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#h5n1 — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #h5n1, aggregated by home.social.

  1. THREAT MODEL: COVID 🦠
    for August 27th, 2026
    by independent journalist @violetblue

    - #Cyclosporiasis case tally per state reporting is 32,500, CDC count still lags at 17,180

    - #DRC / #Uganda #Ebola outbreak: #UN says affected area now larger than France; @whn warns spread beyond that area is not a distant risk [see 1st reply below]

    - #Australia announces 1st recorded #H5N1 #BirdFlu confirmed transmission between bird & mammal

    - US summer #Covid surge explodes nationwide, forces school closures in #Louisiana & #Texas

    - #India : study confirms 2.5x surge in cardiac emergencies in kids post-Covid

    - #DollyParton , amazing human & largest donor to Covid mRNA-vaccine development early in the pandemic, dies at 80

    ...and much more.

    ✨THREAT MODEL is free to read -- please help keep it accessible to all by becoming a patron, even $1 a month makes a difference!✨

    patreon.com/violetblue/posts/p

    #ThreatModel #ThreatModelCovid #ThreatModelNewsletters #VioletBlue #COVIDnews #PublicHealth #CovidIsNotOver

  2. THREAT MODEL: COVID 🦠
    for August 20th, 2026
    by independent journalist @violetblue

    - State reporting has #Cyclosporiasis cases at 31,342 with CDC's data on a 6-week delay

    - #Cyclospora identified in blueberries, cilantro, lettuce, raspberries, snow peas

    - DRC/Uganda's #Ebola outbreak still growing, with a death rate of 46%

    - New #H5N1 #BirdFlu detections in Utah egg farms and cattle ranches, while Cambodia confirms 1 human case

    - CDC changes #Covid wastewater tracking map back to soothing colors, adjusts calculations to lower severity thresholds

    - Major flu surge in #Aotearoa #NewZealand brings back Covid-era safety measures

    ...and much more.

    ✨THREAT MODEL is free to read -- please help keep it accessible to all by becoming a patron, even $1 a month makes a difference!✨

    patreon.com/violetblue/posts/p

    #ThreatModel #ThreatModelCovid #ThreatModelNewsletters #VioletBlue #COVIDnews #PublicHealth #CovidIsNotOver

  3. THREAT MODEL: COVID 🦠
    for August 13th, 2026
    by independent journalist @violetblue

    - Trump signs EO overriding #CDC authority over childhood vaccine schedule

    - #Cyclosporiasis case reporting a mess; blueberries, raspberries, & snow peas now also affected

    - #Ebola outbreak started in February per genetic sequencing; current stats: 4300 confirmed cases, >1900 deaths

    - New #H5N1 Watch map for #Oceania #SoutheastAsia region

    - Research review: Covid may weaken bones long after recovery

    - Persistent eye issues following Covid documented 3 mos to 3 yrs post-infection

    - #LongCovid study finds "extensive immune abnormalities in intestinal tissue"

    - How US clean-air clubs are helping protect communities from wildfire smoke

    ...and much more.

    ✨THREAT MODEL is free to read -- please help keep it accessible to all by becoming a patron, even $1 a month makes a difference!✨

    patreon.com/violetblue/posts/p

    #ThreatModel #ThreatModelCovid #ThreatModelNewsletters #VioletBlue #COVIDnews #PublicHealth #CovidIsNotOver

  4. THREAT MODEL: COVID 🦠
    for August 6th, 2026
    by independent journalist @violetblue

    - #Cyclospora outbreak reaches 47 states, #Cyclosporiasis cases top 22k & claim two lives

    - #Ebola outbreak still growing, with confirmed cases now at 3802 and deaths at 1707

    - Australia confirms first mass avian mortality incident from #H5N1 bird flu, other species at risk

    - New #Covid lineage PJ.2.1 considered a major evolutionary jump as Alpha, Delta, & Omicron were

    - Study: Covid infections can reactivate dormant viruses, tied to increase in autoimmune conditions post-Covid

    - Study: severe Covid infections linked to “anxiety [traits] in offspring via altered sperm RNA”

    - #Fauci invokes 5th amendment >100 times in Senate witch-hunt hearing

    ...and much more.

    ✨THREAT MODEL is free to read -- please help keep it accessible to all by becoming a patron, even $1 a month makes a difference!✨

    patreon.com/violetblue/posts/p

    #ThreatModel #ThreatModelCovid #ThreatModelNewsletters #VioletBlue #COVIDnews #PublicHealth #CovidIsNotOver

  5. In today's Threat Model: #Pandemic Roundup, @violetblue does what it says on the tin and brings you the latest on #cyclosporiasis, #ebola, #H5N1, and perennial fav, the one that started it all, #Covid/ #LongCovid. Read/share/support: patreon.com/posts/165898425
    #PublicHealth

  6. Going with the Flo

    I’m still wearing a mask in 2026. In part it’s because of the inconvenience getting sick causes, making me fall behind in my weekday job and potentially lose money if I have to cancel my weekend craft courses. In part it’s because if I have to in a crumbling empire in a cyberpunk dystopia I feel I should at least be allowed to dress like it. But mostly I wear one because I’m furious that we have apparently collectively as a society decided that the ability of people with medical vulnerabilities to participate in public life is not worth the miniscule effort it would take to wear one. I am furious that we seem to have decided certain lives not worth protecting for the sake of the economy. I am furious that we as a society seem I am furious that we ended up in a situation where the government decided saving the hospitality industry was worth a second covid wave that caused 87,000 deaths. I am furious that the pandemic could have been a portal to a world where where we recognised that protecting and valuing one another was the most important thing we could do as a species, and instead we preferred a return to normal which we continue to justify by pretending its worst effects never happened and the people they happened to don’t matter.

    I don’t want that world. I want one where we protect each other, where we reject the eugenicist framing that some disabled people are too inconvenient to protect and say every life is as valuable as every other. I’d say I was radicalised by the pandemic, but to be radicalised doesn’t have to require overthrowing the government or burning the system to the ground. Literally all you have to do is wear a small piece of plastic on your face. I don’t understand why that’s seen as such a huge demand.

    Poster available as a free download from Grae Salisbury.

    I also want to protect my own health. It really shouldn’t need saying but here we are, catching infectious diseases is bad for you. There seems to be an emerging contrarian idea out there that infections are good for you, and that making your body work to fight a disease is the same process as strengthening a muscle by making it work harder. But muscles respond to exercise signals like this in a carefully coordinated system designed by evolution to make the body work more efficiently. A better analogy for infectious disease is a the unplanned, uncoordinated damage of a wound. If you’re lucky wounded skin will heal to be just as functional as it was before the injury. If you’re unlucky you will be left with a scar that may be less flexible or less sensitive than undamaged skin, or may be more fragile and vulnerable to future injury. But there is no scenario in which wounded skin will heal to perform better than skin that has not been damaged.

    When you get an infection viruses or bacteria hijack the cells of your body to proliferate in, ultimately destroying them. they may also release substances that cause further damage elsewhere. Your body’s own immune system may also overreact a scorched earth tactic, destroying the infected tissue to prevent the infection from spreading, and may become primed to overreact in future. Replaced the abstract terms cells or tissues with you blood vessels, lung lining or brain and you can see why getting infections is not healthy. Repeated infections may train your immune system to respond to the pathogen a bit faster the next time around, but the damage is still done along the way. It’s far safer to get vaccinated, teaching immune systems to recognise the pathogens without the damage to the body infections cause.

    XKCD 2557

    Most people without underlying health conditions will regain the same level of health as they had before an infectious disease like covid or flu over a period that can vary from weeks to months, but some will not. Two million people in England and Scotland, a hundred thousand of them children, are estimated to be living with the post-viral condition long covid and the official government response to this seems to be to pretend that they’re making it up. That is an astounding too of human suffering, physical, psychological and financial due to the lack of support people who can no longer work are receiving. And for political leaders who prefer to think in terms of economic costs than human wellbeing, it is estimated that long covid will cost OECD economies up to $135 billion a year over the next decade due to people leaving the workforce, lower productivity, and healthcare costs.

    We are living in time of interconnected crises, where the damage done to our biosphere by the last century or so of industrial civilisation is increasingly outpacing our planet’s ability to absorb it and the highest human population in history is increasingly vulnerable to its impacts. Our political leadership seems to be turning away from the idea we need to protect one another, slashing budgets for public health both in country and aid programs to the wider world in spite of the fact that diseases don’t respect borders. While the UK isn’t far behind the US is one of the worst offenders here, with a leadership that seems ideologically opposed to disease control. Unfortunately it is also the worst country imaginable to deliberately sabotage its public health infrastructure, being unique globally in having a large population who lack access to healthcare among whom disease can spread but who can still afford to travel widely both nationally and internationally, importing and exporting pathogens freely. Add to this a network of vast industrial factory farms full of stressed vulnerable animals and you have the perfect breeding ground for future pandemics .

