California has first confirmed U.S. case of bird flu in a child, CDC says
A California child was confirmed to be the first U.S. child to become infected with bird flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday.
The CDC said the child, a resident of Alameda County, tested positive for avian influenza A, H5N1, after analysis by the California Department of Public Health.
The CDPH announced Tuesday that it identified the possible bird flu case in the child who showed a "low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others." The child, whose age was not disclosed, had mild respiratory symptoms and was recovering at home after receiving flu antivirals, the CDPH said.
A repeat bird flu test was performed four days later, and the child tested negative, officials said. Additional testing showed the child was positive for respiratory viruses that could be the cause of their cold and flu symptoms. California health officials were looking into the source of the child's H5N1 exposure. The child had no known contact with an infected animal and health officials were investigating a possible exposure to wild birds.
The CDPH's investigation showed all household members reported having symptoms, but each tested negative for bird flu while some were positive for the same common respiratory viruses as the child.
The CDC said there was no evidence of person-to-person spread of bird flu from the child to anyone else, and to date, no person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in any of the H5N1 bird flu cases reported in the U.S. There have been 55 human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. with 29 from California, where widespread outbreaks have been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry since 2022 and in dairy herds since August 2024, the CDC said.
The Alameda County child's bird flu case was detected through influenza testing and reported to CDPH through influenza surveillance the CDC performs in conjunction with state and local health agencies and organizations. It was the second U.S. bird flu case identified through the surveillance program.
While the CDC's bird flu risk assessment for the general public is low, people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals or environments contaminated by infected animals, are at higher risk of infection.
Symptoms of bird flu in humans include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing, and fever.