Credit: US CDC. What we know about the deadliest U.S. bird flu outbreak in history - NPR However, sometimes a flu virus can acquire mutations that allow it to infect cells in a different part of the body. An avian influenza outbreak has been detected in the West African nations of Senegal and The Gambia. A highly pathogenic avian influenza has been spreading in the U.S., making headlines as the price of eggs soared at the start of the year and fears of the next zoonotic pandemic creep into popular media. Yuko Sato, The Conversation. "A lot of countries don't use vaccines for this virus in their poultry," Webby says. And if the outbreak lingers into spring, infections could become even more difficult to prevent as a new wave of bird migrations begin. That doesnt seem like much of a genetic obstacle. Will the Largest Bird Flu Outbreak in History Lead to a Human Pandemic? With the recent detections of the Eurasian H5 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds and domestic poultry in the United States, bird owners should review their biosecurity practices and stay vigilant to protect poultry and pet birds from this disease. The virus does not pose a special risk in the nation's food supply, given proper handling. Speedy Robo-Gripper Reflexively Organizes What Made Us Human? hide caption. A wave of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu has entered Southern California, driven by wild bird migration. And while the risk of the virus spilling over into humans remains low, scientists say communities will feel the consequences of such a serious and lengthy outbreak for months to come. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the avian influenza A virus has been detected in mammals such as skunks, bears, a raccoon and a red fox. CDC twenty four seven. Although declaring a disease endemic is a complicated process, the authors of the study suggest that the U.S. will likely follow patterns seen in Europe where highly pathogenic avian influenza is already being treated as an endemic disease rather than something that can be eradicated. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. In January, Insider's George Glover explained the egg crisis facing Americans as prices surged by almost 60% in 2022 due to the influenza outbreak . Here's what you need to know about the 2022 outbreak in the U.S.: The losses stretch across the U.S., and they're deepest in the country's middle: More than 1 million birds have been killed in each of 11 states that stretch from Utah to the Midwest and on to Delaware, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. H5N1 is a specific type of influenza virus, predominantly harbored by birds, that was first detected on a goose farm in China in 1996. Questions? This webpage summarizes the current avian influenza (bird flu) situation in humans in the United States. The US is currently experiencing its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu, also known as avian influenza and a new study has found that the strain could become endemic in the country. Turkey farms account for more than 70% of the commercial poultry farms infected in the outbreak, the USDA said. The third and most worrisome reason that this virus is getting so much press is that H5N1 now seems to be transmitting well between individuals of at least one mammalian species. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, conservationists working in the area are now . The U.S. outbreak, which began in February, infected flocks of poultry and non-poultry birds across 46 states, USDA data show. Most people who have contracted H5N1 have gotten it directly from interacting with infected poultry specifically chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, which often are raised in close quarters on large commercial farms. The paper was published April 19, 2023, in the journal Conservation Biology. "This outbreak in the wild bird population is a lot more extensive than we saw in 2014 and 2015," says David Stallknecht, an avian influenza researcher with the University of Georgia. Here, eggs sit on a supermarket shelf in San Mateo County, Calif. This can happen when virus is in the air (in droplets or possibly dust) and a person breathes it in, or possibly when a person touches something that has virus on it and then touches their mouth, eyes or nose. None of the farm workers became infected. The COVID con is over, monkeypox is a non-event, so lets resurrect bird flu as the new threat to mankind and a chance for Big Pharma to create a new raft of bloated billionaires.You must think Jo Public is even dumber than the brains behind these pathetic endless scare stories. The World Health Organization is closely monitoring and analyzing the spread of H5N1 in mammals. With all those replications, it can accumulate a lot of different changes. More than 40 million egg-laying hens have been culled in the U.S. alone, causing the price of eggs nationwide to skyrocket, Lorenzoni said. The first reason that so much attention is being paid to bird flu right now is that currently H5N1 is causing the largest bird pandemic ever recorded. It has ravaged farm flocks and chicken yards in 46 states since February, when the first cases were reported in commercial flocks. A new deadly bird flu is infecting wild birds and may not go away - NPR In the U.S. the virus has led to the destruction of millions of commercially raised chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, and has killed thousands of wild birds. Many people are concerned about the 2022-2023 outbreak of avian influenza, or bird flu, that is affecting domestic poultry, waterfowl, raptors, and some shorebirds in the U.S. and Canada. There are ongoing outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Asia, Europe and Africa. Have any problems using the site? But the