    The good news is that the vast majority of people want to help each other and do the right thing. The bad news is that we humans are pretty awful at working out what the right thing is, which is why we have a climate crisis and why people think the most helpful thing we can do about it is recycling and changing lightbulbs rather than reducing flights, car journeys and meat consumption. We tend to take the mental shortcuts of assuming the correct course of action is what we see the people around us or the people we look up around us doing. We stop masking when everyone else on the bus is no longer wearing a mask; when celebrities and influencers act as though covid is over. And when our political “leaders” hypocritically flout the rules they impose, we tend to follow their example.

    There are sound psychological reasons for this – throughout most of our evolutionary history, doing what the people around us were doing or what the people who looked to be successful were doing was a good way to survive. If everyone else in your tribe is avoiding the scorpions it’s probably a good idea to do so too even if you haven’t independently tested how much their sting hurts. If the impressive spearfisher who always hauls back a huge catch is going to the south side of the bay not the north side you’d probably be best off following her rather than wasting time testing the fishing in every spot for yourself. But the world has changed, or rather we have changed our world, and the strategies that worked best for most of our history may not work so well anymore. We can’t afford those cognitive shortcuts anymore, we have to be better than our leaders.

    Which mask to wear

    We have the technology to reduce the transmission of airborne infections in public spaces like schools, offices and nurseries through air filtration but have chosen instead to put the responsibility on individuals to protect themselves. Air purifiers with HEPA filters that remove virus particles (as well as allergens and pollutants) from the air have been shown to dramatically reduce the transmission of infections in schools, yet schools are rejecting offers of donated air purifiers because they feel they are unnecessary. No one would accept the idea that instead of removing pathogens from our drinking water we expected everyone to carry around Life Straws at work or when eating out, but this is the attitude we take to clean air.

    By now the evidence is pretty conclusive that the most effective type of mask is the N95 (US) or FFP2 (European), also called a respirator in some places, which doesn’t just filter but attracts airborne virus particles using electrostatic charges. While valved masks protect the wearer from virus particles in inhaled air they do nothing to protect passers-by from any viruses in exhalations so should be avoided. Surgical masks and cloth masks trap droplets containing virus particles but are less effective against free floating virus particles, and surgical masks do so more effectively than cloth masks. So the order off effectiveness is N95/FFP2 > surgical > cloth, with the caveat that a well fitted cloth one say will be better than a gappy N95. There’s a helpful guide to how to find the best mask for your face shape here.

    HOWEVER any mask is better than no mask! We are more likely to get masking to a population level where it would have an impact on disease transmission if everyone wears whatever they can, because a majority of people using cloth masks is going to be more helpful than 1% of people wearing perfectly fit tested N95s.

    So given the above why isn’t everyone wearing an N95/FFP2? Everyone’s risk calculus and the weight they put on different costs and benefits is going to be different. For a start N95/FFP2s may not be available in many majority world countries. Here in the UK the best source of the widest variety of masks is probably The Facemask Store. They are also expensive single use or at least limited use items (I am aware many disabled people struggling to survive in a country that seems to have decided their existence is a luxury we can’t afford are reusing them more than is recommended).

    Cloth masks on the other hand are infinitely reusable and everyone probably still has some about the house from the early stages of the pandemic. Surgical masks seem in many ways to be the worst of all possible worlds, combining the lower effectiveness of cloth masks with the environmental and cost issues of disposables, but I am aware that some people find them most comfortable. For those who need the most effective masks available but struggle to afford them it’s worth checking if you have a local Mask Bloc which distributes masks and potentially other types of PPE and healthcare supplies. Alternatively if you have money going spare consider supporting your local Mask Bloc if you can!

    Disposable masks are also more environmentally damaging than washable cloth masks, made of single use plastic and packaged in single use plastic. Up to 15 trillion face masks are estimated to be used globally every year, resulting in 2 megatons of waste. Here your cost benefit weighting is obviously going to depend on your estimate of your degree of vulnerability – if you’re wearing a mask mostly to protect yourself you’ll want the most effective one possible, but if you’re trying to avoid harm to others you have to weigh infection harm against environmental harm. And unfortunately although solutions like feeding plastics to insects make good headlines it would take 100 mealworms four and a half months to consume a single facemask so it’s not really a scalable solution currently.

    Painting by Jo Blakely, shared free to re use.

    I tried to navigate this by wearing different masks in different situations. I personally don’t judge myself to be particularly vulnerable, so am primarily wearing a mask to protect others, but I’d still like to avoid getting ill as much as possible. I started out by wearing a cloth mask for cost, comfort and environmental reasons in everyday situations like shopping, day to day commuting or meetings with colleagues, but wearing an FFP2 mask if I was in any way ill. I also wear an FFP2 when the data for respiratory infections suggest they’re high or rising rapidly. You can follow a good weekly summary of the status of Covid and other respiratory infections in the the UK here, compiled with data from the UK national flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports. I also wear an FFP2 wherever I’m with a lot of other people in an area of poor ventilation, like long train journeys, conferences, gigs etc and after coming back from a situation like this until I’m sure I haven’t picked anything nasty up. Finally I started wearing an FFP2 mask in the run up to events I couldn’t afford to miss by getting ill, like family celebrations, conferences, teaching booking or blood donation appointments.

    As is probably becoming apparent, the proportion of the time I wear a reusable cloth mask has been steadily decreasing but I was feeling guilty about the amount of plastic waste my N95/FFP2 habit was generating. It was time to find a better option.

    The Flo mask

    I’d seen more and more people on Mastodon talking about the Flo Mask, and shortly after reading this positive review their European site had a sale so I decided to take the plunge.

    Adult Flo masks come in two sizes, 1 for people with lower nose bridge (most common for those of Asian, Pacific Islander, and African heritage) and 2 for people with higher nose bridges (most common for people of European and Hispanic heritage). If you’re not sure which category you fall into there’s a printable measuring tool on their website. There is a disclaimer on their website that the masks won’t fit 10% of the population with particularly narrow or Roman noses. I was on the edge of too narrow but just made it, and having sympathised with friends of East Asian or West African heritage struggling to find outdoor clothing sized for their bodies I find it quite refreshing that the default body size and shape used for design that might not accommodate people of other ethnicities isn’t European for a change.

    I do have to say that the mask body is pretty expensive, costing £68 at the time of writing for an adult model. A 50 pack of replacement filters costs £46, compared to around £9-£10 for a pack of disposables from The Facemask Store, and in another “Brexit bonus” postage from Ireland is about £14. The postage estimate incidentally said seven days but it took slightly over two weeks, so just be aware of this if you’re hoping to get one for a specific date. Delivery also requires a signature, which I didn’t realise – had I known I would have had it delivered to my work rather than home address.

    This is a huge expense even with the replacement filters coming free on the two for one deal and I realise that I am very privileged to be able to pay it. Masks can be a significant expense for many, and infectious diseases are often more of a threat to those in poverty who can least afford them and are likely to be living, working and commuting in more crowded conditions. Like the fact that it is now necessary for most people in the to pay nearly £100 for covid vaccination, the shifting of the costs of public health health protect is not only a short-termist economic own goal it’s an ideological rejection of the idea that we have an obligation to protect those more vulnerable than us in society. This is why I feel it’s incumbent upon those of us who can afford to take disease control measures to do so, even if it shouldn’t be an individual responsibility in the first place.

    I took it out of the packet, put it on for the first time, and my wife burst out laughing and said I looked like Bain. Needless to say this was not a reaction I particularly wanted from someone I would like to find me attractive, and it also made me worried that the mask could look intimidating. I teach various heritage crafts and skills at indoor events and wouldn’t want my mask to put potential customers off. I’ll explain what I tried to do about this after reviewing the mask itself.

    The positives

    First of all the Flo Mask is initially and for short periods of time the most comfortable mask I’ve ever worn. Some issues do arise in the longer term, which I’ll discuss in the next section, but the double back of the head strap is far more comfortable than ear loops even using ear savers and the silicone mask back conforms to the shape of my face perfectly. The mask is supplied with a ring of black foam padding but I took that out because it just seemed to fall out and flop about annoyingly inside, and even without it it’s perfectly comfortable. It produces a perfect seal to my face too with no fogging of my glasses, and the stretchiness of the straps make it easy to pull the mask away from my face briefly without taking it off completely to take sips of water. Straps snapping off the body when I tried to do this was one of the main problems I had with disposable masks breaking.

    Although Flo Masks still use single use disposable filters which come in plastic packaging, they use less single use material overall than the disposable masks I had been using, containing half as much filter material, and not requiring a metal nose wire and elastic straps to be thrown away every time. They also score highly on the sustainability front by selling replacement parts like straps and pegs individually, so if one tiny component breaks you don’t need to replace the entire mask.

    The negatives

    I’m going to start by saying the issues I have encountered probably have more to do with my personal life circumstances and others may not experience them. They also don’t outweigh the many advantages of the mask outlined above. However something I have really struggled with in comparison to the more permeable disposable FFP2 masks is how sweaty the Flo mask gets in hot conditions, both inside the mask and where the silicone touches my face. I will say that I’m probably using it in hotter conditions than most users – I commute on trains that aren’t air conditioned and work in a greenhouse and in an office in a British University building constructed in the 1960s before the climate warmed. I also do a lot of walking and cycling to get around so my base body temperature may be a bit higher than average. But I have really struggled with how wet the inside of the mask gets.

