Worse than I thought: No risk from Avian Flu, but CDC invented a vaccine, for which it would get royalties if avian flu spreads to humans

So CDC is desperately seeking human cases, and might be culling birds to keep exposing humans to the virus, in hopes somewhere someday there might be human-human spread --and $$$ ROYALTIES

What does our CDC say about avian influenza? My comments are in brackets; the rest is verbatim from CDC websites listed.

1. What about our pets? [CDC has pointed out that mammals can get avian flu too. Well, 7 years ago a veterinarian supposedly got “mild flu symptoms” from sick cats. Not a problem.—nass]

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-other-animals.htm

While it’s unlikely that you would get sick with bird flu through direct contact with your infected pet, it is possible. For example, in 2016, the spread of bird flu from a cat to a person was reported in NYC. The person who was infected [2.29 MB, 4 pages] was a veterinarian who had mild flu symptoms after prolonged exposure to sick cats without using personal protective equipment.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-birds.htm

2. What about the workers who deal with infected flocks of chickens?

Recommendations for poultry workers and bird outbreak responders

People working with poultry with known or possible infections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A viruses should follow worker protection and personal protective equipment (PPE) recommendations. Biosecurity information is available from USDA’s website.

[But only one worker out of 6300 who were surveilled tested positive for bird flu, and their only symptom was fatigue for 4 days.—Nass]

3. What about the birds that get it?

[CDC AND USDA HAVE BEEN VERY SECRETIVE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF BIRDS WITH HPAI THAT ACTUALLY GET SICK, HOW SICK, AND WHETHER EATING THE MEAT OF AN INFECTED BIRD SICKENS HUMANS—NASS]

Avian influenza refers to disease in birds caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. Avian influenza A viruses have been isolated from more than 100 different species of wild birds around the world. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Wild aquatic birds include waterbirds (waterfowl) such as ducks, geese, swans, gulls, and terns, and shorebirds, such as storks, plovers, and sandpipers. Wild aquatic birds, especially dabbling ducks, are considered reservoirs (hosts) for avian influenza A viruses. Wild aquatic birds can be infected with avian influenza A viruses in their intestines and respiratory tract, but some species, such as ducks, may not get sick. However, avian influenza A viruses are very contagious among birds, and some of these viruses can sicken and even kill certain domesticated bird species, including chickens, ducks and turkeys.

HPAI and LPAI are defined and explained below:

• Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI):  Low pathogenic avian influenza viruses cause either no signs of disease or mild disease in chickens/poultry (such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production). Most avian influenza A viruses are low pathogenic and cause few signs of disease in infected wild birds. In poultry, some low-pathogenic viruses can mutate into highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI):  Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses cause severe disease and high mortality in infected poultry. Only some avian influenza A(H5) and A(H7) viruses are classified as HPAI A viruses, while most A(H5) and A(H7) viruses circulating among birds are LPAI A viruses. HPAI A(H5) or A(H7) virus infections can cause disease that affects multiple internal organs with mortality up to 90% to 100% in chickens, often within 48 hours. However, ducks can be infected without any signs of illness. HPAI A(H5) and A(H7) virus infections in poultry also can spill back into wild birds, resulting in further geographic spread of the virus as those birds migrate. While some wild bird species can be infected with some HPAI A(H5) or A(H7) virus subtypes without appearing sick, other HPAI A(H5) and A(H7) virus subtypes can cause severe disease and mortality in some infected wild birds as well as in infected poultry.

Avian influenza outbreaks in domesticated birds are of concern for several reasons:

• the potential for low pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) and A(H7) viruses to evolve into highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) and A(H7) viruses with major agricultural implications. [The dread more virulent mutant—so far not found—Nass]

• the potential for rapid spread and significant illness and death among poultry during outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza

• the economic impact and trade restrictions from a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak

• the possibility that avian influenza A viruses could be transmitted to humans exposed to infected birds

[It looks to me like all 4 reasons have to do with theoretical possibilities, and CDC is having trouble coming up with a reason to fear ‘highly pathogenic’ avian flu.—Nass]

4. Where do we find avian flu? How bad is it?

It is everywhere in wild birds and has been found all over the US in commercial flocks. Which were exterminated.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm

Updated March 15, 2023

H5N1 Detections in USA

• Wild Birds:  Widespread

• Poultry Flocks: Sporadic outbreaks

• Mammals:  Sporadic infections

• People: 1 ‘case’ in U.S. after exposure to infected birds

• Person-to-person spread: None

• Current public health risk: Low

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/spotlights/2022-2023/h5n1-technical-report.htm

5. What are the public health impacts?

Technical Report: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses

Updated March 17, 2023

Executive summary

Since 2022, despite the wide geographic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) viruses in wild birds and to poultry worldwide, with sporadic spillover to mammals, only a small number of sporadic human cases of A(H5N1) have been identified. All reported human cases since 2022 were associated with recent poultry exposures, and no cases of human-to-human transmission have been identified. To date, HPAI A(H5N1) viruses currently circulating in birds and poultry, with spillover to mammals, and those that have caused human infections do not have the ability to easily bind to receptors that predominate in the human upper respiratory tract. Therefore, the current risk to the public from HPAI A(H5N1) viruses remains low. However, because of the potential for influenza viruses to rapidly evolve and the wide global prevalence of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in wild birds and poultry outbreaks, continued sporadic human infections are anticipated. Continued comprehensive surveillance of these viruses in wild birds, poultry, mammals, and people worldwide, and frequent reassessments are critical to determine the public health risk, along with ongoing preparedness efforts.

Key Points

• CDC is actively working on the domestic situation with clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in wild birds and poultry outbreaks, including conducting surveillance among people with relevant exposures and preparing for the possibility that contemporary HPAI A(H5N1) viruses gain the ability for increased transmissibility to people.

• CDC, along with our state and local public health partners, continues to actively monitor people in the United States who have been exposed to infected birds and poultry for 10 days after exposure. To date, more than 6,300 people in 52 jurisdictions have been monitored since 2022, and only one human case has been identified

• An H5 candidate vaccine virus (CVV) produced by CDC is nearly identical or, in many samples, identical to the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of recently detected clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in birds and mammals (including the recent outbreak in farmed mink in Spain) and could be used to produce a vaccine for people, if needed, and would provide good protection against the clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI A(H5N1) viruses circulating in birds. This H5 CVV is available and has been shared with vaccine manufacturers.

• Because influenza viruses are constantly changing, CDC performs ongoing analyses of A(H5N1) viruses to identify genetic changes that might allow for spread more easily to and between people, cause serious illness in people, reduce susceptibility to antivirals, affect the sensitivity of diagnostic assays, or reduce neutralization of the virus by vaccine induced antibodies. To date, no such concerning changes have been identified in HPAI A(H5N1) viruses circulating in wild birds and poultry worldwide or that have sporadically infected humans.

• Currently, HPAI A(H5N1) viruses are believed to pose a low risk to the health of the general public in the United States; however, people who have job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds may be at higher risk of infection and should take appropriate precautions outlined in CDC guidance.

• Comprehensive surveillance and readiness efforts are ongoing, and CDC continually takes preparedness measures to be ready in case the risk to people from HPAI A(H5N1) or other novel influenza A viruses changes.