First case of bird flu in a child detected in the United States

US health authorities reported this Friday that they had discovered a case of bird flu in a child. California residentwhich represents the first infection reported in a minor in the country.

The child, whose age was not disclosed, is recovering from the illness, the government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) conducted an investigation. possible source of infection for a child

to H5N1, but has not yet been identified.

All family members of the minor reported this. have symptoms and samples were collected from those people who tested negative for avian influenza. “Contact tracing continues, but at this time there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of H5N1 avian influenza from this child to others,” the CDC said in a statement.

55 cases in humans

The case was identified using influenza tests and second discovered through the US Influenza Surveillance Program.

Through this initiative, CDC continues to closely monitor available data, especially in states affected by the epidemic. outbreaks in animalsincluding California, where widespread outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza have been detected in wild birds and poultry since 2022, and in dairy herds since August 2024 in that state.

Limited, sporadic cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus without exposure to animals are very rare but have occurred primarily in countries other than the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

Including this latest case, there have been 55 human cases of avian influenza in the United States. during 2024from 29 in California.

The first case of H5N1 infection was identified in April last year. in Texaswhere a farm worker tested positive after being infected infected cows

. The virus, identified as H5N1, is a subtype of avian influenza that is highly contagious among birds. The CDC noted that there is no indication yet that the virus has evolved in such a way that it can spread rapidly between people.