Earlier analyses found the virus is susceptible to antiviral medications used against the flu, and two candidate vaccines have been identified that would offer good production.
Blood tests show “there is extremely low to no population immunity” among Americans to the H5N1 avian flu virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Most of the population would be vulnerable if the virus mutated to become more readily contagious, but CDC has identified two candidate vaccines that would offer “good cross-protection” against it.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department said H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in 102 dairy herds, up from 94 herds at the end of last week. Outbreaks have been identified in 12 states, from Idaho to North Carolina. Michigan has the most, with 25.
In an update posted on its website, the CDC said its ongoing tests of blood samples collected in two recent flu seasons “suggest that there is extremely low to no population immunity” to the H5N1 virus, regardless of whether people had received a vaccination against the seasonal flu.
“This means that there is little to no pre-existing immunity to this virus and most of the population would be susceptible to infection from this virus if it were to start infecting people easily and spreading from person-to-person. This finding is not unexpected because A[H5N1] viruses have not spread widely in people and are very different from current and recently circulating human seasonal influenza A viruses,” said the CDC.
However, earlier analyses found the virus is susceptible to antiviral medications used against the flu, and two candidate vaccines have been identified that would offer good production. The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered 4.8 million doses of vaccine as a precaution and says it has no plans at present to use them.
Federal officials said the bird flu risk to the general population is low. Three farmworkers contracted mild cases of bird flu since April 1. To date, more than 550 people have been monitored for bird flu as a result of exposure to infected or potentially infected animals, and at least 45 people have been tested for the H5N1 virus after developing flu-like symptoms, said the CDC.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
It is a little disconcerting that we are having this conversation. Government officials had previously assured us that the virus was confined to poultry. Then along came cases of H5N1 in dairy. Now they are talking more and more about possible human repercussions. So, what is the real potential risk? Do we have an antidote or don’t we? At this juncture, they continue to say the risk to humans is low. Let’s hope they are correct!
