A recent report from health officials announced that a fourth farm worker has contracted bird flu in connection to an ongoing outbreak associated with dairy cows. The infected worker had direct contact with cows on a farm in northeast Colorado, where he developed pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis. Following antiviral treatment, the man has since recovered from the illness. This occurrence marks the fourth case of bird flu in individuals linked to cows, with previous cases reported in dairy workers from Texas and Michigan since March. Two of these workers experienced pink eye, while one had mild respiratory symptoms. The first U.S. case of bird flu was identified in 2022 in a Colorado farm worker exposed to infected poultry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that this new infection does not alter their assessment that the risk to the general public remains low. Surveillance systems monitoring flu activity in the United States have not detected any unusual trends. However, individuals with prolonged exposure to infected birds, animals, or livestock, as well as their environments, face a higher risk of infection.
The CDC revealed that the Colorado man was under observation due to his work with dairy cows when symptoms appeared. Although initial tests at the state level were inconclusive, samples sent to the CDC tested positive for bird flu. Further analysis of the sample’s genetic makeup is still pending.
According to the Agriculture Department, over 135 dairy herds in twelve states have reported infections with the H5N1 virus, which originated in poultry. This outbreak emphasizes the importance of continued monitoring and control measures to prevent the spread of bird flu in both animals and humans.
