Cases of the infection have gone undetected in farm workers across the country
Bird flu(H5N1) has been spreading across the country, among both animals and people, since April of this year.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to monitor the outbreak, new research has led itto change some of the monitoring protocols particularly for those who work with animals.
The CDC has been working with the Michigan Department of Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health to get a better idea of how bird flu is spreading among farm workers. Experts detected cases of bird flu infection among farm workers that had previously gone undetected.
Based on these results, the CDC is recommending that anyone working with or around animals should have greater access to personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as testing for bird flu.
The risk of infection with H5N1 virus among the general public remains low, the CDC explained.
However, these new findings highlight the need for employers and public health to strengthen prevention activities to better protect farm workers from this infection. Doing so is important to reduce the risk of H5N1 virus spreading to exposed workers from sick animals.
A look at the study
Between June and August of this year, the CDC was working with public health officials from Michigan and Colorado to get a better understanding of bird flu.
In this study, 115 farm workers had their blood drawn and also answered questions about their health and experience working with cows that had been infected with bird flu. The majority of participants were responsible for milking the cows or cleaning the cows stalls at the time the animals had been infected.
Ultimately, 7%, or eight people, had antibodies for bird flu, meaning they were recently infected with the virus. Of that group, half reported feeling sick around the same time the cows were sick, while half reported feeling no symptoms.
What does this mean?
The goal moving forward is to ensure safety for farm workers. Now, the CDC is calling for enhanced measures to protect the health of farm workers across the country. These include:
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Enhancing PPE guidance, protocols, and training on appropriate protective gear
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Increasing testing of bird flu to better identify those who have been infected and ensure they receive the proper treatment and adequate time off work
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Testing farm workers who are asymptomatic but may not be as strict with wearing PPE
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Increasing education and outreach among farm workers to emphasize the importance of these safety measures
These findings highlight the need to actively monitor exposed workers by assessing the presence of any mild symptoms and provide a safe environment that encourages reporting of even mild illness and allows for rapid treatment with antivirals to prevent progression to severe disease, without risk for repercussions in terms of job security and pay, the CDC wrote.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-11-12 11:52:00
