The likelihood of extinction necessitates a rapid response in terms of reassessing the composition of influenza vaccines, enhanced surveillance for B/Yamagata, and a possible change in the biosafety level when handling B/Yamagata viruses in laboratories.
The WHO issued a report that transforms how the world understands spread of respiratory infections like #COVID-19, #influenza, & #measles: 🙄😷 “However, a committee advising the CDC appears poised to brush aside the updated science when it comes to its pending guidance on healthcare facilities.”
Sometimes people talk like it's obvious to everyone that the #flu is airborne, but I have never seen -- in a pretty liberal area of the US -- a doctor in a respirator mask during flu season in my life (and I'm 32)
A 2013 study using non-respirator surgical masks -- so this is undoubtedly an underestimate -- still concluded that half out of 782 #influenza A transmissions in Hong Kong and Bangkok households happened this way:
Based on full #genome#sequences of 26 HPAIV samples from Iceland, which were collected between spring and autumn 2022, as well as 1 sample from the 2023 summer period, we show that 3 different genotypes of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b were circulating within the wild bird population in Iceland in 2022.
“The cats were found dead with no apparent signs of injury and were from a resident population of ≈24 domestic cats that had been fed [unpasteurised] milk from sick cows. Clinical disease in cows on that farm was first noted on March 16; the cats became sick on March 17, and several cats died in a cluster during March 19–20. In total, >50% of the cats at that dairy became ill and died.”
CDC found one virus from a cow with a marker known to be associated with reduced susceptibility to the neuraminidase inhibitors (a change at NA-T438I). This change has been seen rarely in the past in H5N1 viruses isolated from wild birds and poultry.
FDA: "Today, the FDA received some initial results from its nationally representative commercial milk sampling study. The agency continues to analyze this information; however, the initial results show about 1 in 5 of the retail samples tested are quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-positive for HPAI viral fragments, with a greater proportion of positive results coming from milk in areas with infected herds. " https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai
Ah, look, the CDC's ILI (Influenza Like Illnesses) still up and running. Right now, declining. Will have to keep an eye on this. (you would expect if H5N1 starts person-to-person spread you'll see this spike, like you saw with COVID-19. #ILI#H5N1https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
Here's with all the recent seasons (COVID-19 era) -- all of the spikes on this were COVID-19, not influenza since 2020. You can see the 2023-24 Season had a big spike in December./January, which is when the last big COVID-19 went through (XBB.1.5) -- which hit hard in Dec/Jan but then tailed off rapidly, one of the omicron variants. Haven't seen a spike since then (cross fingers). The blue/purple line with a lot of spikes was 2019-2020 season when COVID-19 first appeared in the US. #ILI#influenza#disease#tracking
Queensland: "Doctors are acquiring RSV, COVID and influenza in the state’s hospitals in rising numbers, sparking the state’s peak medical body to call for urgent action to better protect medics in an already struggling healthcare workforce."
If you work in cattle farming or consume raw milk products, you might want to protect yourself. Avian influenza A (H5N1) is spreading rapidly in the #UnitedStates
On a farm in #NewMexico 40 cats living on a dairy farm died within 24 - 48 hours after showing symptoms - and H5N1 has also been transmitted to humans.
Old McDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a cow E-I-E-I-O
Cow with some bird flu here, and cow with bird flu there
Everywhere some bird flu, everywhere some bird flu
Old McDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a duck E-I-E-I-O
Duck some bird flu here, and duck with bird flu there
Cow with some bird flu here, and cow with bird flu there
Everywhere some bird flu, everywhere some bird flu
Old McDonald had the flu E-I-E-I-O
H P A I was the flu E-I-E-I-O
Got it from the sick cow, or maybe from the sick duck
...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am under the impression that #influenza viruses have never been demonstrated to be foodborne, and this stuff about pasteurizing milk from infected cows sounds like public health theater to calm the plebs
CDC: ". Overall, the genetic analysis of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in Texas supports CDC’s conclusion that the human health risk currently remains low." #HPAI#H5N1#influenza#Texas