    The interior of the mask after a half hour journey on a hot train.

    I have also found that, presumably because of slight static charge, the silicone face rest is an absolute magnet for fluff and cat hair which can get quite itchy. Both of these issues mean I’m having to wash the back of the mask much more frequently than I expected to, which is a little disappointing as the filters are rated for 40 hours of use so I was hoping I could get about a week’s wear out of them to save money and waste but am instead having to change them every day or two when I take the mask apart to wash it. The back part is at least easy to clean with warm water and washing up liquid, and I’ve found a Swedish Glace ice cream tub is the perfect size to do it in. Washing the mask after getting home from work and then leaving it on the draining board overnight means it dries by the next morning.

    Solving the Bain problem

    In order to try and make the mask look less utilitarian and intimidating I decided to paint flowers on the detachable front piece using acrylic paint pens. I recently decorated my headphones this way, but although they looked good at first the paint quickly started to chip off and I didn’t want that to happen with my mask. After consulting with my friends who paint wargame miniatures and/or tiny trains I discovered that you need to use primer to ensure acrylic paint sticks to plastic, so that was my first step.

    There is a stage of every new craft project where you think “Oh God I’ve made a horrible mistake!” and this was it for me, when I could smell the solvents from the primer for the rest of the evening on this thing I was planning to wear in front of my nose. Fortunately the smell did completely dissipate by the next morning.

    This was the finished object which I think came out rather well. Sunflowers are my favourite flowers and I love daisies and forget-me-nots too.

    Incidentally I’m not the first person to have had the idea to decorate my Flo Mask – the creator of this Instagram video used temporary tattoos and I could see a lot of scope for using stickers, decoupage or washi tape. Some people have also 3D printed accessories to clip on. When I can afford it I’m very tempted to get some more front covers to experiment with.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DBMbSg0Sui_/

    Reactions to my mask

    I have had a few hostile reactions to masking in the past, although the impression I get is what we experience in the UK is nothing compared to what people are getting in the US. In the decades to come I’m sure hundreds of theses will be written on how mask wearing, the most effective intervention we have against respiratory infections, has become so politicised that it has now been banned in parts of the US and widely ignored elsewhere. Let’s just say that I now understand how there was so much pushback against the idea of handwashing in medical settings when it was first proposed.

    I haven’t so far had any negative responses to wearing my Flo Mask. I have had a few people staring on public transport, but honestly at this point I’m a flight free, car free vegan who doesn’t shave her body hair and was dopamine dressing before it had a name, I’m used to being a bit out of step with the rest of society. There’s a Quaker saying along the lines of not letting the fear of being seen as peculiar stop you from doing what’s right, and I have always lived my life that way without really consciously trying.

    I do worry a little that my wearing a mask makes it seem like something only odd people do, rather than normalising it for everyone, but let’s face it I’m not any sort of trendsetter or influencer. I get about 20 views on your average post. If I’m lucky someone shares it and that goes up by an order of magnitude, if I’m extremely lucky wasn’t some idiot ranting about wokeness who shared it. To maximise my reach I should probably be breaking these ideas down into bitesized chunks and making 30 second videos of me dancing while sharing them, but frankly that sounds exhausting and anyway the dancing thing was probably about three centuries ago in TikTok time and is now cringe. Maybe the word cringe is itself now cringe. And I should probably stop this line of thinking now or I’ll start reminiscing about the early days of the web when information was mostly shared in good faith and not seen as a revenue stream (on the small part of the web not dedicated to porn anyway), and then I’ll start lamenting the demise of RSS and at that point frankly you may as well put me to bed with a nice warm (oat) milky drink.

    I hope that if you have stopped wearing a mask in places without much air exchange this post has made you at least consider starting again, whatever type of mask you might choose.

    #ableism #animalAgriculture #antivaxxers #birdFlu #covid #disabilty #facemasks #flu #H5N1 #localFood #longCovid #mpox #pandemic #plasticPollution #polycrisis #reviews #singleUse #UKPolitics #USPolitics #vaccines #waste
  7. In den #Niederlanden wurde erstmals außerhalb der #USA das #Vogelgrippe-Virus #H5N1 bei einer #Kuh nachgewiesen.

    In der #Milch des Tiers fanden sich #Antikörper. Zuvor war auf dem Betrieb eine #Katze an dem #Virus gestorben. Die Ursache der #Infektion ist unklar, Hinweise auf weitere Fälle gibt es bislang nicht. Das Risiko für deutsche #Tierhaltungen gilt laut #FriedrichLoefflerInstitut weiterhin als gering.

    deutschlandfunk.de/vogelgrippe

    #Tiergesundheit #Landwirtschaft #Zoonosen #healthcare

  8. 🤖 How can artificial intelligence help us outsmart rapidly evolving viruses like H5N1?

    🔗 AI-based antibody design targeting recent H5N1 avian influenza strains. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2025.06

    📚 CSBJ: csbj.org/

    #H5N1 #AIforHealth #AntibodyDesign #Biotech #ComputationalBiology #Influenza #AI4Biotech #GenerativeBiology #PandemicPrep #SyntheticBiology #ProteinEngineering #ComputationalBiology #DrugDiscovery

  9. Nach der #Pandemie ist vor der Pandemie:

    Ein Jahr nach dem ersten Nachweis von #H5N1 bei US-Milchkühen breitet sich das #Vogelgrippevirus weiter aus.

    Fast 1000 #Rinderherden sind betroffen, Millionen #Nutzvögel wurden gekeult. Auch erste Infektionen beim Menschen wurden gemeldet.

    Experten warnen vor mangelnder #Datenlage und fehlender #Überwachung. Die #CDC stuft das Risiko für die Bevölkerung aktuell als gering ein.

    n-tv.de/wissen/Wir-kennen-das-

    #Zoonose #Pandemievorsorge #Virologie

  10. Suspected cases of avian influenza detected in Peel Region

    BRAMPTON, ON (March 7, 2025) – Peel Public Health suspects cases of avian influenza in wild birds in Peel following the discovery of a large number of dead birds in the region recently.

    peelregion.ca/press-releases/s

    #OnObPPHU #PeelRegion #Ontario #BirdFlu #AvianInfluenza #H5N1

  11. Die Vogelgrippe-Situation hat sich nur verschlechtert

    Die #Vogelgrippe #H5N1 war bisher eine Krise, die langsam brodelte. Die Situation verschlechterte sich im Jahr 2021, als Vögel das Virus von #Europa nach #Amerika brachten, was eine Wiederholung von 2014 war, als asiatische Zugvögel in den Vereinigten Staaten und #Kanada weit verbreitete Ausbrüche auslösten. Beide Ereignisse führten zu einer #Masseninfektion von #Hausgeflügel und zur Keulung von Millionen von Hühnern. Die Ausbrüche, die 2021 begannen und bis heute andauern, weisen jedoch eine zusätzliche Besonderheit auf: Dieses Mal sind auch #Säugetiere wie #Robben und #Großkatzen in großer Zahl infiziert worden und wurden tot an Stränden, in Zoos und anderswo aufgefunden.

    Das vergangene Jahr erwies sich als ein weiterer Wendepunkt für das Virus, als es in Hunderten von US-#Rinderherden und bei #Arbeitern, die diese betreuten, nachgewiesen wurde. Mittlerweile ist klar, dass es keinen Grund für Optimismus gibt, dass H5N1 als geringfügiges Ärgernis verschwinden wird. Im Gegenteil, die Situation hat sich nur verschlechtert.

    Da viele Anzeichen auf eine zukünftige #Grippepandemie hindeuten, wird der Schlüssel zur Bekämpfung darin bestehen, einen freien Datenfluss zu gewährleisten, der eine Frühwarnung ermöglicht, und die Ressourcen für umfassende Tests und die #Analyse der genetischen Entwicklung von H5N1 zu erhöhen. Dies muss sowohl global als auch national geschehen – aber an einem kritischen Punkt hat Präsident Donald #Trump die Vereinigten Staaten stattdessen von den internationalen Gesundheitsbemühungen zurückgezogen und seinen Fehltritt noch verschlimmert, indem er die Kommunikation, die Kapazitäten und die Budgets der nationalen #Gesundheitsbehörden ins Visier nahm. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit steigt, dass die Welt eine Gelegenheit verpasst, eine potenzielle #Pandemie zu bekämpfen, bevor sie ausbricht.

    Die #Infektion mit dem #Vogelgrippevirus hat sich mit beispielloser Geschwindigkeit bei Wild- und Hausvögeln sowie bei #Meeressäugern und #Landsäugetieren ausgebreitet. Bei einem jüngsten und beängstigenden Vorfall Ende 2024 starben von den 37 #Großkatzen, die in einem Schutzgebiet in #Shelton, #Washington, untergebracht waren, darunter #Pumas, #Rotluchse und #Tiger, 20 an einer Infektion mit dem Virus, die meisten innerhalb von 24 Stunden. H5N1 scheint sich durch #Atemwegssekrete und den Kontakt mit infizierten #Zugvögeln verbreitet zu haben.

