A new variant of avian influenza has been detected in dairy cattle in Nevada, with genetic changes that may make the virus more transmissible to mammals, including humans. The US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has raised concerns about the potential threat to public health, although the risk to the general population is still considered low.
The CDC is investigating the first human case of H5N1 infection in Nevada, where a dairy farm worker has tested positive for the virus. Symptoms include red, inflamed eyes and conjunctivitis. Researchers are particularly concerned about the genetic mutation in the virus that allows for enhanced replication in mammalian cells.
Scientists are closely monitoring the situation in Nevada, as the affected cattle have shown a subtype of the H5N1 virus that has been linked to severe human infections in North America. The virus is believed to have been transmitted to the cows through infected wild birds on the farms. Further research is needed to better understand the potential risks of this new variant of the virus.
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