The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported the nation’s first outbreak of the H5N9 avian influenza strain in poultry, identified at a duck farm in Merced County, California.
This farm had previously experienced significant losses due to the H5N1 variant. In response, the USDA, along with state health officials, has launched extensive epidemiological investigations and increased surveillance to manage the situation.
H5N9 is a rare subtype of avian influenza that contains the N9 gene, enabling potential human infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has documented 66 human cases of bird flu in the past year, including the first fatality in Louisiana earlier this month.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) advises caution, noting that while H5N9 could potentially infect humans and pose a pandemic risk, there is currently no evidence of significant viral changes indicating an imminent threat in the U.S. Individuals in direct contact with infected poultry are at the highest risk.