    Der Silberstreif am Horizont von H5N1 ist, dass #Menschen, die erkrankten Tieren ausgesetzt sind, sich zwar mit dem Virus anstecken können, aber nach dem derzeitigen Kenntnisstand der Forscher nicht ohne Weiteres andere Menschen infizieren können. Das könnte sich jedoch ändern, wenn die Infektionszahlen in die Höhe schnellen. Das Virus stellt eine ernsthafte #Bedrohung dar.

    Experten für öffentliche #Gesundheit waren zu Recht besorgt, als das Virus 2024 in US-#Milchviehbeständen auftauchte. Es hat die Hälfte der fast 1.000 Menschen getötet, die sich seit Anfang der 2000er Jahre damit infiziert haben, überwiegend in #Südostasien. Dort konnte es sich rasch ausbreiten und bisher fast tausend Herden infizieren. Anders als bei Wildvögeln oder anderen #Tierarten arbeiten Menschen eng mit #Milchvieh zusammen. Menschen haben sich das Virus auch direkt von Vögeln eingefangen. Während #Milchbauern bisher nur leichte Infektionen erlitten haben, verliefen die Erkrankungen von zwei Personen, die sich bei toten oder infizierten Wild- oder Hausvögeln mit dem Virus angesteckt hatten, weitaus schlimmer. Ein Patient aus #Louisiana starb; ein anderer in British Columbia erholte sich nur nach einem außergewöhnlichen medizinischen Eingriff. In beiden Fällen zeigten virale #RNA-Sequenzen #Mutationen, die eine effektive Bindung an Zellen in den menschlichen Atemwegen ermöglichen könnten. Bei Rindern und zahlreichen anderen Tierarten erhält das Virus zahlreiche Gelegenheiten, sich weiterzuentwickeln und gefährlicher zu werden.

    Besonders besorgniserregend: Wenn zwei verschiedene #Virusstämme einen einzelnen Wirt gleichzeitig infizieren, können sie Teile ihres #Genoms austauschen, ein Prozess, der als #Reassortment bezeichnet wird. Dadurch kann ein neues Virus mit einer anderen Kombination von Eigenschaften entstehen. Die #Schweinegrippe-Epidemie (#H1N1) von 1985 bis 1989 wurde beispielsweise durch ein Virus verursacht, das durch den Austausch von #Genomsegmenten in einem #Schwein entstand, das gleichzeitig mit einem menschlichen und einem #Vogelvirusstamm infiziert war. Diese Art der Vermischung bei Tieren wird durch den aktuellen Ausbruch der #Vogelgrippe, der parallel zu einer extrem starken saisonalen #Grippewelle auftritt, immer wahrscheinlicher.

    Derzeit werden die meisten Tests auf H5N1 bei symptomatischen Fällen durchgeführt. Infizierte Tiere und Menschen können jedoch bereits Tage vor dem Auftreten von Symptomen eine hohe #Viruslast aufweisen. Arbeiter in Milch- und Geflügelfarmen zögern jedoch, sich testen zu lassen, aus Angst, ihren #Arbeitsplatz zu verlieren. Obwohl die Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) kürzlich ihre Empfehlungen geändert haben, um sicherzustellen, dass auch asymptomatische #Landarbeiter getestet werden, ist die Anzahl der durchgeführten Tests nach wie vor unzureichend. Die #CDC hat sich kürzlich mit kommerziellen Testlabors zusammengetan, um die Überwachung zu verbessern, und auch einzelne Bundesstaaten führen vermehrt Tests an #Milch asymptomatischer Herden durch.

    Es sind aggressive Tests zur #Früherkennung einer auf den Menschen übertragbaren Form von H5N1 erforderlich, aber das ist nur ein Teil eines jeden notwendigen Reaktionsplans: Überwachung ohne #Kommunikation ist nutzlos. Die Trump-Regierung hat im Rahmen eines allgemeinen Angriffs auf den Haushalt von #Gesundheitsbehörden und deren wissenschaftliche Unabhängigkeit versucht, die Kommunikation im Bereich der öffentlichen Gesundheit auf Bundesebene einzuschränken – selbst bei lebenswichtigen Informationen über H5N1.

    Nach der Amtseinführung verhinderte die Regierung die Veröffentlichung des viel gepriesenen Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report der CDC, der seit Jahrzehnten regelmäßig und auch nach einem Präsidentenwechsel ohne Unterbrechung veröffentlicht worden war. Die erste Ausgabe nach der Amtseinführung sollte angeblich Studien über H5N1 enthalten. Als die Veröffentlichung wieder aufgenommen wurde, waren diese nicht enthalten (obwohl eine inzwischen veröffentlicht wurde, in der das #Infektionsrisiko für Tierärzte, die mit infizierten Tieren arbeiten, aufgezeigt wird).

    Seitdem sickern Daten aus verschiedenen Quellen durch.

    Anfang dieses Monats gab das #Landwirtschaftsministerium bekannt, dass ein zweiter H5N1-Stamm von Vögeln auf drei #Milchviehherden in #Nevada übergesprungen war. Dabei handelte es sich um den tödlicheren D1.1-Stamm, der Mutationen aufweist, die eine leichtere Ausbreitung des Virus bei Säugetieren ermöglichen könnten, im Gegensatz zum milderen B3.13-Stamm, der seit letztem Sommer Herden infiziert. Die Kühe in Nevada zeigten bei den Tests keine Symptome, aber die frühzeitige Erkennung durch das Milchuntersuchungsprogramm des #Landwirtschaftsministeriums von Nevada ermöglichte es den Beamten, die betroffenen Herden unter #Quarantäne zu stellen und so die Ausbreitung der #Infektion einzudämmen.

    Da der gefährlichere D1.1-Stamm nun bei nordamerikanischen Zugvögeln vorherrscht, ist das, was in Nevada geschah – die zweite dokumentierte Übertragung von H5N1 von Vögeln auf Rinder – keine Überraschung. Es könnte jedoch sein, dass dieses Virus für Überraschungen sorgt, wenn die Tests bei nicht symptomatischen Menschen und Tieren weiterhin unzureichend sind, insbesondere da die Trump-Regierung die globale Zusammenarbeit der USA einschränkt und der #Datenfluss aus den USA und internationalen Organisationen, die Infektionen und die Entwicklung des Virus identifizieren, auf ein Rinnsal verlangsamt wird oder ganz zum Erliegen kommt.

    Die CDC und die #Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) sind maßgeblich daran beteiligt, die sich entwickelnde H5N1-Bedrohung im Auge zu behalten. Kein Teil der Welt ist vor zirkulierenden pandemischen Viren geschützt, und zu wissen, was sie sind und wo sie sich befinden, ist entscheidend für den Schutz der #Gesundheit der Amerikaner und der Menschen auf der ganzen Welt.

    In der Vergangenheit haben die CDC und die WHO einen aktiven #Datenaustausch im Zusammenhang mit der globalen Krankheitsüberwachung betrieben. Die Kommunikation zwischen den Behörden erfolgte in Foren wie Beratungsgremien und Notfallteams. Ende Januar jedoch unterband die Trump-Regierung die Kommunikation zwischen CDC-Mitarbeitern und der WHO und zog Mitarbeiter ab, die in WHO-Büros arbeiteten. Die #Regierung ordnete außerdem die Einstellung der finanziellen Unterstützung der USA für die WHO an, wobei diese Anordnung eine einjährige Schonfrist vorsieht. Die Anordnung, die Kommunikation einzustellen, trat jedoch sofort in Kraft. Die Vereinigten Staaten sind nicht mehr Teil der globalen Diskussion darüber, wie auf eine wachsende und potenziell explosive Krankheitsbedrohung reagiert werden soll. Die #Amerikaner haben den verlässlichen Einblick in das Verhalten von H5N1 außerhalb der US-Grenzen verloren und werden möglicherweise die Chance verpassen, Schutzmaßnahmen zu ergreifen.

    Natürlich ist das globale #Gesundheitssystem fehlerhaft. Die WHO und die CDC wurden für ihre Lücken und Verzögerungen bei der Vorsorge und Reaktion in den Tagen nach dem Auftreten von #COVID19 kritisiert. Die #WHO wurde beschuldigt, zu einem Werkzeug politischer Agenden zu werden, und dafür kritisiert, dass sie erst dann #Reisebeschränkungen erlassen hat, als die Pandemie bereits weltweit wütete. Währenddessen verzögerte bei der CDC ein fehlerhafter #COVID-Test, der frühzeitig veröffentlicht wurde, die genaue Meldung von Fällen. Das System muss repariert und nicht aufgegeben werden, insbesondere da die H5N1-Bedrohung weiter eskaliert.

