A Colorado dairy worker is the fourth person to have contracted H5N1 and recovered this year.

A man who works on a dairy farm in northeastern Colorado has become the fourth person in the US this year to test positive for bird flu, after coming into direct contact with infected cows and suffering from symptoms including conjunctivitis.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Colorado Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of human infection with H5 avian influenza linked to a multi-state outbreak of the virus. In the case of dairy cows.

The adult male reported mild symptoms, conjunctivitis only. He reported his symptoms to state health officials and was tested for influenza at the state public health laboratory.

“Samples sent to CDC for further testing were positive for avian influenza. CDPHE followed CDC instructions and administered antiviral treatment to the individual with oseltamivir. The individual has since recovered,” the report said. “The case is a dairy farm employee in northeastern Colorado who had direct contact with dairy cows infected with avian influenza.”

No further details have been released to protect patient privacy, but the state is asking the public to trust the information. Three other people who worked with cattle in Michigan and Texas also contracted avian flu earlier this year but recovered. A poultry worker in Colorado also contracted avian flu in 2022 but recovered.

“Our collaboration with the Colorado Department of Agriculture has been critical in getting information out to our state's dairy farmers,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Health. “Coloradans should be confident that the state is doing everything in its power to limit the spread of the virus.”

According to CDPHE, it is safe to drink pasteurized milk and eat properly processed and cooked dairy, beef, and poultry products in the United States. Proper handling and cooking of poultry, meat, and eggs It kills bacteria and viruses, including the avian influenza virus, according to a new study published earlier this week. The FDA and USDA have strengthened the safety of commercial milk, but health officials continue to warn against drinking unpasteurized raw milk.

There are many moving parts to an avian flu outbreak, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps track of many of them on an ever-changing scoreboard.

As of July 1, the number of poultry culled was 97,263,548.

States involved in outbreaks that began in early 2022: 48

As of July 1, confirmed cases in dairy herds: 136 in 12 states

Additionally, avian influenza viruses have been detected in 9,523 wild birds across all 50 states.

Since March, avian influenza has been discovered in dairy herds one after another, catching experts off guard. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reported that pasteurized milk sold in supermarkets is safe against the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus.

These findings build on recent studies that found some infectious avian influenza remains even after common pasteurization processes. Even more recent studies have replicated commercial pasteurization processes and found that dairy milk is safe. Those who consume raw, unpasteurized milk cannot say the same.

In July, pharmaceutical company Moderna announced $176 million in funding from the U.S. government to develop a messenger RNA-based avian influenza vaccine for humans. The H5 vaccine is in clinical development, with phase 3 trials potentially starting in 2025.

The move comes after it was announced in mid-June that humans have little to no natural immunity to the H5N1 avian influenza virus, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing through blood tests that Americans have “very low to no” herd immunity to the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The virus may respond to antiviral drugs, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has ordered 4.8 million doses of the vaccine just in case.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here)