Cluster of Influenza A(H5) Cases Associated with Poultry Exposure at Two Facilities — Colorado, July 2024
Persons who work in close contact with dairy cattle and poultry that are infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus are at increased risk for infection. In July 2024, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment responded to two poultry facilities with HPAI A(H5N1) virus detections in poultry. Across the two facilities, 663 workers assisting with poultry depopulation (i.e., euthanasia) received screening for illness; 109 (16.4%) reported symptoms and consented to testing. Among those who received testing, nine (8.3%) received a positive influenza A(H5) virus test result, and 19 (17.4%) received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. All nine workers who received positive influenza A(H5) test results had conjunctivitis, experienced mild illness, and received oseltamivir. This poultry exposure-associated cluster of human cases of influenza A(H5) is the first reported in the United States. The identification of these cases highlights the ongoing risk to persons who work in close contact with infected animals. Early response to each facility using multidisciplinary, multilingual teams facilitated case-finding, worker screening, and treatment. As the prevalence of HPAI A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.4b genotype B3.13 increases, U.S. public health agencies should prepare to rapidly investigate and respond to illness in agricultural workers, including workers with limited access to health care.
Authors
- Alexis Burakoff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4696-664X)
- Jordan Singleton
- Ginger Stringer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1746-3477)
- Lizette Olga Durand (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3520-0702)
- Aaron M. Frutos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6948-3918)
- Emily A. Travanty
- Krista Kniss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8464-4599)
- Dennis Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0068-1005)
- Sascha Ellington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5584-5006)
- Carrie Reed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7944-7638)
- C. Todd Davis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1429-974X)
- Alexandria Rossheim
- H. Pamela Pagano
- Robyn Weber
- Ann Carpenter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0118-2726)
- Nisha B. Alden (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8128-7714)
- Grace E. Marx (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2393-6947)
- Angiezel Merced-Morales
- Elizabeth B. White (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9242-3507)
- Marie K. Kirby (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0859-9604)
- Nicole Comstock
- Hannah Padda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0142-4951)
- Isaac Armistead
- Shannon R. Matzinger
- Rachel Herlihy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4535-2299)
- Scott Brueck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7456-7585)
- Alicia Cronquist
- Cara C. Drehoff
- Allison Kohnen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6945-1307)
- Radhika Ratnabalasuriar
- Megan Vizina
- Leovi Madera
- Brene Belew-Ladue
- Aleigha Wellbrock
- Rebekah Sutter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6695-7421)
Institutions
- Department of Human Services (US)
- AID Atlanta (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Published
- 2024-08-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7334a1
- Citations
- 24
- Primary Topic
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 9.28
Funders
- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
- Kaiser Permanente
- Colorado Department of Agriculture