    Da die Zahl der mit dem #Virus infizierten #Vögel und #Säugetiere weiterhin explosionsartig ansteigt, ist das Auftreten eines übertragbaren pandemischen Stammes keine Frage des „ob“, sondern des „wann“. Um Michael Osterholm, den Direktor des Zentrums für #Infektionskrankheitenforschung und -politik an der Universität von #Minnesota, zu zitieren: „Die Pandemieuhr tickt. Wir wissen nur nicht, wie spät es ist.“

    Quelle: Lucy Shapiro, 20. Februar 2025 in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The bird flu outlook has only gotten worse

    Übersetzung: Thomas Trueten [Nicht authorisiert]

    #CapitalismIsADeathCult

  12. Die Vogelgrippe-Situation hat sich nur verschlechtert

    Die #Vogelgrippe #H5N1 war bisher eine Krise, die langsam brodelte. Die Situation verschlechterte sich im Jahr 2021, als Vögel das Virus von #Europa nach #Amerika brachten, was eine Wiederholung von 2014 war, als asiatische Zugvögel in den Vereinigten Staaten und #Kanada weit verbreitete Ausbrüche auslösten. Beide Ereignisse führten zu einer #Masseninfektion von #Hausgeflügel und zur Keulung von Millionen von Hühnern. Die Ausbrüche, die 2021 begannen und bis heute andauern, weisen jedoch eine zusätzliche Besonderheit auf: Dieses Mal sind auch #Säugetiere wie #Robben und #Großkatzen in großer Zahl infiziert worden und wurden tot an Stränden, in Zoos und anderswo aufgefunden.

    Das vergangene Jahr erwies sich als ein weiterer Wendepunkt für das Virus, als es in Hunderten von US-#Rinderherden und bei #Arbeitern, die diese betreuten, nachgewiesen wurde. Mittlerweile ist klar, dass es keinen Grund für Optimismus gibt, dass H5N1 als geringfügiges Ärgernis verschwinden wird. Im Gegenteil, die Situation hat sich nur verschlechtert.

    Da viele Anzeichen auf eine zukünftige #Grippepandemie hindeuten, wird der Schlüssel zur Bekämpfung darin bestehen, einen freien Datenfluss zu gewährleisten, der eine Frühwarnung ermöglicht, und die Ressourcen für umfassende Tests und die #Analyse der genetischen Entwicklung von H5N1 zu erhöhen. Dies muss sowohl global als auch national geschehen – aber an einem kritischen Punkt hat Präsident Donald #Trump die Vereinigten Staaten stattdessen von den internationalen Gesundheitsbemühungen zurückgezogen und seinen Fehltritt noch verschlimmert, indem er die Kommunikation, die Kapazitäten und die Budgets der nationalen #Gesundheitsbehörden ins Visier nahm. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit steigt, dass die Welt eine Gelegenheit verpasst, eine potenzielle #Pandemie zu bekämpfen, bevor sie ausbricht.

    Die #Infektion mit dem #Vogelgrippevirus hat sich mit beispielloser Geschwindigkeit bei Wild- und Hausvögeln sowie bei #Meeressäugern und #Landsäugetieren ausgebreitet. Bei einem jüngsten und beängstigenden Vorfall Ende 2024 starben von den 37 #Großkatzen, die in einem Schutzgebiet in #Shelton, #Washington, untergebracht waren, darunter #Pumas, #Rotluchse und #Tiger, 20 an einer Infektion mit dem Virus, die meisten innerhalb von 24 Stunden. H5N1 scheint sich durch #Atemwegssekrete und den Kontakt mit infizierten #Zugvögeln verbreitet zu haben.

    Der Silberstreif am Horizont von H5N1 ist, dass #Menschen, die erkrankten Tieren ausgesetzt sind, sich zwar mit dem Virus anstecken können, aber nach dem derzeitigen Kenntnisstand der Forscher nicht ohne Weiteres andere Menschen infizieren können. Das könnte sich jedoch ändern, wenn die Infektionszahlen in die Höhe schnellen. Das Virus stellt eine ernsthafte #Bedrohung dar.

    Experten für öffentliche #Gesundheit waren zu Recht besorgt, als das Virus 2024 in US-#Milchviehbeständen auftauchte. Es hat die Hälfte der fast 1.000 Menschen getötet, die sich seit Anfang der 2000er Jahre damit infiziert haben, überwiegend in #Südostasien. Dort konnte es sich rasch ausbreiten und bisher fast tausend Herden infizieren. Anders als bei Wildvögeln oder anderen #Tierarten arbeiten Menschen eng mit #Milchvieh zusammen. Menschen haben sich das Virus auch direkt von Vögeln eingefangen. Während #Milchbauern bisher nur leichte Infektionen erlitten haben, verliefen die Erkrankungen von zwei Personen, die sich bei toten oder infizierten Wild- oder Hausvögeln mit dem Virus angesteckt hatten, weitaus schlimmer. Ein Patient aus #Louisiana starb; ein anderer in British Columbia erholte sich nur nach einem außergewöhnlichen medizinischen Eingriff. In beiden Fällen zeigten virale #RNA-Sequenzen #Mutationen, die eine effektive Bindung an Zellen in den menschlichen Atemwegen ermöglichen könnten. Bei Rindern und zahlreichen anderen Tierarten erhält das Virus zahlreiche Gelegenheiten, sich weiterzuentwickeln und gefährlicher zu werden.

    Besonders besorgniserregend: Wenn zwei verschiedene #Virusstämme einen einzelnen Wirt gleichzeitig infizieren, können sie Teile ihres #Genoms austauschen, ein Prozess, der als #Reassortment bezeichnet wird. Dadurch kann ein neues Virus mit einer anderen Kombination von Eigenschaften entstehen. Die #Schweinegrippe-Epidemie (#H1N1) von 1985 bis 1989 wurde beispielsweise durch ein Virus verursacht, das durch den Austausch von #Genomsegmenten in einem #Schwein entstand, das gleichzeitig mit einem menschlichen und einem #Vogelvirusstamm infiziert war. Diese Art der Vermischung bei Tieren wird durch den aktuellen Ausbruch der #Vogelgrippe, der parallel zu einer extrem starken saisonalen #Grippewelle auftritt, immer wahrscheinlicher.

    Derzeit werden die meisten Tests auf H5N1 bei symptomatischen Fällen durchgeführt. Infizierte Tiere und Menschen können jedoch bereits Tage vor dem Auftreten von Symptomen eine hohe #Viruslast aufweisen. Arbeiter in Milch- und Geflügelfarmen zögern jedoch, sich testen zu lassen, aus Angst, ihren #Arbeitsplatz zu verlieren. Obwohl die Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) kürzlich ihre Empfehlungen geändert haben, um sicherzustellen, dass auch asymptomatische #Landarbeiter getestet werden, ist die Anzahl der durchgeführten Tests nach wie vor unzureichend. Die #CDC hat sich kürzlich mit kommerziellen Testlabors zusammengetan, um die Überwachung zu verbessern, und auch einzelne Bundesstaaten führen vermehrt Tests an #Milch asymptomatischer Herden durch.

    Es sind aggressive Tests zur #Früherkennung einer auf den Menschen übertragbaren Form von H5N1 erforderlich, aber das ist nur ein Teil eines jeden notwendigen Reaktionsplans: Überwachung ohne #Kommunikation ist nutzlos. Die Trump-Regierung hat im Rahmen eines allgemeinen Angriffs auf den Haushalt von #Gesundheitsbehörden und deren wissenschaftliche Unabhängigkeit versucht, die Kommunikation im Bereich der öffentlichen Gesundheit auf Bundesebene einzuschränken – selbst bei lebenswichtigen Informationen über H5N1.

    Nach der Amtseinführung verhinderte die Regierung die Veröffentlichung des viel gepriesenen Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report der CDC, der seit Jahrzehnten regelmäßig und auch nach einem Präsidentenwechsel ohne Unterbrechung veröffentlicht worden war. Die erste Ausgabe nach der Amtseinführung sollte angeblich Studien über H5N1 enthalten. Als die Veröffentlichung wieder aufgenommen wurde, waren diese nicht enthalten (obwohl eine inzwischen veröffentlicht wurde, in der das #Infektionsrisiko für Tierärzte, die mit infizierten Tieren arbeiten, aufgezeigt wird).

    Seitdem sickern Daten aus verschiedenen Quellen durch.

    Anfang dieses Monats gab das #Landwirtschaftsministerium bekannt, dass ein zweiter H5N1-Stamm von Vögeln auf drei #Milchviehherden in #Nevada übergesprungen war. Dabei handelte es sich um den tödlicheren D1.1-Stamm, der Mutationen aufweist, die eine leichtere Ausbreitung des Virus bei Säugetieren ermöglichen könnten, im Gegensatz zum milderen B3.13-Stamm, der seit letztem Sommer Herden infiziert. Die Kühe in Nevada zeigten bei den Tests keine Symptome, aber die frühzeitige Erkennung durch das Milchuntersuchungsprogramm des #Landwirtschaftsministeriums von Nevada ermöglichte es den Beamten, die betroffenen Herden unter #Quarantäne zu stellen und so die Ausbreitung der #Infektion einzudämmen.

    Da der gefährlichere D1.1-Stamm nun bei nordamerikanischen Zugvögeln vorherrscht, ist das, was in Nevada geschah – die zweite dokumentierte Übertragung von H5N1 von Vögeln auf Rinder – keine Überraschung. Es könnte jedoch sein, dass dieses Virus für Überraschungen sorgt, wenn die Tests bei nicht symptomatischen Menschen und Tieren weiterhin unzureichend sind, insbesondere da die Trump-Regierung die globale Zusammenarbeit der USA einschränkt und der #Datenfluss aus den USA und internationalen Organisationen, die Infektionen und die Entwicklung des Virus identifizieren, auf ein Rinnsal verlangsamt wird oder ganz zum Erliegen kommt.

