Practice Management
Preliminary findings from ongoing testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that Americans have little to no pre-existing immunity to the H5N1 avian flu virus found on dairy and poultry farms. The CDC’s conclusions are based on blood samples collected from the 2021-2023 flu seasons. These samples showed low antibody levels against the H5N1 virus, suggesting minimal immunity. Despite this, the risk to the general public remains low, according to CDC, …
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked state health officials to keep up with flu surveillance over the summer to watch for human-to-human spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus, according to CIDRAP. Flu surveillance generally wanes during the warmer months when there are fewer seasonal flu virus cases. H5N1 vaccines exist, but the nation is far from ready for a full-scale national vaccine program should the virus become a widespread health …
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The H5N1 avian flu virus is spreading in dairy cows across the country, however, the risk of human-to-human transmission is rare. Because the virus is spreading so rapidly, scientists are considering wastewater sampling for surveillance, according to CIDRAP. Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center researchers reported 19 of 23 monitored wastewater sites had at least 1 result of H5N1 detected in wastewater from March 4 to April 25. It’s …
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