Severe Bird Flu Case in Wyoming, Third American to be Hospitalized

A Wyoming woman is the third American hospitalized with severe bird flu so far. The Wyoming Department of Health confirmed these test results earlier this month.

Here’s what we know about the severe bird flu situation to date and what they Wyoming Health Department wants you to do.

Wyoming Woman Hospitalized with Severe Bird Flu

According to the Wyoming Department of Health, a woman living in Platt County was diagnosed with severe bird flu this month.

According to the press release, the patient is hospitalized in another state and has extenuating circumstances. Reports to indicated that the patient has health conditions that often make certain people more vulnerable to illness.

The source of her exposure was likely due to contact with an infected poultry flock at her home.

“While this is a significant development as bird flu activity is monitored in Wyoming and across the country, it is not something we believe requires a high level of concern among most Wyoming residents,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with they Wyoming Department of Health.

Bird Flu Detected in Poultry, Wild Birds, and Dairy Cattle in Wyoming

Bird flu is not new to the state of Wyoming. However, this marks the first human case of severe bird flu (or any human case of bird flu) in the state.

“Experts continue to track the spread of H5N1 [bird flu] through wild birds, poultry, and dairy cattle across the county. A small number of people have also been infected. Most of those confirmed cases involve on-th-job close contact with poultry or cattle and mild symptoms,” Harrist said. “Unfortunately, this patient’s experience has been much more serious.”

Wyoming Department of Health Issues Warning

While Harrist explains that there have been no documented reports of human-to-human virus transmission in the United States so far, the department will continue to work with state and national partners and experts to monitor the situation.

In the meantime, she recommends some common-sense steps to help protect yourself and your family from severe bird flu right now.

Don’t Eat Raw or Undercooked Food

Poultry, eggs, and other animal products may be contaminated with bird flu virus. Be sure to cook these foods at a proper minimum internal temperature to effectively kill or inactivate any pathogens in the food. Avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked food, just like you should do to prevent contamination with any other type of foodborne germ.

Avoid Direct Contact with Wild Birds

The wild bird population may be infected with bird flu. Avoid direct contact with wild birds to prevent potential bird flu exposure.

Avoid Direct Contact with Sick or Dead Birds

Do not touch or approach wild or domestic birds that seem ill or have died. If you see birds showing symptoms of bird flu, the Wyoming Department of Health says that you should immediately contact a veterinarian or report the situation to the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307-777-8270. Use personal protective equipment or clothing if you must come in contact with sick or dead birds.

Avoid Contact with Cattle and Materials Potentially Infected with Bird Flu

Wyoming has had a number of dairy cattle herds test positive for bird flu. Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure to cattle or material infected with bird flu.

Avoid Raw Milk and Dairy Products

Do not drink raw milk or consume products made from raw milk, as they may contain bird flu virus.

Other Cases of Bird Flu

While this severe case of bird flu follows the death of a Louisiana man and severe bird flu illness in a British Columbian teenager, at least 69 cases of bird flu have been documented across the country. But the source of those infections may surprise you.

Most (41 so far) have been associated with exposure to infected dairy herds. That is nearly double the number of cases of bird flu following exposure to poultry farms and culling operations (total of 23 so far). Other animal exposures are listed in two cases, and three people aren’t sure where they were exposed.

Symptoms to Look Out For

Bird flu in humans can present a wide range of symptoms. As the virus is changing, it is possible that these known symptoms may evolve. It does seem, however, that like most illnesses, symptoms vary in intensity from mild to severe.

Some of the potential symptoms include:

• Eye redness (conjunctivitis)
• Mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms
• Pneumonia requiring hospitalization
• Fever over 100° F (not always present)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Less common symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Seizures

If you have been exposed to bird flu from poultry, dairy cow, or any other suspected animal (fox, cat, etc.), reach out to your health care provider right away. Let them know about your exposure situation so that you can be tested appropriately.

What is the Animal Situation?

With growing concern over the virus mutating to genotypes that cause severe bird flu in humans, the number of animals impacted by the virus also grows more ominous.

So far there have been 12,064 wild birds that have tested positive for bird flu. When that statistic is narrowed to poultry flocks, a significant 162,770,988 birds have tested positive. Most of these have involved commercial poultry operations, but a total of 1,588 outbreaks across 51 states have been recorded.

The actual number of dairy cows that have tested positive is not readily available. However, there are reports of 972 herds across 16 states on the bird flu data reports.

Want to Learn More About Severe Bird Flu in Humans?

If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Severe Bird Flu Case in Wyoming, Third American to be Hospitalized,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!

By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)