new, more contagious strain is particularly affecting wild birds, Sky News reported. The avian flu is hammering U.S. poultry farmers, leaving experts to ask "Tragic though this case in Cambodia is, we expect there to be some cases of clinical disease with such a widespread infection. Previous outbreaks of avian influenza -- whether low pathogenic virus that is endemic in the U.S. or highly pathogenic H5N8 in 2015 -- typically occurred in the fall, which meant farmers could . Bird flu US egg factory roasts alive 5.3m chickens in avian flu cull - then fires almost every worker Laborers worked for a month disposing of birds killed in a gruesomely inhumane manner.. Image:REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar. Bill Powers checks on his flock of white turkeys, which have been kept under shelter all year to prevent exposure to avian influenza. "Unlike H5N8, this disease is heavily impacting wild birds," said Johanna Harvey, a postdoctoral researcher at UMD and lead author of the study. However, since then, infections in both humans and birds have been observed. Keep up with the latest scitech news via email or social media. Seasonal flu vaccination will not prevent infection with bird flu viruses, but can reduce the risk of getting sick with human and bird flu viruses at the same time. The primary natural hosts and reservoir of AI viruses are wild waterfowl, such as ducks and geese. LPAI can cause mild to moderate disease in poultry, and usually little to no clinical signs of illness in wild birds. The U.S. is enduring an unprecedented poultry health disaster, with a highly . That was also true of the last H5N1 outbreak in the U.S. in 2014 and 2015. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in chicken and turkey flocks has spread across 24 U.S. states since it was first detected in Indiana on Feb. 8, 2022. "Why this bird flu is different: Scientists say new avian influenza requires urgent coordinated response." Why this bird flu is different: Scientists say new avian influenza requires urgent coordinated response. Most viruses are of low pathogenicity, meaning that they causes no signs or only minor clinical signs of infection in poultry. Avian influenza A (H7N9) virus outbreak - WHO Higher prices for eggs and poultry meat in the U.S. are one result. ", A biosecurity sign is seen at the Powers Farm, which raises turkeys in Townsend, Del. March 6, 2023. This is because bird influenza viruses must mutate in several ways to infect mammals efficiently. Where remote jobs are growing fastest - 4 charts show the locations and sectors, Understanding the impact of COVID-19 supply disruptions on exporters in global value chains, Laura Lebastard, Marco Matani and Roberta Serafini, How the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in advanced economies, Florence Jaumotte, Myrto Oikonomou, Carlo Pizzinelli and Marina M. Tavares, The pandemic made us nicer and the change might be lasting, Charted: The happiest countries in the world, is affecting economies, industries and global issues, with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale. The best way to stop the spread of the disease is if we eliminate all the birds that are in close contact with the contaminated birds.. All Rights Reserved. U.S. Considers Vaccinating Chickens Amid Bird Flu Outbreak - The New USDA APHIS | Avian Influenza Bird flu has led to the death and slaughter of 316 million poultry worldwide . Avian Influenza. Efforts to prevent infections in commercial and backyard flocks are ongoing, but slowing the outbreak has been challenging because the virus seems to have gained a foothold in species of wild birds, said Biao He, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2015, an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 in the U.S. led to the culling of 50 million poultry birds. As of early April, the outbreak had caused the culling of some 23 million birds from Maine to Wyoming. Infected poultry or eggs do not enter the food supply chain. We are also mammals. Since early 2022, more than 49 million birds in 46 states have either died as a result of bird flu virus infection or have been culled (killed) due to . Bird flu is transmitted mainly by wild birds, like these snow geese. The average cost of a dozen eggs rose by 59% last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with prices more than doubling in West Virginia and six states in the upper Midwest. U.S. Approaches Record Number of Avian Influenza Outbreaks The latest outbreak of avian flu may have also shifted to a year-round disease from a more seasonal disease in previous outbreaks. ", "These are actually discussions that are going on now," Webby says, describing ideas such as what kind of post-vaccination surveillance would be needed to "make sure your trading partners are happy that the virus is not circulating silently.". Previous outbreaks of avian influenza -- whether low pathogenic virus that is endemic in the U.S. or highly pathogenic H5N8 in 2015 -- typically occurred in the fall, which meant farmers could prepare for seasonal outbreaks, cull flocks to halt the spread of disease, and have nearly a full year to recover losses. Though human infection is currently rare, efficient transmission between farmed minks in Spain raises concerns about potential human transmission. Wild birds continue to spread HPAI throughout the country as they migrate, so preventing contact between domestic flocks and wild birds is critical to protecting U.S. poultry, said Rosemary Sifford, the USDAs chief veterinary officer. Though most cases were detected in Oregon, positive . "It's difficult to estimate how many birds are truly affected across wild populations, but we're seeing dramatic disease impacts in raptors, sea birds, and colonial nesting birds. