A strain of bird flu called D1.1 has been found in dairy cows in Nevada and has infected a dairy worker in the state. This strain, which is different from the B3.13 strain that has caused the majority of human infections in the U.S., has the potential to spread more easily in mammals due to a mutation. It is the second time a bird flu strain has been found in cows. Experts are concerned about the implications of this and fear that bird flu could become endemic in the U.S.
Although the virus has not been deadly in dairy cows, it has caused significant damage to poultry farms, with millions of chickens culled leading to shortages of eggs and increased prices. The infected dairy worker in Nevada had only mild symptoms and has recovered, with no ill contacts reported. However, one person in Louisiana with the D1.1 strain died last month.
The CDC estimates that D1.1 was responsible for 15 of the 68 human cases of bird flu found last year in states including Iowa, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. While the risk of bird flu spreading from person to person is low, public health officials should prepare for the possibility of an influenza pandemic, according to experts. Testing for bird flu in hospitalized patients is recommended to monitor any changes in the virus.
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