Study Finds That Bird Flu Jumps to Mammals, Months After First Human Case Reported in Texas

Researchers from Cornell University have identified a strain of the bird flu that transmits across mammals. So far, the strain H5N1 has spread from healthy cows to cats and a raccoon.

It's assumed that the cats and raccoon became infected after drinking raw milk from a cow carrying the strain.

It's feared that if the bird flu continues to adapt, it could eventually pose a threat to humans. Currently, there have been 11 cases of humans catching the avian influenza since 2022. Four cases were transferred from dairy cows, while 7 were from exposure to infected poultry.

In fact, the first positive case in Texas happened to be from earlier this year. Fortunately, symptoms were mild and further spread was not found to have happened.

Nearly half of all positive cases in America contain the H5N1 strain outlined in Cornell's report.

How serious is the bird flu in humans?

Avian influenza has a much different impact on humans than the normal influenza we all know and love. The reason why seasonal flu shots are offered in America is because the virus is always changing and adapting, finding ways to skirt around our bodies defenses.

According to the CDC, common signs and symptoms of humans infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu include the following:

• Eye redness
• Mild flu-like respiratory symptoms
• Fever
• Coughing, sore throat, runny nose
• Headaches
• Muscle aches and fatigue

Proactive vaccinations

Biotech giant Moderna recently secured $176 million in funding for development of a vaccine against the H5N1 virus spreading to and harming humans. These efforts are set in place to offer shots ahead of a potential new pandemic, should the virus become deadly.