Editors Note: This article has been updated since publication to correct and include accurate information regarding a source's position title.
A teenager was hospitalized in critical condition on Nov. 9 in Vancouver, B.C. after contracting the first recorded human case of bird flu in Canada, according to Canadian health officials.
The virus, called highly pathogenic Avian influenza or H5N1, was primarily seen in wild birds until 2022 when it began to infect commercial poultry.
Since then, it has mutated and spread to cattle and other farm animals. Some humans who have had close contact with infected animals or highly contaminated environments have become infected, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current public health risk is low and there have been no recorded cases of human-to-human transmission.
In Whatcom County, a backyard flock has tested positive for Avian influenza, said Ron Warner, Whatcom County Health and Community Services communications specialist. This is the first confirmed domestic bird case in the county in 2024.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is depopulating the flock to prevent the spread of disease and Whatcom County Health has contacted the flock owner to provide guidance and support, according to a Nov. 20 press release from Whatcom County Health and Community Services.
Oregon confirmed its first human case of Avian influenza on Nov. 15. A case of a different strain of bird flu, called H5N2, was reported in Mexico in June. Presently, H5N1 is the only strain affecting U.S. farm animals and humans.
Washington state has had the second-highest rate of human infections at 11 recorded cases in 2024 so far. Only California has more reported cases, at 27 as of Nov. 20.
In Washington, all reported cases came from exposure to poultry. Chicken owners across the state are taking precautions to protect their flocks in response.
At Western Washington University, the school’s Outback Farm has maintained chickens for almost 15 years, with 10 chickens currently populating their coop.
Farm Manager Terri Kempton said The Outback had to put the coop on lockdown during the 2022 outbreak to protect their chickens. Only staff was allowed inside with the chickens at the time. On Nov. 19, staff decided to limit interactions with hens once more.
“Right now, we’ve got to close them up for everyone's safety,” Kempton said. “We'd rather err on the side of caution than end up with any kind of problem.”
Routine care of the chickens is performed by farm staff twice a day. Kempton said farm staff will increase the frequency of coop disinfection and make sure to keep the chicken’s bedding as dry as possible to stave off viruses. Protocols will change if the chickens show signs of illness, such as coughing or sneezing, goopy eyes or pale and discolored combs and wattles.
Avian influenza has spread to people from sick animals, which shed viral particles in their saliva, mucus and feces. These particles can get in a person’s eyes, nose or mouth by touching or breathing them in, according to the Washington State Department of Health website.
Particles can contaminate surfaces for as long as 26 hours, depending on the kind of surface, according to a study published by the CDC in 2022.
Whatcom County Communicable Disease & Epidemiology Manager Shamika Brooks said the health department is monitoring the H5N1 situation but isn’t taking any specific measures to prevent bird flu at this time.
“What we are doing right now is making sure that we are working in collaboration with the Department of Health and educating the community about general respiratory illness and communicable disease prevention,” Brooks said.
The Whatcom County Health Department performs case investigations, where they identify and contact anyone who may become ill.
“Our goal and role is to monitor people who may have been exposed to sick animals for symptoms and help arrange testing if necessary,” Brooks said.
Though it is rare for humans to contract H5N1, when they do, the mortality rate is “extraordinarily high” at 52% as of April 2024, according to an article by The Guardian.
The symptoms of H5N1 are primarily respiratory, but part of the reason for its high mortality rate is the neurological effects associated with the disease in mammals.
Danielle Beckman is a neuroscientist at UC Davis, where she researches Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders through models with monkeys.
Beckman became interested in the neurological effects of viruses during the pandemic when her lab received samples of monkey brains that had been affected by COVID-19.
According to Beckman, neuroscientists have been researching the neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative effects of bird flu on the brain for over 15 years.
“It took a while for scientists to discover COVID was entering the brain. We know – the literature shows – from cases in the past that these viruses [H5Nx variants] like to hide in the brain,” Beckman said.
The brain is an ideal place for a virus to hide because once it gets into the brain it is difficult to remove, Beckman explained. It is also possible that viruses can enter parts of the brain that current therapies and drugs cannot.
Inflammation in the brain is linked to accelerated brain aging and degenerative disorders like Parkinsons and Alzheimer’s, according to a 2023 study.
Whatcom Health officials recommend staying up-to-date on seasonal flu vaccinations to reduce the risk of co-infections, which could make symptoms of bird flu more intense. Co-infection with both strains of flu could potentially lead to the H5N1 virus changing to transmit more easily in humans, according to a Whatcom County Public Health newsflash from October.
Officials also recommend avoiding sick or dead wildlife. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn when in close contact with sick or dead animals.
Seddie LeBlanc (they/she) is a senior reporter on the City News beat this quarter. They have previously reported and edited Campus News and edited Opinions. Seddie is in her fourth year at Western studying Journalism and minoring in Law, Diversity and Justice. In her free time, Seddie enjoys being outside, being with buddies and reading Substack. You can reach them at seddieleblanc.thefront@gmail.com.
