Purpose
- Provide information to facilitate connections and on-going conversations between dairy farm veterinarians and state and local public health and animal health officials.
- Provide a short, printable reference with information on monitoring signs/symptoms of HPAI A(H5N1) virus infection in people and actions to take.
Contact your State Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) and State Animal Health Official (SAHO) if HPAI A(H5N1) virus is suspected in cattle on dairy farms to ensure connections are made with both public health and animal health officials.
Share messaging on monitoring people exposed to HPAI A(H5N1) virus-infected birds or other animals.
Workers (including people wearing recommended PPE) exposed to HPAI A(H5N1) virus-infected wild birds, poultry, cattle and other livestock, cats, dogs, or other animals should be monitored for signs and symptoms of acute respiratory illness or conjunctivitis beginning after their first exposure and for 10 days after their last exposure.
Signs/Symptoms of avian influenza A virus infection in humans, including HPAI A(H5N1) virus infection, include:
- Mild illness (e.g., cough, sore throat, eye redness or eye discharge such as conjunctivitis, fever or feeling feverish, rhinorrhea, fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, headache).
- Moderate to severe illness: (e.g., shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, altered mental status, seizures).
- Complications: pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ failure (respiratory and kidney failure), sepsis, meningoencephalitis.
- Less common signs and symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures.
It is important to remember that infection with influenza viruses, including avian influenza A viruses, does not always cause fever.
Symptomatic persons should isolate away from others, including household members, except for seeking medical evaluation until it is determined that they do not have avian influenza A virus infection.
Workers exposed to animals suspected to have HPAI A(H5N1) who have signs/symptoms of avian influenza A virus infection should be tested for HPAI A(H5N1) virus infection at a state or local public health department
State and local public health officials will coordinate testing of symptomatic people. Regardless of immigration status, state and local public health officials can work with individuals to address sensitivities and maintain confidentiality of identifying information and locations of farms where exposure may have occurred.