Possible cases of H5N1 avian influenza in children in Marin County; source of infection unknown
Marin County health officials are investigating a possible case of H5N1 avian influenza in a child.
Officials have been investigating since last week and are working with the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine how the children were exposed to the virus.
The information was provided in Friday’s Health Update newsletter, tucked away at the end of a paragraph about county and state surveillance of the virus, raw milk, and plans to test milk nationwide. Description of USDA’s new program.
If confirmed, this would be the second case of infection in a child in California.
“The possibility that another child could be infected with the H5N1 virus is deeply concerning. We need to know more about this case, including some hypotheses about how she or he contracted the virus,” Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Center Director Jennifer Nuzzo said, “Given that this case and the last H5N1 case were diagnosed in a child who had not been exposed to animals, it may be prudent to conduct a more extensive investigation, including serological studies, to Determine if there is evidence of other infections in the area.
Last month, state health officials announced that a child in Alameda County had tested positive for the disease. Investigators have not determined the source of exposure. The child had mild respiratory symptoms and no one else in the child’s family or day care facility was infected.
Neither state nor county public health officials responded to inquiries from The Times, and no additional information was provided in the newsletter.
If confirmed, this would be the 61st case of human infection with avian influenza this year. Arizona announced two cases Friday — both involving dairy workers.
This would also be the third case in the United States this year with an unknown source of exposure. In addition to the case in a child in Alameda County, one person in Missouri was infected by an unknown source.
Outside the United States, a teenager in Canada also contracted the virus (from an unknown source) and has been in critical condition for three weeks.
Most human cases in the United States involve dairy and poultry workers who were exposed to places where the virus was known to be present.
So far, most human cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been mild, involving conjunctivitis or pink eye, and mild upper respiratory symptoms.
Researchers need to evaluate the genetic sequencing of the virus to determine whether it originated from dairy products or birds.
Wastewater samples collected by WastewaterScan, an infectious disease surveillance network led by researchers at Stanford University and Emory University, along with lab testing partner Alphabet Inc.’s life sciences organization Verily, show that the virus is widespread in the environment. Includes Marin County locations in San Rafael and Novato.
Over the past two weeks, state health and agriculture officials have suspended and recalled tainted raw milk from grocery store shelves across the state.
There are currently no known outbreaks linked to this raw milk, and it is unclear whether people can become infected by consuming the milk.
However, several mammals, including cats and rats, exhibit severe illness and death after consuming raw milk.
Mark McAfee, owner of the infected Raw Farm LLC, told The Times last week that he believed the milk had gone to 90,000 customers.
Asked how he determined that number, he said: “Our consumers are buying every week… it’s very reliable. We have 500 stores and based on the dollar amount per checkout, that’s our best guess.” .
The state’s Department of Health and Agriculture could not confirm that number.
