Washington state health officials say the patient is older and has underlying health conditions. The person keeps poultry exposed to wild birds in his backyard.
Is it possible for an outdoor cat to get avian influenza? What about you?
If your pet spends time roaming outside, you may want to consider some preventative measures, as several domestic cats have been infected with H5N1 bird flu.
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A type of bird flu that has never been transmitted to humans has infected a Washington state resident and left him hospitalized, state health officials said.
Washington State Department of Health officials said an elderly resident was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms in early November. Department of Health spokesman Roberto Bonacorso told USA TODAY on Nov. 19 that the person remains hospitalized. This person has underlying health conditions and keeps poultry in his backyard that has been exposed to wild birds.
Ministry of Health officials said this is the first time the person has been infected with influenza A H5, the bird flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to the general public from avian influenza is low. Bonacorso said the health department has not identified any other infectious diseases associated with this case.
The case in Glades County, west of Seattle and on the Pacific coast, is the latest in a nationwide outbreak of avian influenza that has infected more than 1,000 herds in 17 U.S. states since the virus was first discovered in dairy cows in March 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture.
One death was confirmed related to the disease. In early January, a backyard flock keeper in Louisiana who was hospitalized with bird flu became infected with the D1.1 variant of the virus and became the first person in the United States to die from the disease. The person was reported to be over 65 years old and had underlying health conditions.
State and local health officials are working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture to investigate the latest source of infection.
Where does bird flu come from?
According to the Washington Department of Health, avian influenza is a disease caused by influenza A viruses found in wild waterfowl. The virus can spread to other birds and even mammals.
Health officials say most human cases occur in people who have been exposed to sick or infected animals. In humans, it can range from mild to severe. There was one death related to the disease.
According to the CDC, there have been 71 cases of avian influenza in humans. Of the cases, 41 were associated with infected dairy cows. 24 were associated with infected poultry. California has the highest number of infected people at 38.
The CDC says symptoms are similar to the common flu, including fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, eye irritation and fatigue.
Health officials say the risk of avian influenza tends to increase in the fall and winter as migratory birds carrying the virus move through the country.
According to the CDC, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza has not been confirmed.
Who is at risk?
The virus most commonly spreads among wild birds, but can also infect other mammals such as poultry, livestock, goats, coyotes, and opossums. An outbreak among chickens earlier this year caused a major egg shortage.
Infectious diseases can reduce a herd’s milk production by about a fifth, dairy industry experts say.
Those at highest risk of infection are farmers, animal care workers such as veterinarians, and other workers exposed to infected animals and animal products.
Raw or undercooked foods, such as cheese, can also carry the virus. The deaths of at least three domestic cats were linked to eating raw food contaminated with bird flu.
