MSU expert discusses bird flu detections, what to know
LANSING, Mich, (WLNS) – As a second person in the United States has been infected with the bird flu, U.S. and state health officials are keeping a close eye on the virus.
A Michigan dairy worker was diagnosed with the virus state health officials said on Wednesday. A nasal swab from the person tested negative for the virus, however, an eye swab tested Tuesday was positive for the bird flu, “indicating an eye infection,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
This is the second human case associated with an outbreak in dairy cows, which started two years ago.
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“There’s a lot we need to learn about how the virus behaves in dairy cattle and what that means for the risk of infection to other species whether it’s poultry, cats, or others,” the Director of Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Kim Dodd said. “Whenever a cow, a bird, or a cat, when we find that they are infected with high path avian influenza, those samples get tested and evaluated by USDA for any potential mutations that might make this virus more transmissible to more species including to humans.”
Dodd said that MSU is a key player in the fight against the illness because it’s the only animal health disease lab in the state that can test for the virus.
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“Our job right now is really broad, it’s to work with veterinarians and state and federal officials to rapidly test any animals or birds that are suspected to have high path avian influenza,” she said. “Once we identify animals who are affected our job is then to work, again, with state and federal officials to get an understanding of how many other animals in that immediate area may also be affected.”
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is recommending seasonal flu vaccination for people who work on poultry or dairy farms and added that it will not prevent infection with avian influenza viruses, however, it can reduce the risk of coinfection with avian and flu viruses.
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