2024

Every year for the years after the year 2000, the United States reported tens of thousands of annual cases of pertussis. However, as with many other communicable diseases, the COVID-19 pandemic indirectly contributed to decreasing the number of pertussis cases since people were social distancing, gizmodo.com reported.

Conflict with this fact is that, as the inhabitants of the Earth and their interactions have gradually returned to normal, the rates of these diseases have also increased again.

According to the CDC, at least part of this year’s spike in cases could be just a return to pre-covid trends.

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Details of the Update

This shift in testing guidelines comes as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) increases testing of milk for bird flu, following outbreaks affecting nearly 450 dairy farms across 15 states since March.

Easier Human-to-Human Spread?

Although the CDC has not identified any new mutations that would make the virus more easily transmissible between humans, officials remain cautious.

Since April, the CDC has confirmed 46 human cases, but farm workers fear the real number may be higher due to underreporting or mild symptoms. Many workers, worried about job loss or economic impact, avoid testing.

Specimens of the virus have been stated to documentary evidence to be in circulation and researchers caution that chances of the virus hopping over to humans with more ease can lead to a pandemic.

According to Nirav Shah, CDC’s principal deputy director, “There may be individuals who were infected with H5 but who do not recall having symptoms. That means that we in public health need to cast a wider net in terms of who is offered a test,” Reuters reported.

A study on 115 dairy farm workers in Michigan and Colorado, who were exposed to infected cows with H5N1 bird flu, showed that 7 percent had antibodies that pointed to prior infections, though only half of the group remembered having flu symptoms, a CDC report released Thursday said.

The cross-sectional serological survey conducted between June and August revealed presence of antibodies to the virus among eight workers in direct contact with milking and cleaning of milking parlors.

The CDC is also recommending that workers with high risk exposures to sick animals be given the antiviral drug Tamiflu and broadening its guidelines covering protective gear for employees, especially protective eyewear.

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There are many multistate outbreaks of salmonella which include Altona, Indiana, Infantis, Mbandaka and Typhimurium that are being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and various public health departments.

Of those who were infected by May 16, 109 people in 29 states have had one of the outbreak strains, although the CDC was clear that it believes the infection number “is likely significantly higher than that reported,” as stated in the reports by Fox News. 

Thirty-three of the eighty-two participants with information available have been hospitalized, which is slightly over forty percent. This is the CDC’s report filing and has not featured any deaths up to this point.

Data collected by health officials indicate that backyard poultry is causing illness. However, a common supplier linked to all the outbreaks has not been identified.

Poultry, including chickens and ducks, can harbor salmonella bacteria, which can “readily disseminate to anything within the areas where the poultry reside and roam,” stated the CDC, as mentioned by Fox News. 

Around 67% of the individuals with available data reported to health officials that they had purchased or received poultry before falling ill. The poultry was acquired from multiple retail stores and directly from a hatchery.

People who are healthy and have contracted salmonella can develop signs such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach ache that may develop between six hours to six days after the bacteria has been ingested, Fox News reported. 

However, children aged below five years, people with a weakened immune system such as those over sixty-five years, and people with complaints such as diabetes “may suffer worse outcomes that require medical attention or admission,” as highlighted by the CDC.

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Simultaneously, a distinct study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture unveils genetic alterations within the H5N1 strain, wreaking havoc across dairy farms. This genetic evolution may render the virus more adept at interspecies transmission, potentially affecting not only bovines but also humans while possibly conferring resistance to antiviral treatments, according to reports published by Daily Mail. 

Despite these concerning developments, both the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) maintain that the risk to the general populace of the United States remains minimal; however, WHO underscored the moderate risk of infection for individuals with direct exposure to infected birds, animals, or contaminated environments.

In a proactive response, the CDC recently convened a webinar attended by infectious disease specialists and CDC officials following the alarming revelation of new H5N1 mutations by USDA researchers. The USDA’s findings suggest that certain mutations detected within the virus population, albeit at low frequencies, could potentially alter its transmission dynamics, particularly following adaptation within dairy cattle.

