This Wednesday, the state of Michigan just confirmed the presence of a case of human H5N1. This disease, more commonly known as avian flu, infected a farmer in the region, without the latter developing severe symptoms. The transmission of this disease to humans nevertheless worries the authorities.
Medical authorities fear in particular that the virus will mutate through contact with humans. An H5N1 variant could trigger a much more serious epidemic. The discovery of this case is nevertheless an extremely rare occurrence. As I remind you, the press release, this is only the third known contamination in the history of the United States.
Two years ago, a first case of H5N1 was detected in the United States, in Colorado. There was already talk of an agricultural producer. On April 1, a second case was confirmed in Texas. It was always a question of an agricultural worker, undoubtedly contaminated by livestock. In these three known examples, the patients all had mild symptoms and recovered very quickly.
Dairy herds, Source of infection
According to health authorities, avian flu is being transmitted quickly and massively in farms, particularly dairy farms. Several herds have already tested positive for the virus. Despite the authorities’ warning, not all farmers are in favor of the protective measures imposed.
Questioned by the NOTUS press organ, some of them cry “fake news” and evoke government conspiracies to explain this sudden epidemic (in cases where its existence is not simply denied outright).
The doctors had warned
Today the US Department of Health and Agriculture is keeping score. The number of herds affected by the disease is only increasing. However, health experts had warned. At the start of 2023 and the arrival of the disease in mammals, the WHO published a note on the subject. It issued a warning about the possible risks of an epidemic in the United States.
If the health authorities criticize the agricultural world for reacting too late, the situation is still far from being out of control. As Michigan State Medical Director Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian explains, “ all exposed farmers must report symptoms, even mild ones, and testing is made available statewide. »
For the moment the situation seems to be under control. The doctor explains that no cases of human-to-human transmission have yet been detected. We must hope that this remains like this for several weeks, while the cattle epidemic calms down. Until then, the virus must not mutate to get used to us.
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