US Officials Alarmed as Man Contracts Bird Flu Without Animal Contact

In a troubling development raising concerns about potential human-to-human transmission of bird flu, a U.S. resident has tested positive for the virus despite having no contact with animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday (Sep 6) that the individual from Missouri has fully recovered and has been discharged from the hospital. Despite growing concerns, the CDC continues to assess the overall risk as “low” at this time.

This case marks the 14th infection in the U.S. this year, with the previous 13 cases linked to individuals working on farms with infected cattle or poultry.

The Missouri patient was hospitalized on August 22 and treated with antiviral medication after testing positive for flu. Subsequent tests confirmed an H5N1 infection, though it remains unclear how the person contracted the virus and how severe the case was.

The H5N1 virus is known to have a high mortality rate globally, around 50%, though some mild cases may go undetected.

The CDC is now investigating whether this patient was infected with the same strain that affected farm workers. If the strain matches, it could indicate a transmission chain, possibly involving both animals and humans.

Those who had contact with the Missouri patient have remained asymptomatic, and no secondary transmissions have occurred.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, suggested that the patient likely contracted a different strain of the virus, possibly through contact with an infected migratory bird. He noted that late summer is a time when many birds migrate, increasing the likelihood of the virus spreading.

U.S. health officials remain concerned, as there is little to no immunity to the H5 flu viruses among the public, even for those who have had seasonal flu or vaccinations.