The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified mutations in a strain of the avian influenza virus H5N1, also known as bird flu, found in a Louisiana patient.
The mutations were discovered after samples from the patient were analyzed, which marked the first severe case of bird flu in the U.S.
Newsweek has contacted the CDC for comment outside of standard working hours.
Why It Matters
Earlier this month, the CDC confirmed that the first case of severe bird flu in the U.S., with CDC officials reporting the patient had been exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.
"A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus ("H5N1 bird flu") infection in Louisiana. This marks the first instance of severe illness linked to the virus in the United States. The case was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday, December 13," the agency said in a press release.
Previous cases in the United States have typically been mild, with the majority involving farmworkers who had direct exposure to infected poultry or dairy cows.
What To Know
The CDC's analysis revealed changes in the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, a critical component for the virus's ability to attach to host cells.
The mutations "were not found in virus sequences from poultry samples collected on the patient's property, suggesting the changes emerged in the patient after infection," the CDC stated in its December 26 update.
The mutations identified in the Louisiana case and a similar case in British Columbia, Canada, have been observed in prior severe infections worldwide but remain rare, the CDC said.
What People Are Saying
The CDC said in its update: "Overall, CDC considers the risk to the general public associated with the ongoing U.S. HPAI A(H5N1) outbreak has not changed and remains low.
"The detection of a severe human case with genetic changes in a clinical specimen underscores the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance in people and animals, containment of avian influenza A(H5) outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry, and prevention measures among people with exposure to infected animals or environments."
What Happens Next
The agency said it has not detected any transmission from the patient to other people, and that the risk to the general public remains low.
Newsweek previously created a map showing which states have recorded the most human bird flu cases.
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Joe Edwards
Joe Edwards is a Live News Reporter based in Newsweek's London Bureau. He covers U.S. and global news and has ...
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