California Child with Bird Flu Symptoms Raises Concerns About Person-to-Person Spread and Raw Milk

Posted in Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on December 27, 2024

A second California child with bird flu symptoms recently hit the news. The illness, presumably acquired from raw milk, was consistent with severe bird flu illness in humans.

However, additional laboratory tests indicated that despite the child showing symptoms of bird flu, and previous tests revealed infected dairy cows do pass the virus into their milk, the child did not have bird flu.

So why is this news?

It poses the question of how the way this virus has evolved may include methods of transmission. Stoking scares of another pandemic due to the inability to contain birds and infiltration into our food supply. But also bringing awareness to potential risks associated with raw milk and other potential exposures. This would have been the second child acquiring bird flu from raw milk.

Here’s what we know about the California child with bird flu symptoms situation.

Marin County Public Health Issues News Release After Hospital Received a California Child with Bird Flu Symptoms

Officials at Marin County Public Health issued a news release and public warning against consuming raw milk after a California child with bird flu symptoms was received at a local hospital.

According to the release, this announcement was made following “a suspected case of bird flu in a child who experienced fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk.”

At the time, raw milk was the most likely source, because the child had no known contact with infected animals. New details that have become available are inconclusive on the source.

First California Child with Bird Flu

This second California child with bird flu comes just a week after another child, a resident of Alameda County also tested positive for bird flu. This test, according to the California Department of Public Health, showed a “low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others.”

When the test was repeated four days later, the child tested negative. However, other respiratory viruses potentially responsible for the child’s cold and flu symptoms were still present. These were the same respiratory viruses also identified in samples obtained from other family members.

California health officials remain puzzled as to the source of the child’s bird flu exposure, as there was no known contact with an infected animal.

Investigators are looking into possible exposure to wild birds.

California Has Been a Hotspot for Bird Flu

Bird flu has been a serious concern throughout 2024. More than 65 human cases of a type of bird flu variant that can infect humans and/or dairy cows. California is responsible for a good amount of those cases.

More than half!

In fact, 36 of those cases were reported in California. The remaining 29 were spread across nine other states.

The state of Washington currently has 11 reported human cases, Colorado has 10, and Michigan has two. Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin all have one reported case (as of the time of writing this).

Most cases of bird flu in humans in the state of California have been linked to dairy cattle. This trend appears consistent across the remaining affected states.

Growing Concerns About Bird Flu in the Food Supply

Many around the country have grown increasingly concerned about bird flu making it into the country’s food supply. It isn’t a big leap to consider that the chickens and cows infected with the virus may pass the illness onto another host via consumption.

Concern over the virus passing into the meat we eat (beef, chicken, turkey, eggs) may not be warranted yet. However, the avian influenza virus has been found in raw milk. Pasteurization is designed to kill bacteria, viruses, and other lurking pathogens. But regulatory agencies have initiated bulk milk testing activities to keep an eye on the nation’s milk supply.

There does not appear to be a transmission associated with meat or eggs at this time. But the agency does recommend fully cooking these products. This ensures that if virus is present, sufficient heat will inactivate it. Rendering the food safe to consume.

So far, health officials explain that while there have been no confirmed cases of bird flu in people who drank raw milk, it is still something they are keeping tabs on.

In fact, a recent federal order has imposed certain testing requirements for raw milk sold in the United States. Something traditionally handled at the state level.

Federal Order Imposing Testing Requirements for Raw Milk

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the federal order governing testing requirements for raw milk This announcement was made on December 6, 2024.

“This testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.

According to the release, three new requirements have been issued.

• Raw milk samples must be shared upon request from anyone that sends or holds milk intended for pasteurization. This includes the dairy farm itself, bulk milk transporters, bulk milk transfer stations, and dairy processing facilities.
• Herd owners who have cattle that have tested positive for bird flu must provide epidemiological information. Things like contact tracing and disease surveillance to the appropriate agency.
• Private laboratories and state veterinarians now must report positive bird flu results from raw milk samples to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). An aspect of the national testing program.

These regulations will likely be updated as more information becomes available about this ever-changing virus and how it impacts the foods most Americans consume.

Marin County Public Health Issues Raw Milk Advisory and Health Care Provider Alert Following California Child with Bird Flu Symptoms Concerns

Following reports of that second California child with bird flu symptoms potentially linked to raw milk, Marin County Public Health issued a new alert advising residents to avoid raw milk.

“Marin County Public Health (MCPH) strongly advises people not to consume any raw milk products.”

The alert to health care providers indicates that patients presenting flu-like symptoms after consuming raw milk should be evaluated and tested for human avian flu (H5N1).

“Bird flu infections in humans are uncommon but there are ongoing outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry farms in the United States,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin County’s Public Health Officer. “The risk to the public remains low, as brid flu spread from person to person is rare.”

Most bird flu detections in the U.S. have been associated with commercial poultry and dairy farms where workers were exposed to sick animals. Though “sporadic cases are expected.”

Should Consumers Be Worried?

For now, the virus does not appear to be contagious from person-to-person. However, threats from dead livestock, backyard poultry, and raw milk are still serious concerns.

Want to Learn More?

If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “California Child with Bird Flu Symptoms Raises Concerns About Person-to-Person Spread and Raw Milk,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe. While The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!

By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)