    Die CDC und die #Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) sind maßgeblich daran beteiligt, die sich entwickelnde H5N1-Bedrohung im Auge zu behalten. Kein Teil der Welt ist vor zirkulierenden pandemischen Viren geschützt, und zu wissen, was sie sind und wo sie sich befinden, ist entscheidend für den Schutz der #Gesundheit der Amerikaner und der Menschen auf der ganzen Welt.

    In der Vergangenheit haben die CDC und die WHO einen aktiven #Datenaustausch im Zusammenhang mit der globalen Krankheitsüberwachung betrieben. Die Kommunikation zwischen den Behörden erfolgte in Foren wie Beratungsgremien und Notfallteams. Ende Januar jedoch unterband die Trump-Regierung die Kommunikation zwischen CDC-Mitarbeitern und der WHO und zog Mitarbeiter ab, die in WHO-Büros arbeiteten. Die #Regierung ordnete außerdem die Einstellung der finanziellen Unterstützung der USA für die WHO an, wobei diese Anordnung eine einjährige Schonfrist vorsieht. Die Anordnung, die Kommunikation einzustellen, trat jedoch sofort in Kraft. Die Vereinigten Staaten sind nicht mehr Teil der globalen Diskussion darüber, wie auf eine wachsende und potenziell explosive Krankheitsbedrohung reagiert werden soll. Die #Amerikaner haben den verlässlichen Einblick in das Verhalten von H5N1 außerhalb der US-Grenzen verloren und werden möglicherweise die Chance verpassen, Schutzmaßnahmen zu ergreifen.

    Natürlich ist das globale #Gesundheitssystem fehlerhaft. Die WHO und die CDC wurden für ihre Lücken und Verzögerungen bei der Vorsorge und Reaktion in den Tagen nach dem Auftreten von #COVID19 kritisiert. Die #WHO wurde beschuldigt, zu einem Werkzeug politischer Agenden zu werden, und dafür kritisiert, dass sie erst dann #Reisebeschränkungen erlassen hat, als die Pandemie bereits weltweit wütete. Währenddessen verzögerte bei der CDC ein fehlerhafter #COVID-Test, der frühzeitig veröffentlicht wurde, die genaue Meldung von Fällen. Das System muss repariert und nicht aufgegeben werden, insbesondere da die H5N1-Bedrohung weiter eskaliert.

    Da die Zahl der mit dem #Virus infizierten #Vögel und #Säugetiere weiterhin explosionsartig ansteigt, ist das Auftreten eines übertragbaren pandemischen Stammes keine Frage des „ob“, sondern des „wann“. Um Michael Osterholm, den Direktor des Zentrums für #Infektionskrankheitenforschung und -politik an der Universität von #Minnesota, zu zitieren: „Die Pandemieuhr tickt. Wir wissen nur nicht, wie spät es ist.“

    Quelle: Lucy Shapiro, 20. Februar 2025 in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The bird flu outlook has only gotten worse

    Übersetzung: Thomas Trueten [Nicht authorisiert]

    #CapitalismIsADeathCult

  13. Excellent episode of Science In Action.

    Thoughtful + alarming on #H5N1 but piece on self regulation by genetic scientists was super interesting:
    #glaciology is also having this discussion, now on #geoengineering. Time for a new #Asilomar?

    bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5vf5

  14. After delay, #CDC releases data signaling #BirdFlu spread undetected in #cows and #people

    February 13, 20251:00 PM ET

    By Will Stone

    "The first study on the #H5N1 bird flu outbreak from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make it to publication under the #Trump administration came out Thursday.

    "The journal released data suggesting some #spillovers from dairy cattle into humans have gone #undetected, including in states where dairy herds have not tested positive.

    "This comes after a #freeze in external communications that interrupted the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or #MMWR, a mainstay of public health communication. Publication on other topics resumed last week.

    "In the new study, researchers analyzed blood samples collected from 150 veterinarians who worked with cattle around the country and found that three of them had #antibodies to the H5N1 virus, indicating recent infections. None recalled having any influenza-like symptoms or conjunctivitis. They also did not care for any cattle with known or suspected infections, although one did work with infected poultry.

    "The findings underscore the difficulty of detecting and controlling human infections based on whether a person seeks out medical care, says Gregory Gray, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

    "'If the circulating #H5 viruses become more transmissible between humans, we are not going to be able to control transmission as the viruses will spread rapidly and often #subclinically,' says Gray.

    "Previous CDC research that surveyed dairy workers found 7% had evidence of past infections, although only half reported symptoms. Work from Gray and his colleagues in Texas also indicates some cases in the dairy industry workforce are going undetected.

    "'It means our surveillance is inadequate,' says Lauren Sauer, a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. 'Any detection of #asymptomatic or mild cases in this study just tells me we're missing cases.'"

    Read more:
    npr.org/sections/shots-health-
    #HPAINews #Pandemic #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #USHealth #CDCCensorship #USPol #AuthoritarianRule #Censorship #USFail

  15. So yeah, I have backyard feeders set up for the birds. I've been disinfecting my boots, cleaning the feeders, keeping an eye out for sick birds. The ONLY reason I'm still doing it is because we had a HUGE shortage of berries and fruit because of #ClimateChange this past year. Hot, dry conditions means less food for the birds. But now that #BirdFlu is being reported in #NewYorkCity, that's getting too close to #Maine and #NewEngland. I think every #Birdwatcher who feeds birds needs to be very, very cautious -- especially if one is a #cat owner. We can't count on the #CDC anymore, so we need to share news (not rumors) with each other!
    #HPAINews #H5N1 #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship #USPol #AuthoritarianRule #Censorship #Extinction #USFail

  16. #BirdFlu: Should You Take Down Your Feeders?

    By Lori Vanover, updated April 2022

    "In wild birds, waterfowl including ducks, geese, and swans, are the main group impacted. It can be fatal in these species, although often they carry and transmit the virus without showing symptoms. Other birds including raptors like hawks and eagles, as well as shorebirds and gulls have also tested positive for HPAI H5N1 during this outbreak. Research has shown songbirds are less likely to contract bird flu and are less likely to shed large amounts of the virus. A small number of corvid species (crows, jays, and magpies) have tested positive.

    "Visible symptoms of bird flu include runny eyes, swelling, and lethargy.

    "Poultry operations are especially feeling the effects of bird flu. When the disease is detected in domestic poultry, flocks are depopulated to prevent the disease from spreading and removed from the food system. Other area flocks are then monitored for the disease.

    Is it Safe to Feed Wild Birds Right Now?

    "A small number of corvids, including jays and crows, have tested positive for bird flu. [Other species as well. Outdated information!]

    "There is no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry, according to the National Wildlife Disease Program.

    "Ken says, 'The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and United States Department of Agriculture have both stated that bird feeding is safe. Out of an abundance of caution, some agencies initially suggested taking feeders down, but these guidelines have been scaled back. Currently, I’m not aware of any restrictions in place on bird feeders.'

    "He further explains if you raise poultry and live in an area where avian influenza is being reported, you could consider removing bird feeders in the short term. 'Past outbreaks of avian flu have generally waned by early summer,' he says.

    "Joy O’Keefe, assistant professor and Illinois Extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, advises homeowners to plant #NativeShrubs and #wildflowers this spring for their backyard birds. 'In the absence of feeders, birds should be able to find natural sources of food from sprouting native plants and emerging insects, she says. [However, this year, there was NOT as much berries because of #ClimateChange, drought, and heatwaves.]

    "The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders do not need to be removed. Check with your state wildlife agency for updated guidelines in your area.

    Clean Your Feeders to Reduce the Spread of Disease

    "Clean your feeders and bird baths regularly to keep birds healthy

    "Maintaining clean feeders and bird baths is always important. Scrub your feeders clean with some soapy water and a good stiff brush. Then soak them in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for a few minutes. Next, rinse them very thoroughly and let them dry completely before putting them back outside. Here’s how to clean a bird bath.

    "Ken points out it’s also important to maintain a clean area around your feeders. 'If you aren’t feeding a no mess blend of seeds without any shells, rake up the empty hulls from under the feeders. You can also consider moving your feeding station around the yard to minimize accumulation,' he says. Try these no mess bird feeders to keep your yard clean.

    "The USDA has issued #biosafety recommendations for #BackyardPoultry flocks. '#Poultry owners should keep things as clean as they can,' says Kenneth Koelkebeck, professor and Illinois Extension poultry specialist in the Animal Sciences department. 'Remove standing water if possible because it will attract migratory waterfowl.'

    [A bunch of outdated information -- not included]

    What to Do if You See Sick or Dead Birds

    "Report sick or dead birds to your state wildlife agency or local agricultural extension agent. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services toll-free at 1-866-536-7593."

    Source:
    birdsandblooms.com/birding/bir
    #HPAINews #H5N1 #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #Birding #Nature #BackyardFeeders #WeKeepUsSafe #CDCCensorship#Censorship #USFail

  17. Yikes! We're flying blind! No precautions needed -- because we're all F*CKED!

    "CDC Archive: This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being updated.

