Colorado reports three presumptive human bird flu cases, CDC says

July 12 (Reuters) - Colorado has reported three presumptive cases of H5 bird flu virus infection in poultry workers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday.

The three people experienced mild symptoms, the CDC said in a statement. The infections occurred in workers who were culling infected animals at a poultry facility that was experiencing an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, it said.

The symptoms included conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and common respiratory infection symptoms, Colorado officials said in a statement, adding that none of the people were hospitalized.

State epidemiologists reported that the infections seem to have originated from contact with infected poultry. The CDC announced it is dispatching a team to Colorado to assist with the investigation and emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low. The CDC noted that human infections with H5N1 avian flu are concerning due to the potential for severe disease and the possibility of triggering a pandemic if the virus mutates to spread easily between people.

()

The cases are part of a widespread H5N1 bird flu outbreak that has been spreading globally among wild birds, infecting poultry and various mammal species, and causing an outbreak in U.S. dairy cows. "There are no signs of unexpected increases in flu activity in Colorado or in other states affected by H5 bird flu outbreaks in cows and poultry," the CDC stated. Preliminary testing by Colorado officials indicated that the three individuals were infected with a novel type of influenza and are presumed to have bird flu. Samples have been sent to the CDC for confirmatory testing.

READ MORE