Missouri Patient Contracts Avian Influenza, Raising Concerns Over Transmission

A hospitalized patient in Missouri has been infected with avian influenza, according to U.S. health authorities. The patient, who had no exposure to cows or other animals linked to the disease, is the 14th person in the U.S. to contract avian influenza since the virus was first identified in cattle in March.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that this is the first of the 14 people who “did not have known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals.” The CDC also emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low, and authorities have not detected any unusual flu activity across the country, including in Missouri.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the latest case is an adult who was confirmed to have avian influenza after being hospitalized on August 22 for other illnesses. The patient tested positive for influenza A, which CDC officials later confirmed was avian influenza. The patient was treated with antiviral medications and has since recovered and been released from the hospital.

Health officials did not release the person’s name, age, or hometown. CDC officials said the patient’s close contacts were not infected. The case raises questions about how the person came into contact with the bird flu virus, as previous human cases of bird flu in the United States have occurred in people who had contact with cattle and poultry.

Avian influenza has been found in nearly 200 dairy herds in 14 states, but not in Missouri, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The virus also occurs in commercial poultry flocks, backyard flocks, and wild birds. The patient reported not drinking raw milk, which could contain the live virus.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities say this is the first case to be detected through routine influenza surveillance, rather than through targeted monitoring of people who have had contact with infected cattle and poultry.