    "This is archived content from the CDC website. The information here may be outdated and links may no longer function. Go to CDC Home for all other recent information."

    Recommendations

    "What should the general public do to protect themselves from #BirdFlu?

    "As a general precaution, people should avoid direct contact with wild birds or other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with bird flu and observe them only from a distance, if possible. Wild birds can be infected with bird flu viruses without appearing sick. If possible, avoid contact with sick or dead animals including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals. Bird flu viruses have been detected in many other species. Avoid contact with surfaces that appear to be contaminated with animal feces, raw milk, litter, or materials contaminated by birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed bird flu virus infection. CDC has information about precautions to take with wild birds, poultry and other animals. As a reminder, it is safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry and poultry products in the United States. The proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses, including bird flu viruses. In addition, people should not prepare or eat uncooked or undercooked food or food products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk, or raw cheeses, from animals (for example, goats or cows) with suspected or confirmed bird flu virus infection."

    archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/fl
    #HPAINews #H5N1 #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship #USPol #AuthoritarianRule #Censorship #Genocide #Ecocide #Extinction #USFail

  18. It's like 'dead birds flying': How #BirdFlu is spreading in the wild

    By Gabrielle Emanuel, Goats And Soda
    February 7, 20257:12 AM ET

    "A little over a year ago, Marcela Uhart was walking on the beach in Punta Delgada, Argentina. It was peak breeding session on this peninsula known for its rich marine wildlife. Usually, the salty breeze brought with it the sounds of baby elephant seals calling to their moms in high pitched yells.

    "'This time it was silent,' recalls Uhart. 'The beaches were just loaded with carcasses. We saw basically every [#ElephantSeal] pup dead. We estimate about 18,000 dead baby elephant seals.'

    "Dead from bird flu.

    "And it wasn't just elephant seals. There were #terns – with their yellow beaks and black heads – stumbling about having seizures on the sand. The scene played out again and again in the weeks that followed, up and down the coastline. 'It was like birds falling out of the sky, dead,' she says.

    "Uhart is a veterinarian and director of the Latin America Program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at University of California, Davis. She arrived at the #PuntaDelgada beach suited up in a white hazmat suit, gloves and goggles in October 2023 ready to take samples and document the decimation. She's been tracking bird flu as it goes from one bird species to another — from seabirds to waterfowl to birds of prey — and then to marine mammals from sea lions to dolphins and then, sometimes, jumping back to birds.

    "'It's just like wildfire. I mean it just killed everything it encountered,' she says, speaking to #NPR from #Argentina.

    "In the U.S., bird flu headlines have focused on an unprecedented number of American cases and the impact of the virus on dairy cows and on poultry farms. But wildlife researchers like Uhart say the dramatic scene in Argentina is evidence that something new — and ominous — is going on with the virus that causes bird flu. And that ignoring it puts human health in peril.

    A 'relay race' that started in 2020 and 2021

    "'I've been studying flu viruses closely since 1980 and there are days when I wake up feeling like I know less about flu now than I did 10 years ago,' says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. That's especially true, he says, of bird flu.

    "The particular virus that causes bird flu — H5N1 — itself is not new. It's a disease that originated in east Asia, first detected in China in 1996. The virus has mostly terrorized poultry farms and led to massive culling. It has occasionally spilled over to humans, causing some 400 deaths over the decades, but rarely spreads human-to-human. And while it has jumped over into wild birds periodically — killing many birds in many places — it never took off globally.

    "Then came 2020 and 2021, when the version that's driving the current outbreak emerged.

    "The virus evolved so some wild birds are able to migrate just far enough to reach another bird community or mammal population to pass the virus on before dying.

    "'What you see here is like a relay race,' Uhart says. 'We were all skeptical that this could be possible, but then somehow this started happening.'

    "'We've gone from this concept of dead birds don't fly to this new virus that seems to be a bit more like dead bird flying,' explains Erik Karlsson, head of the Virology Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Cambodia and the director of the National Influenza Center of Cambodia.

    "This means that the virus doesn't just stick around on poultry farms and periodically jump over into wildlife, but can sustain itself in wild birds, moving from one flock to the next without burning itself out.

    "Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how the virus spreads between animals. One theory is that scavenger birds feast on mammal carcasses 'that are loaded with virus, then they get infected, obviously, and can spread it easily on their feet or beaks,' says Uhart. Another theory, she says: "It could be that [animals] poop in the water and the other animals drink [that water].' [That's what I think...]

    "One theory of transmission is that birds come into contact with animals, like these elephant seal pups, who have died of bird flu — and pick up the virus.

    How far can dead birds fly?

    "Wild birds are particularly well suited to take this virus global — and fast.

    "'If the natural reservoir for this virus was any other animal species than birds, we might expect to see it only located on a certain continent because animals don't swim across oceans. They don't climb over mountain ranges. The one animal species that does is birds,' says Osterholm.

    "Traveling in infected wild birds, the virus took off and jumped over to North America in late 2021. From there, it went to #SouthAmerica leaving, destruction in its wake.

    "'In South America, it traveled the 6,000 kilometer spine in about six months,' says Michelle Wille, senior research fellow at the Center for Pathogen Genomics at the University of Melbourne. 'So this is a virus that's not assisted by airplanes. This is a virus that's traveling by mass mortality after mass mortality after mass mortality after mass mortality.' It is killing not just birds in large numbers but also mammals, like elephant seals and #SeaLions, as well as #porpoises, #dolphins and #otters to a lesser degree.

    "This year, South America has been a lot quieter. 'Surprisingly, Brazil does not have these recent cases in wild birds,' says Helena Lage Ferreira, a veterinary biologist at the University of São Paulo who studies #AvianFlu. Her team has tried to determine whether the birds have acquired #immunity. So far, results have been unclear. 'It's very difficult to understand," she says.

    "Meanwhile, there's a new part of the planet at risk. Researchers are realizing the virus is now plaguing #Antarctica.

    "They worry about this trend because Antarctica is a particularly hard place to study — and many of the animals that live there don't live elsewhere in the world. Even if there are researchers on the ground to collect samples, 'you have to wait for months and months on months, until those samples actually get to a lab, potentially also in the opposite hemisphere of the world,' says Uhart. And, by that time, she speculates, the virus will have already spread much further.

    "This adds to a broader problem: Globally, nobody knows how many wild animals the virus has killed.

    "'No one's counting. We have no idea,' says Wille. 'It is a global catastrophe'
    Wildlife with the virus are bad news for humans

    "Researchers say the rapid spread is catastrophic for the animal species that are being hard hit. For example, in #Peru, thousands of Peruvian #pelicans have died. 'In a few weeks, almost one in two individuals of a species that just completely disappeared,' says Wille. And, she adds, it's still too early to know how these mass die-offs will impact ecosystems but it's likely to be significant.

    "On top of that, this matters for human health.

    "Wille and a team of other wildlife experts estimate that millions of birds have been infected and died, and tens of thousands of marine mammals have died. Each animal that is infected — particularly mammals — is another chance for the virus to evolve and become better suited to infecting people.

    "This rapid evolution was evident earlier this year, when the first U.S. person — from Louisiana — died of bird flu. When scientists sequenced the virus from different organs from the body, they found 'the virus was changing within,' says Uhart. While this patient didn't pass the virus on to other people, Uhart says this case indicates how quickly the virus can change.

    "There's another element in this genetic game. The virus is able to mix and match its genes with local influenza viruses if one animal is infected with multiple flu viruses. As this highly deadly bird flu virus arrives in new places it can mingle with a big pool of less deadly flu viruses and create new 'Frankenstein' viruses, explains Wille.

    "And with each genetic change, there is the chance the virus could become more severe.

    "At the moment, the virus can infect humans but has not yet evolved to jump readily from one human to another. That could change.

    "And without keeping up with the virus's journey in wild animals, experts worry, humans will be caught unprepared and ill-equipped to tackle bird flu.

    "'Ever since #H5N1 [bird flu] showed up,' says Osterholm, 'I tend to sleep with one eye open.'"

    npr.org/sections/goats-and-sod
    #HPAINews #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship #WorldHealth #Extinction #Wildlife

  19. New #BirdFlu variant found in #DairyCattle. Can #H5N1 be transmitted to humans? [Apparently, the answer is, "YES!"]

    According to the the US Department of Agriculture, this is the first ever detection of this bird flu virus variant in dairy cattle.

    by Jonathan Limehouse, February 6, 2025, updated February 7, 2025

    "The variant of bird flu that killed a Louisiana resident has now been found in dairy cows. Until now, the human cases of bird flu traced to cattle have been mild, mostly #EyeInfections.

    "But the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that a strain previously found only in #WildBirds has turned up in dairy herds in #Nevada ‒ raising concerns that future human infections could be more serious.

    "Bird flu has triggered a nationwide egg shortage and price hikes in recent months, as infected chickens had to be put to death. It has also coursed through dairy farms in 16 states since last March, according to the USDA, reducing milk production. More than 60 #farmworkers on both dairy and poultry farms have been infected since then, all of whom recovered.

