Second case of bird flu confirmed in Texas

The second case of bird flu in the United States was confirmed this Monday (1). According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the person who contracted the disease worked on a dairy farm and directly handled dairy cattle.

This is the first case of a person who did not have direct exposure to birds. The identification and confirmation of the case was carried out by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this past weekend.

Even with confirmation, according to the statement issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services, the case does not pose a danger to the public and the risk remains low.

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^{Mammals can also contract the disease (Photo: reproduction/Sean Gallup/Getty Images)}

According to the CDC, even though the case poses a low risk, it is important to continue monitoring. “Because the flu virus is constantly changing, continued surveillance and preparedness efforts are critical, and CDC is taking action if the public health risk assessment changes.”began. “This is a developing situation, and CDC will share additional updates as new relevant information becomes available.”concluded the statement.

The CDC also stated that the patient remains in recovery and in isolation. Regarding symptoms, the patient only felt eye inflammation.

Bird flu

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^{Many birds can contract the virus and infect other animals (Photo: reproduction/Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)}

Spread by birds, avian influenza is a type A virus, which can come from any species of birds such as owls, ducks and seagulls. Mammals can also be infected by the disease and can transmit it to humans. Scientists point out that for these animals to catch the disease, they need to ingest or have contact with infected birds.

According to the CDC, the virus can spread through saliva and feces, but emphasizes that transmission between humans is very rare.

The disease has been identified mainly in the United States

Symptoms

The symptoms of a person who has contracted the virus may vary. In cases considered milder, symptoms may appear like the flu and indicate redness in the eyes.

In people who develop more serious cases, pneumonia often accompanies the virus.

Featured photo: Avian Flu (Reproduction/Peter Garrard Beck/Getty Images)