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Illnesses in humans from bird flu virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness (e.g., eye infection, upper respiratory symptoms) to severe disease (e.g., pneumonia) that resulted in death. World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use. Over the centuries, some of these avian influenza viruses have been passed from birds to humans and other mammalian species, although this is a relatively rare event. "The chicken that most people think of, their chicken tenders, their chicken sandwiches, all of those things haven't tended to have the same kinds of impact," she adds. Sporadic human cases of H5N1 reported with H5N1 viruses circulating in birds since 2021 have occurred following exposure to infected poultry. Human infections with bird flu viruses have most often occurred after close or lengthy unprotected contact (i.e., not wearing gloves or respiratory protection or eye protection) with infected birds or places that sick birds or their saliva, mucous and feces have touched. The virus of concern in this outbreak is a Eurasian H5N1 HPAI virus that causes high mortality and severe clinical signs in domesticated poultry. "We've been dealing with low pathogenic avian influenza for decades in the poultry industry, but this is different." Nathan Howard/Getty Images You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change. It is true that the farmed minks were confined in close quarters, like chickens on a poultry farm, so that may have contributed. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. However, CDC is watching this situation closely and taking routine preparedness and prevention measures in case this virus changes to pose a greater human health risk. People should avoid unprotected contact birds that look sick or have died, though the outbreak poses a low risk to the general public, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Reports are seasonal, with a peak in February and a low point in September. "Generally, when the weather gets hot, influenza goes away for the most part," Hagerman says. More information about bird flu in humans is available at Bird Flu Virus Infections in Humans. ". Nearly 58 million birds from commercial and backyard flocks have been wiped out in the U.S. since last February, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This particular A (H7N9) virus had not previously been seen in either animals or people until it was found in March 2013 in China. 2022-2023 Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in - USDA According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to public health from this outbreak is low. But the disease was eradicated in North America that same year, largely because it did not seriously impact wild birds, which made containment through culling poultry relatively easy. Avian influenza is not transmissible by eating properly prepared and cooked poultry, so eggs and poultry are safe to eat. More information about this case is, The detections of H5 viruses in wild birds, poultry, some mammals, and in one person in the United States do not change the risk to the general publics health, which CDC considers to be low. Total case counts for all human infections with H5N1 viruses reported since 1997 are. The more than 50,000 mink at the facility were killed and their carcasses destroyed. What is the World Economic Forum doing about fighting pandemics? Sea lions in Peru are also succumbing to H5N1 virus in massive numbers. H5N1 spread very efficiently between the minks and caused clinical signs of illness and death in the mink populations where it was detected. The disease can and does affect humans, but it's rare. University of Colorado Boulder virologists Sara Sawyer, Emma Worden-Sapper and Sharon Wu summarize the compelling story of H5N1 and why scientists are closely watching the outbreak. The presence of the virus in the commercial food chain raises a number of possible trade headaches but so would using a vaccine to fight it. What a Bird Flu Outbreak Among Mink Could Mean for Humans If you like to eat chicken, you're in luck. The data also reveals a shift from a seasonal to a year-round disease. In agricultural poultry flocks, if a few birds test positive for H5N1, the whole flock is killed regardless of symptoms or infection status. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. This graphic shows how bird flu viruses can spread between infected birds and people. Avian influenza vaccines can reduce clinical signs, sickness and death rates in domestic poultry, but they would not prevent birds from becoming infected with the virus. The team also suggests that H5N1 will likely become endemic, potentially posing risks to food security and the economy. The UK has experienced its largest outbreak of avian flu. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Avian influenza A (H5N1) was first detected in the Region of the Americas in birds in December 2014. The spread of bird flu viruses from one infected person to a close contact has occurred rarely in other countries in the past, and when it has happened, it has been limited and not sustained,and didnotspread beyond close contacts. The 2015 avian flu outbreak generally happened in the fall, when . The virus is highly pathogenic to birds, meaning that infections often cause extreme symptoms, including death. "It takes fewer egg-laying operations being affected by HPAI to drive up the price of eggs and egg products," she adds, especially since the majority of U.S. production goes to the domestic market. The viruss prevalence in the wild presents new challenges for its containment. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); SciTechDaily: Home of the best science and technology news since 1998. Do we test the water or the soil?
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