Several people in the United States have tested positive for bird flu, raising questions about the availability of testing during an outbreak. Potential occurrence.
As of July 11, H5N1 virus According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus has affected more than 99 million poultry birds in all 50 states, more than 9,500 wild birds in 48 states, and more than 145 dairy cows in 12 states.
Five human cases have been reported since 2022, including cases among farmworkers in Colorado and dairy workers in Texas and Michigan.
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As of June 28, only 53 people have been tested for the virus linked to the dairy cow outbreak, according to the CDC.
Details are here.
Several people in the United States have tested positive for bird flu, raising questions about the availability of tests if the infection were to spread. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
How do I get tested for avian flu?
Currently, only government health departments are conducting tests for H5N1 avian influenza, says Edward Liu, MD. Infection At Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
“However, CDC is taking steps to increase its influenza virus testing capacity and is calling on private companies to develop and increase the number and types of tests that can effectively detect H5N1 virus infection,” Liu told Fox News Digital in an email.
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“Based on a recent announcement from the CDC, it appears that several private organizations are working on developing tests.”
But private companies are unlikely to ramp up production unless rising infection numbers make demand for avian flu tests clearer, Liu added.
According to the CDC, as of July 11, the H5N1 virus has affected more than 99 million poultry birds, more than 9,500 wild birds, and more than 145 dairy herds. (iStock)
Neal Barnard, MD, adjunct professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, confirmed that there are currently no consumer-level tests for avian flu.
“Home flu test kits (such as those available on Amazon) do not react to avian flu,” he told Fox News Digital in an email.
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“If a person has symptoms of avian flu or has a history of infection, doctors can send swab samples to the state. public health centerAppropriate testing can be arranged, but this rarely happens.”
CDC warns testing availability is limited
The CDC made a public statement in a June 10 memo warning about the testing shortage.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes this virus as a major public health concern because of its potential to cause a global pandemic,” the statement said.
“Home flu tests do not react to avian flu.”
“Currently, testing capacity for influenza A(H5) is limited, which could hinder efforts to contain and control the virus if an outbreak occurs.”
Currently, only the CDC and certain jurisdictions public health The agency said the laboratory is equipped to test and diagnose avian influenza.
The CDC issued a public statement in a June 10 memo warning of a shortage of tests for the H5N1 virus. (Getty Images)
“This poses a significant problem as these laboratories may not have the capacity to handle a large number of cases in the event of an H5 outbreak or pandemic,” the statement said.
“This can delay diagnosis and treatment for individuals, potentially leading to further spread of the virus.”
He also noted that “the volume of testing required in an emergency could quickly exceed the testing capacity of domestic and international public health laboratories.”
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To address this situation, CDC has invited private companies to design laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) for regulatory approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Types of influenza tests
Experts said tests currently available to individuals can detect if they have influenza, but may not be able to determine whether it is avian influenza (a variant of influenza A) or another circulating strain of influenza.
“But at the very least, its widespread detection would provide clinicians with enough information to start treating patients. Antiviral drugs“It’s a drug similar to Tamiflu that is currently used to treat bird flu,” Liu pointed out.
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Doctors said there are various tests available to detect the influenza virus.
The most common are rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), which detect parts of the virus that stimulate an immune response.
Advanced tests such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), viral culture and immunofluorescence tests will help distinguish bird flu from other influenza strains, doctors said. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
“These tests can provide results within about 10 to 15 minutes, but they may not be as accurate as other flu tests,” Liu said.
Other flu tests, called rapid molecular tests, Influenza virus.
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“Rapid molecular tests can provide results in 15 to 20 minutes and are more accurate than RIDTs,” Liu said.
The CDC recommends molecular tests because of their high sensitivity.
A total of five human cases have been reported since 2022, including cases among farmworkers in Colorado and dairy workers in Texas and Michigan. (iStock)
“There are several other more accurate influenza tests that need to be conducted in specialized laboratories, such as hospitals or public health laboratories,” Liu said.
Advanced tests such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), viral culture and immunofluorescence tests make it possible to distinguish avian influenza from other influenza strains, doctors said.
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“These tests include medical professionals; medical institutions “You have to swab the inside of your nose and the back of your throat and then you get tested,” he said. “Results can take anywhere from one to several hours to get.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDC for comment.
