Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N2, H5N8, and H5N1 (HPAI H5) infections among domestic poultry and wild aquatic birds in the United States.The H5N1 virus isolated from US wild birds is a new reassortant virus that is genetically different from the HPAI H5N1 viruses that have caused human infections with high mortality in Asia and Africa. Between December 15, 2014, and May 29, 2015, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed more than 200 findings of birds infected with highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5 viruses. USDA surveillance indicates that more than 40 million birds have been either infected or exposed in 20 states.
CDC considers the risk of HPA1 H5 viral transmission to the general public to be low. No human cases of these HPAI H5 viruses have been detected in the United States, Canada, or internationally. However, people with close or prolonged unprotected contact with infected birds or contaminated environments may be at greater risk of infection.
Human infection with other avian influenza viruses, including a different HPAI (H5N1) virus; HPAI (H5N6) virus; and (H7N9) virus, has occurred after direct contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces and been associated with severe disease.
Physicians should consider the possibility of HPAI H5 virus infection in persons showing signs or symptoms of respiratory illness who have relevant exposure history. Persons who develop respiratory illness after exposure to HPAI H5-infected birds should be tested immediately for influenza by HPAI H5 virus infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay using H5-specific primers and probes. Multiple respiratory tract specimens (nasopharyngeal, nasal, and throat swabs) should be collected
