Child w suspected case of bird flu in Marin County, CA “presented to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk.” Tested positive for flu A, more testing needed to confirm whether seasonal or bird flu (h/t @helenbranswell.bsky.social) www.marinhhs.org/h5n1-bird-flu - ThreadSky

megtirrell.bsky.social • 79 days ago

Child w suspected case of bird flu in Marin County, CA “presented to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk.” Tested positive for flu A, more testing needed to confirm whether seasonal or bird flu (h/t @helenbranswell.bsky.social) https://www.marinhhs.org/h5n1-bird-flu

Comments

gunslinger331.bsky.social•79 days ago

So it begins

pshivonne.bsky.social•79 days ago

Sometimes I wish the flat earth people would just fall off the edge already.

mkmk1955.bsky.social•79 days ago

It’s so stupid to think raw milk is better for you!! Pasteurization is a thing because it saved lives!!!

mhkmhk.bsky.social•79 days ago

Does bird flu test positive for flu A?

jdras.bsky.social•79 days ago

yes.

mhkmhk.bsky.social•79 days ago

Good to know!

drjohndesmarteau.bsky.social•79 days ago

Bird flu is H5N1, an influenza A virus. BTW Hemagglutinin 1 to 16 are found in wild birds as is neuraminidase 1 to 11, and all HN combinations have been found. Mutation readily occurs—a feature of RNA viruses. Just perfect timing given Trump’s nomination of a bunch healthcare retrogressives.

archhelmer.bsky.social•79 days ago

classic marin county

ljean.bsky.social•79 days ago

Why we have food safety and public health laws, case 4,567,89,999.

bobmore.bsky.social•79 days ago

What could go wrong?

jimmar1.bsky.social•79 days ago

This is what RFK Jr would ignore like 45 ignored Covid19. H5N1 bird flu is real. it has moved from birds to cattle. And it could go from raw cows milk to humans who could spread it to other humans.

rhondasgray.bsky.social•79 days ago

If this happens, the parents should be arrested for child endangerment and the child removed from their custody.

connorlynch.bsky.social•79 days ago

I guess it would be bad for the health department itself to name and shame the parent—but the community should amongst themselves.

connorlynch.bsky.social•79 days ago

If you let your kids drink raw milk from the grocery store, you’ve done a shitty thing.

If they get sick, your child’s very preventable illness is completely your fault.

dickius.bsky.social•79 days ago

And the government should take your children away from you.

thevaccinationstation.org•79 days ago

goodmourning.bsky.social•79 days ago

Are every hospital’s lab resources equipped to test for bird flu, do we know?

doxy-cycling.bsky.social•79 days ago

no, hospital labs can test for influenza A generally & H5N1 should pos that test. Then it would need to get referred to state public health labs for testing then final confirmation by CDC. There are govt contracts with several large reference labs for them to work on scaling up testing for H5N1.

davidsacerdote.bsky.social•79 days ago

There is a lot of influenza A in the Bay Area right now. I'd be really surprised if more than a tiny fraction of cases were getting tested.

https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker?charts=Cl8QACABSABSBjI0ZDAzMFIGNjQ3M2MwUgZiOTI1ZTdSBmRkZTg4ZlIGODRkNDg5WgtJbmZsdWVuemEgQXIKMjAyNC0wOS0xMHIKMjAyNC0xMi0xMIoBBjQ3NzUzNcABAQ%3D%3D&selectedChartId=477535

doxy-cycling.bsky.social•79 days ago

Yeah, medical providers often don’t test for respiratory infections, especially if they don’t think it will change management of pt. Relying on clinical testing PLUS someone asking enough questions or having enough concern to say, hey maybe this flu A should get subtyped too, not a great plan

goodmourning.bsky.social•79 days ago

My sibling just came from urgent care, diagnosed with sinus infection (same as what I just got over) but the nurse told them no one is answering yes when asked if they’ve gotten their flu shot 😕

goodmourning.bsky.social•79 days ago

Thank you!

doxy-cycling.bsky.social•79 days ago

https://www.cdc.gov/laboratory-systems/media/pdfs/2024/11/ExpandedLaboratoryTesting_508.pdf

not great but something. rapid tests would be great. or at least kits for common hospital analyzers at least.

goodmourning.bsky.social•79 days ago

Fully agree

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

Marin County: “The child has recovered and no other family members became sick, indicating no person-to-person transmission.”

vegan-a-f.bsky.social•79 days ago

Scary. I’m vegan so I won’t get it from dairy directly but if it eventually mutates to human-human transmission I’m as screwed as anyone else.

ba55fr33k.bsky.social•79 days ago

.. likely not H5N1 then

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

More helpful details from SF Chronicle:

-child with suspected bird flu is a toddler

-adults in household also consumed raw milk but in smaller amounts in their coffee

-local health dept expects results of test for H5N1 by Thursday but could be inconclusive

https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/marin-child-suspected-bird-flu-raw-milk-19972345.php

emilbriggs.bsky.social•79 days ago

Hmm. Hot coffee. Almost like it was pasteurized!

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

Marin County: “This possible case of bird flu linked to raw milk consumption highlights the importance of understanding how diseases can spread from animals to humans, especially through food. Raw milk, which hasn't been pasteurized poses a risk of spreading diseases, including influenza.”

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

Marin County release warning against consumption of raw milk: https://www.marincounty.gov/news-releases/health-officials-warn-against-consuming-raw-milk

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

Initial tests conducted by CDC have been negative for H5 flu, according to a source close to the investigation, but the testing hasn’t been completed, per @reportergoodman.bsky.social reporting https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/11/health/california-bird-flu-child-raw-milk-marin/index.html

megtirrell.bsky.social•79 days ago

Marin County public health officer says it appears that the family members were unaware the milk they had purchased was raw milk - per @helenbranswell.bsky.social https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/11/california-bird-flu-child-case-details/

zkingmusic.bsky.social•70 days ago

#JUSTICEFORZACKARIKING

prairiegirl.bsky.social•79 days ago

Gimme some of that healthy raw milk. If not bird flu, then TB or e-coli. Yum!

hoosierkat.bsky.social•79 days ago

Yep. This is why my dad's femoral head was surgically removed and his hip socket fused when he was in elementary school, after he nearly died as a toddler.

prairiegirl.bsky.social•79 days ago

We pasteurize for a reason, for sure

lolobian.bsky.social•79 days ago

Was this RFKjr's idea?

ginafromwork.bsky.social•79 days ago

Has the child been removed from the parent’s custody?

sheologian.bsky.social•79 days ago

Probably not. Most raw milk drinkers are white

jimsdouglas.bsky.social•79 days ago

If adults are stupid enough to pretend pasteurization doesn’t exist, they’re free to risk their own lives, but it’s maddening when they endanger children for no good reason.

doxy-cycling.bsky.social•79 days ago

THIS!!!

andyspags.bsky.social•79 days ago

Also, in the case of viral diseases, this foolishness endangers the health of the entire population. Viruses develop the mutations that enable human to human transmission by getting the opportunity to roll the dice with every infected human host.