Missouri records first human case of avian flu this year

Sept. 7 (UPI) -- One person is now confirmed to have contracted a case of the avian flu virus, or H5N1, in Missouri, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed.

This marks the first case this year in the United States of the virus in a person without a known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals, according to the CDC. It was the14th human case of H5 reported in the nation.

The patient, who reported no exposure to animals, was hospitalized on Aug. 22, underwent testing and was treated before being released, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services .

"There is no immediate known animal exposure. No ongoing transmission among close contacts or otherwise has been identified," the CDC said in a statement.

The case was identified through Missouri's seasonal flu surveillance system.

Missouri has had H5N1 cases reported this year in commercial and backyard poultry flocks. The virus has been detected in wild birds in that state in previous years.

In late August, three dairies in central California tested positive for avian flu, the first time the virus has been discovered in the state.

There have not been any reported cases in cattle so far this year.

The CDC routinely monitors national, state, and local level influenza data to determine the current avian influenza situation .

Risk from the virus to the general public remains low and the CDC confirmed the positive test in Missouri has not changed its current recommendations.

"Targeted H5-outbreak specific surveillance has been conducted as part of ongoing animal outbreaks and has identified all the other cases. In this case, the specimen from the patient originally tested positive for flu A, but negative for seasonal flu A virus subtypes. That finding triggers additional testing," the CDC said in its statement.