A man has fallen severely ill with a novel virus previously unseen in humans, only identified in animals. Hospitalized earlier this month with symptoms including a high fever, confusion, and respiratory distress, he was diagnosed with H5N5, a subtype of avian influenza, or bird flu, commonly found in ducks, geese, and other wild birds.
Currently under care in the hospital, investigations continue to determine how the individual contracted the illness, with no other cases of the H5N5 strain reported. The Washington State Department of Health revealed that the patient, described as elderly with underlying health conditions, kept a mix of domestic poultry in his backyard in Grays Harbour County.
Authorities speculate that wild birds accessing the property may have been the source of the virus exposure. While person-to-person transmission has not been observed, experts caution about the unpredictable nature of virus evolution.
Although H5N1 is more prevalent in the US, it remains relatively rare. The key distinguishing factor between the strains lies in a surface protein of the virus. H5N1 has affected both wild birds and domestic poultry persisting since 2022, with 71 cases of H5 bird flu reported in the US over the past year.
Most patients exhibited mild symptoms, except for a fatal case in Louisiana in January. In contrast, the UK recorded 81 cases of bird flu, with confirmed instances in various regions including Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Scotland, and Wales. Common symptoms of bird flu include high fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches.