Health officials in San Francisco initially reported a bird flu case involving a child earlier this month, which was later confirmed by the CDC. The child displayed symptoms of fever and eye irritation but has since fully recovered, according to officials. Investigators are currently examining how the child may have been exposed to the virus.
A CDC spokesperson verified that this is the second child in the country to be infected with bird flu, with the first case occurring in late November in California, also with an unknown source of exposure. The agency highlighted that this is the third instance where the origin of exposure for a bird flu case remains unidentified, as most cases are typically tied to contact with infected livestock.
Dr. Moody expressed uncertainty about the significance of individual cases like this one, emphasizing that while surveillance efforts have been intensified, there are still gaps in capturing all potential cases. The identification of isolated cases raises questions about the overall number of cases and the extent of virus circulation.
Dr. Meghan Davis from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggested that milder cases may be going undetected as individuals with mild symptoms may not seek medical attention for testing. She stressed the importance of enhanced surveillance to identify such cases that may not be immediately recognized.
The CDC has urged clinicians and laboratories to conduct influenza testing in patients with suspected cases, with an emphasis on expedited subtyping to differentiate between bird flu and seasonal flu. This distinction is crucial as the management of these infections may vary significantly.
Overall, experts emphasize the need for continued surveillance to detect cases that may be overlooked and to ensure timely identification and response to potential outbreaks.
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report. What 3rd case of bird flu with unknown source of infection could mean in fight against disease originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
