Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Live science is in touch with CDC and will update it when they respond.
According to a new report, two “indoor” cats caught the H5N1 bird flu from two separate houses in Michigan and eventually died. Cases increase the possibility that people in cats’ homes have passed the virus on their pets, but the lack of data melts the picture to some extent.
Cases have been described in a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published on Thursday (20 February). Many authors on paper are scientists affiliated to the Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC), while the rest are connected to Michigan Health and Agricultural Agencies or Universities.
H5N1 has long been known To make both wild and sick Domestic catsAnd it can cause severe symptoms in animals, including neurological problems, and lead death. Since May 2022, the US Department of Agriculture has Dozens of H5N1 infections recorded In wild and domestic feeling across the country. Recent reports of pets catching bird flu have also come Contaminated raw pets from food products,
Connected: ‘Increased evidence that we must be cautious’: H5N1 bird flu is suited for mammals in ‘new ways’
The first of the recent two cat cases, a house with three indoor cats made one of its failin ill in May 2024. The cat, a 5 -year -old woman, initially started showing lack of hunger, as well as lethargy. And disorientation. The cat was brought to a local vet and then Michigan State University (MSU) Veterinary Center, with advanced treatment available. But due to “rapid disease progression”, the cat was given euthanasia.
Bird flu was Some Michigan Dairy Farms have been informed By that time, and the cat owner worked on a dairy farm, although not directly with animals. The sick cat’s body was presented for further testing after euthanasia, and the bruises from the cat’s brain and nose came back positively to H5N1. Virus samples from the cat matched the virus wandering in local cattle.
The discovery inspired a comprehensive investigation, in which officials found that another indoor cat in the house developed symptoms of potential bird flu after the first cat. These symptoms reduced hunger and water discharge, but the cat eventually recovered without specific treatment. No sample from the second cat was tested for H5N1, but the time of the disease could point to potential transmission.
Although the dairy worker refused to test for bird flu, he experienced vomiting and diarrhea a day before the first cat became ill. Three other members of the worker’s house conducted a negative test for Influenza A, the broad group of viruses H5N1.
While complaining of the picture, a person at home – a teenager who had “regular contact” with a sick cat – became ill about six days after the cat had. Their symptoms included cough, sore throat, headache and muscle pain. However, the teenager conducted a negative test for the flu and instead came back positively on a test that looks for other common viruses, such as the normal-thunda virus. Therefore, while the time of teenage infection can be worrisome, depending on these test results, it may be that the person had a run-of-the-mill respiratory disease.
Around the same time limit in a separate Michigan house, a second indoor cat came down with bird flu.
A 6 -month -old man, that cat was also a particularly indoor pet. The owner brought CAT to the MSU clinic, as he “progressive neurologic deteriorating,” stopped facial swelling and food. The cat died within 24 hours of the emergence of these symptoms. Nasal bushes from the cat were positive for H5N1.
The cat owner, a dairy worker, who transported milk from various fields, refused to test for bird flu. MMWR notes “the worker feared” losing employment as a result of the public health authorities communicate with public health officials and containing milk. “However, the worker reported a notable eye irritation two days before the cat became ill. (Recently H5N1 infection is in humans. Often eye symptoms includeThat is, conjunctivitis.)
The worker did not wear protective equipment when experiencing “splash exposure” for face, eyes and clothes while handling raw milk and often working. The cat who became infected and died and often rolled into the owner’s clothes, while a second cat in the house that did not get sick did not display that behavior.
“Because neither dairy worker received a test for A (H5), whether it is the gastrointestinal symptom of the owner of CAT 1A or the OCAI A (H5N1) virus infection or a different The reasons for etiology (cause) were, “MMWR says.
In particular, a data table included in the new MMWR was actually published earlier in the month, New York Times reported 6 February. It seems that it is accidental, as the table was immediately taken down. (Live Science has asked the CDC to confirm whether this data table is the same that was taken down, but based on that previous news, the data looks equal.)
According to the Times report, in early February, the data table was briefly appeared in a report which was otherwise focused on air quality and Los Angeles County WildfierThe Times reported. Before the release of wildfire report, A Federal health agencies had a stay on external communicationCDC, including MMWR, which was published every week for decades. At that time, experts expressed concern that the data was potentially stopped for political purposes.
This article is only for informative purposes and is not to give medical or veterinary advice.