    "But one Louisiana resident died last month after contracting bird flu from a backyard flock. That person, who was older and chronically ill, but not otherwise identified, was infected with the D.1.1 variant now seen in the Nevada cows. A Canadian teenager hospitalized with bird flu in November was also infected with D.1.1.

    "#D11 is common among the #starlings that migrate through #Nevada in the winter and might have carried the virus into the state, the Nevada Department of Agriculture said in a social media post.

    "The USDA said it is working with the state department of agriculture to investigate the Nevada outbreak and limit its spread.

    "Until last week, all bird flu in dairy herds had been identified as the B3.13 variant, which was believed to have come from wild birds in late 2023 or early 2024."

    usatoday.com/story/news/health
    #HPAINews #HPAIVariant #B313 #BirdFlu #BirdMigrations #StarlingMigrations #Cattle #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship

  20. Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Mammals

    Last Modified: February 05, 2025

    "There are many species that are potentially susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza (#HPAI). In addition to birds and poultry, #H5N1 viruses have been detected in some mammals. Infection may cause illness, including severe disease and death in some cases.

    "Data may be incomplete and additional detections will be added as information becomes available. For submitting agencies who notice data errors or omissions, please send an email with supporting documentation (laboratory report/accession number/data collection) to [email protected]."

    aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poult
    #HPAINews #Cats #CatSafety #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship

  21. #AvianInfluenzaA (#H5N1) in #cats

    AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)

    "Since the U.S. outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) in dairy cattle began in March 2024, dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus, including barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild (e.g., mountain lions, tigers, leopards, and bobcats). Cats were already known to be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with several feline cases linked to poultry or wild bird exposure before the cattle outbreak began.

    "Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to severe illness, often resulting in death. The good news is that infection can be prevented with a few simple practices.

    How do cats become infected?

    "Recent investigations implicate food as a source of infection for cats, most often unpasteurized milk and raw or undercooked meat (e.g., poultry). Other potential sources include:

    - Raw colostrum and other unpasteurized dairy products (like cream)
    - Exposure to infected wild birds or poultry
    - Exposure to people who work on affected farms and to their clothing or other fomites

    What are the clinical signs of H5N1 in cats?

    "Illness may start with loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever, then quickly progress, with cats exhibiting:

    - Neurologic signs (e.g., ataxia, circling, tremors, seizures, or blindness)
    - Severe depression
    - Copious oculonasal discharge
    - Other respiratory signs, including tachypnea, dyspnea, and possibly sneezing or coughing

    What should cat owners do if H5N1 is suspected?

    To play it safe, cat owners should:

    - Call their veterinary clinic—before taking cats in to be seen—and describe any clinical signs they have noticed so that the veterinary team can be ready when the patient arrives.
    - Limit their cat’s contact with immunocompromised individuals if any exposure to the virus is possible.
    - Protect themselves and others from influenza by following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [Since that might not be an option, see recommendations below].
    - Monitor their family and other animals that might have been exposed for signs of illness, and report any human illness to their local public health official.

    How can H5N1 infection be prevented in cats?

    Cat owners and caretakers are urged to follow these tips:

    - Refrain from feeding cats any dairy products or colostrum that have not first been pasteurized or thoroughly cooked to kill the virus.
    - Thoroughly cook meat before feeding, and avoid feeding raw meat-based treats or diets.
    - Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to birds and other wildlife.
    - Avoid contact with sick or dead birds and other wildlife yourself.
    - Keep cats away from livestock, poultry, and their environments, especially in areas with known H5N1 outbreaks.
    - Take steps to prevent contact between captive big cats and wild birds (e.g., covering enclosures with netting and removing bird attractants nearby) in areas where H5N1 is circulating.
    - Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your cat and after any encounters with poultry, livestock, or wild birds and other animals.
    - Change your clothes and shoes, and thoroughly wash any exposed skin, after interacting with sick or dead animals that may harbor the H5N1 virus, and before interacting with your cat.
    - If you feed birds or walk near bird feeders or other places birds (including poultry) gather, change your shoes or disinfect their soles before entering your house.
    - Immediately contact your veterinarian if you notice signs of H5N1 or think your cat might have been exposed to the virus.

    What should I do if I suspect a cat has H5N1?

    "The risk of cats spreading H5N1 to people is considered extremely low, but is not zero. If you suspect a cat has H5N1:

    - Take steps to protect yourself and other members of your veterinary team, as described by the CDC.
    - Use your clinic’s protocols for isolating and managing patients with suspected zoonotic diseases. A good resource is the guidelines published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.
    - Consider rabies as a differential diagnosis for cats with neurologic signs.
    - Report the suspected case to your state animal health official, state public health veterinarian, or state veterinary diagnostic laboratory. They may direct you to submit samples for testing.
    - For antemortem detection of the virus, oropharyngeal swabs and urine, serum, or whole blood are suitable.
    - For postmortem diagnosis, brain and lung tissue may be submitted.

    Raw diets: A warning

    "Unpasteurized milk and raw or undercooked meat—including retail pet diets that contain raw meat—have been linked to severe illness and death from H5N1 in pet cats and captive big cats."

    avma.org/resources-tools/anima
    #HPAINews #Cats #Caturday #CatSafety #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #H5N1 #USHealth #CDCCensorship

  22. #Cat Death Losses Due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in #SouthDakota

    Updated January 13, 2025

    "#Veterinarians and laboratory diagnosticians are fielding reports of death losses in cat populations linked to avian influenza infections.

    "Beginning in 2022, an #H5N1 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (abbreviated as HPAI) virus caused death losses in domestic turkeys and chickens in South Dakota and elsewhere in the United States, an outbreak that continues. The HPAI virus causes respiratory and multiple organ failure in affected birds, typically appearing as increased numbers of dead birds in large commercial operations, as well as smaller backyard flocks. Deaths in wild birds, typically migrating waterfowl but also other bird species, have been observed at the same time, as well as spillover of the virus into mammals, such as raccoons, foxes, skunks, and other species.

    "In Spring 2024, the HPAI virus began infecting #DairyCows, causing drops in milk production and other signs of illness. Unlike infections in other species, widespread death losses have not been associated with HPAI infections in dairy cows.

    "About the same time as its emergence in dairy cows, the HPAI virus was implicated in deaths of domestic cats in the vicinity of affected farms. Most affected cats showed #neurologic signs, such as #tremors or #seizures, for a short period of time before dying.

    "Since that time, three cases of substantial death losses in groups of outdoor domestic cats in South Dakota have been described. In each of these cases, there has been no apparent link to dairy cows, other livestock, or domestic poultry."

    Read more:
    extension.sdstate.edu/cat-deat
    #HPAINews #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #CDCCensorship

  23. #CDC Posts, Then Deletes, Data on #BirdFlu Spread Between #Cats and People

    The data, which appeared fleetingly online on Wednesday, confirmed transmission in two households. Scientists called on the agency to release the full report.

    Read more:
    nytimes.com/2025/02/06/health/

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/eDwWI
    #H5N1 #BirdFlu #CDCCensorship #WHO #WhatWeDontKnowCanHurtUs #AvianInfluenza #HPAI

  24. Well, this explains all the coughing at the grocery store (and very few masks)!

    #Flu season in the US is the most intense it’s been in at least 15 years

    apnews.com/article/us-flu-seas
    #CovidIsntOver #TB #RSV #H5N1 #BirdFlu #CDCCensorship #WHO #WhatWeDontKnowCanHurtUs

  25. Just had the thought "I guess the USA put all of its eggs in one casket" and now I can't un-think that thought. #H5N1 #trump #CDC #CommunicationBlackout

  26. The Looming Threat of H5N1: Are We Prepared for the Next Pandemic?

    As the specter of bird flu looms larger, with its recent spread among US dairy cattle and the first human fatality, experts warn that we might be on the brink of another pandemic. With lessons from CO...

    news.lavx.hu/article/the-loomi

    #news #tech #H5N1 #PandemicPreparedness #VaccineEquity

  27. The Looming Threat of H5N1: Are We Prepared for the Next Pandemic?

    As the specter of bird flu looms larger, with its recent spread among US dairy cattle and the first human fatality, experts warn that we might be on the brink of another pandemic. With lessons from CO...

    news.lavx.hu/article/the-loomi

    #news #tech #H5N1 #PandemicPreparedness #VaccineEquity

  28. The Looming Threat of H5N1: Are We Prepared for the Next Pandemic?

    As the specter of bird flu looms larger, with its recent spread among US dairy cattle and the first human fatality, experts warn that we might be on the brink of another pandemic. With lessons from CO...

    news.lavx.hu/article/the-loomi

    #news #tech #H5N1 #PandemicPreparedness #VaccineEquity

  29. The Looming Threat of H5N1: Are We Prepared for the Next Pandemic?

    As the specter of bird flu looms larger, with its recent spread among US dairy cattle and the first human fatality, experts warn that we might be on the brink of another pandemic. With lessons from CO...

    news.lavx.hu/article/the-loomi

    #news #tech #H5N1 #PandemicPreparedness #VaccineEquity