By Lisa Schnirring
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) on January 10 announced an H5N1 avian flu infection involving a child with fever and conjunctivitis whose exposure to the virus is still under investigation.
In related developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today said highly pathogenic avian flu has been detected for the first time in the current outbreaks in Puerto Rico's poultry.
SF case is California's second in a child
In its statement, the SFDPH said the child wasn't hospitalized and has recovered. The child was initially tested for COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and flu. After testing positive for influenza A, follow-up testing revealed H5N1.
So far, the investigation hasn't determined how the patient was exposed to the virus. Grant Colfax, MD, the SFDPH health director, said, "I am urging all San Franciscans to avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds, especially wild birds and poultry. Also, please avoid unpasteurized dairy products."
Officials said the risk to the public remains low, with no sign of human-to-human transmission.
If confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the case would mark the country’s 67th case since the beginning of 2024. Also, the case would mark California's 38th case and its second related to an unknown exposure source, though the virus in the earlier infection was most closely linked to the genotype circulating in dairy cattle. California's first case from an undetermined source also involved a child.
High-path avian flu detected in Puerto Rican poultry
In animal health developments, APHIS said the outbreak in Puerto Rico involves a backyard flock. It added that the detection is the first in the US territory's domestic birds since the current clade began circulating in the country in early 2022.
Along with the detection in Hawaiian poultry in December, the virus has now been detected in all 50 states and now in one US territory.
"APHIS is working closely with animal health officials in Puerto Rico on a joint incident response and will provide appropriate support as requested," the agency said.
Elsewhere, APHIS confirmed more H5N1 detections in poultry flocks in six states on the US mainland, one of them involving a commercial turkey farm that has about 21,000 birds in Ohio's Darke County. The virus also struck a farm in Oregon's Union County.
In four other states, the virus turned up in backyard flocks in South Dakota (Gregory County), Georgia (Clayton County), Idaho (Canyon County), and Texas (Brazoria and Burnet counties).
Meanwhile, in the latest dairy herd outbreaks, APHIS confirmed 1 more detection, which involves another California facility, raising the national total to 925 and California's total to 708.
Source : umn.edu