Scientists now fear bird flu has passed from mammals to humans for the first time, marking another step in the evolution of the deadly virus. There is “strong evidence” that a person working on a farm in Texas was infected by sick cows, new analysis shows.
For two years now, the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain has been spreading worldwide and is now infecting other mammals as well. The new evidence shows that the virus has been spreading unnoticed since the beginning of the year. So far, 36 herds in nine states have tested positive for the virus. However, tests of milk samples have shown that the virus has spread much more widely. According to experts, the longer it spreads unchecked in a domesticated mammal, the greater the chance it will adapt to a new species and jump to humans.
According to a study published in the scientific journal “The New England Journal of Medicine”, the symptoms of the infected man were mild. Although he developed conjunctivitis, he did not develop a fever and had no breathing problems. His lungs were also clear. Doctors gave the patient and his roommates antiviral drugs as a precaution.
The team, which included researchers from the Centers for Disease Control, said: “Given that the infected person worked on a dairy farm where there were sick, possibly infected cows but no other mammals or birds, we believe that the genetic and epidemiological data provide strong evidence of human infection following exposure to possibly virus-infected cows’.
US authorities detected fragments of the virus – but not active virus – in the pasteurized milk. However, they said dairy products and beef are safe.
Although the Texas worker was mildly ill, H5N1 can be serious – even fatal – to humans. According to the World Health Organization, 888 people have been infected worldwide from 2003 to the end of March this year, while 463 have died.
Source: ertnews.gr
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