The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) on December 20 reported the state’s first human H5 avian influenza case, which involves an individual exposed to poultry while working with a commercial flock.
Meanwhile, groups in multiple states issued new reports and warnings about avian flu detections and deaths in cats and wild birds, and a surge in activity continues in poultry, with more outbreaks confirmed across nine states.
Iowa patient exposed at poultry farm
In a statement, Iowa HHS officials said the patient had mild symptoms, received treatment, and is recovering. The case was identified through testing at Iowa’s State Hygienic Laboratory and was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new case pushes the national total since the first of the year to 65 cases from 10 states.
The farm where the patient was exposed is in the northwestern part of the state. Over the past several weeks, H5N1 has struck several Iowa commercial farms. Iowa is the nation’s top egg-producing state.
LA County issues cat alert, virus strikes Washington wild cat sanctuary
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on December 20 posted an animal health alert about H5 in domestic cats, sharing more details about recently reported illnesses in cats from one household that were exposed to raw milk and a cat from another household that got sick after eating commercially produced raw pet food.
In the first instance, the household had eight cats, seven of which became ill. Five died or were euthanized, and the other two are quarantined and improving. Of the five cats that died, four were tested for influenza A, and the samples were later subtyped and confirmed as H5N1.
Separately, veterinary officials are investigating five indoor-only cats from another household that got sick after eating two different brands of raw pet food that contained raw poultry and raw beef. Two of the cats, one with an underlying health condition, had acute respiratory distress and were euthanized.
Another cat had multiple symptoms, including eye issues. A respiratory panel was positive for influenza A, with subtyping at a state lab positive for H5. Results are pending final confirmation. An investigation is still underway, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is testing samples of the raw pet food.
Elsewhere, the Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington on December 20 announced that highly pathogenic avian flu has sickened more than half of its wild felids. On its Facebook page, the group said 20 of the cats have died, including an Amur/Bengal tiger, 4 cougars, an African caracal, 2 Canada lynx, a Geoffroy cat, a Bengal cat, a Eurasian lynx, 4 bobcats, and 5 African servals.
The group said the center is under quarantine and will remain closed to the public until further notice and that it is working closely with county, state, and federal officials to ensure the safety of people and animals.
The center is located in Shelton, Washington, the westernmost city of Puget Sound.
Die-offs reported in Illinois wild birds
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources on December 20 announced that it, along with state health and agriculture officials, is monitoring avian flu mortality events in waterfowl throughout the state.
In a statement, the group said numerous locations are involved and that testing so far indicates highly pathogenic avian influenza is the cause. Officials urged the public to avoid handling or attempting to capture waterfowl or other wild birds that are showing illness signs. It also urged animal owners to keep pets away from wild birds that may have died from avian flu.
Wildlife officials in Missouri, Louisiana, and Iowa have issued similar warnings about avian flu in wild birds over the past few weeks.
Virus hits more poultry in 9 states, another herd in California
In other animal health developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed more poultry outbreaks across nine states, in a mix of commercial farms and backyard birds.
Outbreaks on commercial farms were reported from Minnesota, where three turkey facilities were affected. Alabama and Mississippi reported events at broiler farms, California reported an outbreak at a layer farm, and Wisconsin and Missouri also reported detections.
Meanwhile, outbreaks in backyard flocks were reported from Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Alabama, and Oregon.
Also, APHIS confirmed 1 more outbreak in dairy cattle, which involves another herd from California. The confirmation lifts California’s total to 660 and the national total to 876 across 16 states.
