It’s the season for sniffles and sore throats, which implies that scientists are monitoring the standard suspects like influenza, RSV, and COVID-19. However they’re additionally watching one other virus this winter: H5N1 avian influenza, or chicken flu.
U.S. well being companies say that the virus at the moment poses a low threat to most people, though it’s spreading extensively amongst chickens, cows, and different animals. There have been 55 confirmed human instances within the U.S., in line with the newest statistics from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), and all however two of these individuals had been uncovered to sick poultry or cattle. There’s at the moment no proof that the individuals who have gotten sick have contaminated different individuals, in line with the CDC.
Nonetheless, researchers are monitoring the virus in case that state of affairs modifications. Not too long ago, an adolescent in Canada was hospitalized after being contaminated with chicken flu—and when researchers analyzed the genetic sequence of the virus that sickened the teenager, they reportedly discovered that it had undergone mutations that would enable it to unfold extra simply amongst people. The person doesn’t appear to have contaminated anybody else, however the findings underscore the chance that chicken flu might in the future grow to be an even bigger threat to most people.
Proper now, specialists say there’s not a lot for the common particular person to fear about. (Simply don’t drink uncooked milk, which can harbor the virus, and don’t contact animals which are lifeless or look like sick.) If you happen to’re curious concerning the indicators and signs of chicken flu, although, right here’s what to know.
What are the signs of chicken flu?
Most of the individuals within the U.S. who’ve caught chicken flu have reported conjunctivitis-like eye points, together with eye redness, discomfort, and discharge. That appears to be as a result of the virus can goal cells within the human eye. Farm employees who’ve been sickened on the job could have additionally been eye-level with contaminated animals.
Fowl flu may also trigger respiratory and traditional flu-like signs, together with cough, runny nostril, fever, sore throat, physique aches, complications, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pneumonia, the CDC says. Some individuals within the U.S. who’ve caught chicken flu have skilled respiratory signs as nicely.
How are you going to inform the distinction between chicken flu and common flu?
Fowl flu and seasonal flu can look related—however for those who develop flu-like signs, likelihood is excellent that it’s simply the common flu or one other routine winter sickness. There is no such thing as a indication that chicken flu is spreading among the many common U.S. inhabitants, the CDC says.
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Fowl flu could be identified by testing samples taken from a sick particular person’s nostril, throat, or eye, however testing is primarily really useful for individuals who have signs and have been just lately uncovered to animals that could be sick.
Is chicken flu severe?
The small variety of instances reported within the U.S. have to this point been delicate, with none requiring hospitalization. However chicken flu could be severe. The contaminated teenager in Canada, for instance, was hospitalized and in vital situation.
Individuals have additionally died throughout earlier chicken flu outbreaks. From January 2003 to November 2024, greater than 900 human H5N1 instances had been recorded in 24 international locations, and about half of them had been deadly, in line with World Well being Group statistics. However these figures doubtless miss individuals with milder, probably undetected sicknesses. It is usually unclear how lethal the virus can be if it developed to unfold extensively from person-to-person, which by no means occurred in these previous outbreaks.
Are chicken flu vaccines accessible?
Some corporations make vaccines that can be utilized towards chicken flu, and the U.S. authorities just lately distributed $72 million to make sure doses of those vaccines could be made accessible rapidly if needed.
However don’t anticipate finding chicken flu vaccines at your native pharmacy; they’re not accessible to the general public proper now. As an alternative, concentrate on getting your common flu shot for those who haven’t already. It gained’t work towards chicken flu, however it may well assist defend you towards the virus you’re much more prone to encounter this season.
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