Bird flu variant found in Nevada cows shows signs of adaptation to mammals

Bird flu variant found in Nevada cows shows signs of adaptation to mammals | CNN The newer variant of avian influenza that recently infected dairy cattle in Nevada has a genetic change that’s thought to help the virus copy itself in mammals — including humans — more easily, according to a new technical brief from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Brenda Goodman CNN

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It’s unclear whether these viruses pose a bigger threat to people, however. The CDC says the risk of H5N1 to the public is still low, although people who work on farms or who have backyard flocks are at higher risk.

The USDA report comes as a dairy farm worker in Nevada has screened positive for H5N1, the first human infection identified in the state. The worker’s symptoms include red, inflamed eyes, or conjunctivitis, according to a source familiar with the details who was not authorized to speak to the media. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to confirm the initial positive test.

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