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Oct 22, 2024

4 agricultural workers test 'presumptively positive' for avian flu, first cases in WA

Four agricultural workers have tested “presumptively positive” for avian influenza after working with infected chickens at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County, the Washington State Department of

Four agricultural workers have tested “presumptively positive” for avian influenza after working with infected chickens at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday.

According to the DOH, these are the first presumed human cases of the virus under investigation in Washington state.

It is believed that the cases stemmed from a farm that was the site of an avian influenza outbreak in chickens where about 800,000 birds had to be euthanized after test results showed they were infected. The Washington State Department of Agriculture tested the birds on Oct. 15.

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The Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD) conducted health checks of exposed workers and coordinated testing at the Washington State Public Health Lab. Samples have been forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for final confirmation and analysis of the virus.

The individuals who tested “presumptively positive” experienced mild symptoms and have been provided with antiviral medication, the DOH said.

Washington is the sixth state to identify a human infection of H5N1. H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has caused ongoing multistate outbreaks in poultry, dairy cattle, and wildlife.

“Washington has monitored the spread of H5N1 closely since it was first detected in poultry in the state in 2022, and our state is prepared with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to minimize its impacts on our community,” said Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah.

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Avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses that naturally occur in wild aquatic birds throughout the world. H5N1 viruses can also infect other species of birds, and occasionally mammals, and can cause significant mortality in poultry species, such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, or guinea fowl.

On rare occasions, avian influenza viruses infect people and make them sick. Most instances of people becoming infected with avian influenza have happened after prolonged, close contact with animals infected with avian influenza or environments contaminated with avian influenza.

Any employees or contractors who may have worked on a poultry farm in Benton or Franklin counties since Oct. 7 should contact BFHD at 509-460-4550 if they have symptoms such as red eyes or respiratory infections.