Mysterious Missouri bird flu case shows complications of outbreak response
The first case of a person to contract bird flu after no known contact with animals is raising questions about the possibility of human-to-human transmission and highlighting the complicated relationship between states and federal agencies in outbreak response.
An extensive investigation into the case of a patient in Missouri who was hospitalized on 22 August has revealed no links to animals, officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters on Thursday.
A health worker developed mild symptoms but tested negative for the flu. More troublingly, a household member also developed symptoms on the same day as the patient – but that person was not tested for the flu.
There’s a blood test to check for antibodies to H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, that may be done as soon as 10 days after infection, but antibody testing has not started, CDC officials said on Thursday.
The patient with a confirmed infection responded to lengthy questionnaires on recent activities, such as doing yard work, having a bird feeder, keeping any pets at home, visiting agricultural fairs or petting zoos, eating undercooked meat, or drinking raw milk. Nothing raised alarm bells with officials about potential exposures.
