Becker's Healthcare December 27, 2024
Samples from a patient who recently developed the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. showed mutations that may make it easier for the virus to bind to cell receptors in the human upper respiratory tract, according to a Dec. 26 update from the CDC.
On Dec. 18, the agency confirmed that a patient in Louisiana had been hospitalized with a severe bird flu infection, marking the first human case of severe illness tied to the H5N1 virus in the country. The individual, who is older than 65 and has underlying medical conditions, was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.
A genetic analysis of two samples from the patient showed mutations in...
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