(CBS-DETROIT) – A second dairy farmer in Michigan has contracted bird fluand health experts are weighing in as this is the first case in the US involving acute respiratory symptoms.
The new case is the third human case linked to the multi-state outbreak of H5 bird flu in dairy cows. All three cases – one in Texas and two in Michigan – involve workers exposed to infected cows, but symptoms in the most recent case differ slightly from other cases seen so far.
The third farm worker who contracted bird flu reported acute respiratory symptoms, while the other two reported only eye symptoms.
Dr. Celine Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-in-chief of KFF Health News, joined “CBS Mornings” to discuss what people need to know about the third employee to have these new symptoms. Gounder said when the virus is only in the eyes it is more difficult to transmit to other people, but with respiratory symptoms it is more easily spread through coughing.
According to the CDC, the risk to the general public remains low, but Gounder emphasized that the risk to farmworkers, especially those who have direct contact with dairy cows, is high.
So far, the three cases have been transmitted from livestock to people, and there have been no cases of human-to-human spread of bird flu, but Gounder said this could happen.
“We’re not aware of any human-to-human cases ever happening, but that’s exactly how you get the next epidemic or pandemic as the virus mutates, adapts to humans, where it can spread from human to human to spread.” Gounder said.
Currently, the bird flu vaccine is made with eggs, which is a major concern.
“Our flu production is based on eggs; bird flu kills birds; birds lay eggs, so your entire production process may be at risk from the virus you are trying to combat,” says Gounder. “So we really need to develop alternatives to egg-based production.”
Although cell-based vaccines are considered better, most companies have also invested billions in egg-based production lines, so they are not eager to replace them.
Officials tried stay away from egg-based vaccines in 2005 and again in 2009, but “with the resources we have available, we get the best bang for our buck and the best value for American taxpayers when we use the seasonal infrastructure, and that is still largely based on eggs,” said David Boucher, director of infectious disease preparedness at HHS’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