Published as a pre-print on BioRxiv, the USDA study scrutinizes nasal and milk samples from numerous infected cows, unveiling a plethora of mutations, some of which are linked to functional changes within the virus. These genetic adaptations may enhance the virus’s pathogenicity, mammalian adaptability, and interspecies transmission capabilities.

Moreover, retrospective analysis indicates that the cattle outbreak commenced in late 2023, preceding official reports by approximately four months. The virus is believed to have initially jumped from avian hosts to bovines in the Texas Panhandle before disseminating across various herds in multiple states, including Kansas, Michigan, and New Mexico, as reported by news daily Daily Mail. 

The widespread dissemination of avian influenza among cattle poses an imminent threat, with at least 36 infected herds documented across nine states, although the true extent of the outbreak likely surpasses current estimates. Furthermore, concerns linger regarding potential transmission to farm personnel, with reports indicating a reluctance among sick individuals to undergo testing, thereby exacerbating the risk of further spread within both agricultural and wild animal populations.

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“The status of measles elimination in the US will persist to be imperiled by worldwide upswings in measles incidence and diminishing levels of global, national, and local measles vaccination coverage,” as per a report issued by the CDC on Thursday. Elimination status indicates the disease is no longer persistently prevalent within the nation, as per the reports by NPR.

Thus far this year, the nation has witnessed over 120 cases of measles, as indicated by CDC statistics. This surpasses twice the figure documented for the entirety of last year.

The CDC emphasized that “the swift escalation in the number of documented measles instances during the initial quarter of 2024 represents a rekindled threat to elimination.”

The probability of widespread transmission of measles in the US remains scant owing to the nation’s “substantial populace immunity,” the agency appended. Nonetheless, the escalation in instances is particularly perilous for infants and under-vaccinated communities.

This upsurge occurred five years after measles occurrences reached the highest level in over two decades. In 2019, the CDC tallied over 1,200 instances across 31 states, predominantly within under-vaccinated communities in New York state.

Measles is also on the rise globally. As per the World Health Organization, there were approximately 9 million occurrences in 2022 — an 18 percent escalation from 2021. The fatality count rose by 43 percent in 2022 compared to the preceding year.

What did the CDC data indicate?

Nearly half of the instances so far this year transpired among children under 5. Approximately a third emanated from adults aged 20 years and older.

Instances are typically associated with individuals who have traveled abroad. Nevertheless, skepticism towards vaccination and communities with low vaccination rates have also contributed to the surge, as reported by NPR.

CDC data revealed that over 80 percent of instances this year involved individuals who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status remained undisclosed. Roughly 13 percent of instances involved individuals who only received one dosage of the measles vaccine. Public health authorities advocate for two dosages.

As of April 4, 17 states documented instances, with Illinois and Florida witnessing the highest number of afflicted individuals.

Why a measles epidemic poses a danger?

Measles’ symptoms encompass fever, cough, rhinorrhea, oral lesions, and rashes disseminating across the body. While most instances are mild, they can occasionally culminate in encephalitis, pneumonia, and mortality. The peril lies in the high contagion potential of measles. If an infected individual coughed within a room, 90 percent of unvaccinated individuals in that space could contract the disease.

Federal health authorities advocate for all children to receive two doses of the measles vaccine: the initial dose of the first vaccination at age of 12 or 15 months followed by a similar dose of the second vaccination at 4 to 6 years of age.

For adults whose travel destination is overseas and women who are expecting, it is paramount to verify the vaccination status as recommended by the CDC through the brief report done by NPR.

What would necessitate the US to forfeit its measles elimination status?

Prior to the advent of a vaccine, the infection claimed hundreds of lives and afflicted most children in the US before the age of 15. This paradigm shifted in 1963 with the introduction of a vaccine.

In 2000, measles was declared eradicated from the US, signifying the disease was no longer “persistently present,” as indicated by the CDC. Nevertheless, the agency affirmed that the US is susceptible to forfeiting its elimination status if a measles epidemic persists for a year or longer.

Dr. Allison Bartlett, a pediatrics professor at the University of Chicago’s medical school, conveyed to NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday that the surge in instances serves as a “profound wake-up call.”

“This is an exceedingly preventable disease through vaccination. However, it necessitates elevated levels of vaccination among individuals,” Bartlett asserted earlier this month.

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