First Human Case of Avian Influenza A(H5N2) in Mexico and Ongoing Outbreaks in the US Dairy Industry

Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico Mexico
Dairy farmers implement stringent measures to minimize risk of bird flu transmission within industry
First laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N2) in Mexico
Frequency of hotspots has dropped thanks to biosecurity efforts and coordinated approach between companies and agricultural officials
Nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys slaughtered due to the disease
Ongoing bird flu outbreaks in US dairy industry since February 2022
Resident in Mexico died due to complications from the virus
Source of exposure unknown, but A(H5N2) viruses reported in poultry within Mexico
First Human Case of Avian Influenza A(H5N2) in Mexico and Ongoing Outbreaks in the US Dairy Industry

In recent news, two separate incidents of avian influenza A(H5N2) have been reported, one in Mexico and the other in the context of ongoing concerns within the dairy industry in the United States. Let's delve into these developments.

Firstly, on May 23, 2024, a resident of Mexico who had multiple underlying medical conditions was hospitalized in Mexico City and later died due to complications from an avian influenza A(H5N2) virus infection. This marked the first laboratory-confirmed human case of this virus in Mexico. The source of exposure to the virus remains unknown, but A(H5N2) viruses have been reported in poultry within Mexico.

Secondly, bird flu outbreaks have continued to impact the U.S. dairy industry, with nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys having been slaughtered due to the disease since February 2022. Hotspots of bird flu still occur but their frequency has dropped thanks to biosecurity efforts at farms and a coordinated approach between companies and agricultural officials.

In response, dairy farmers have implemented stringent measures such as requiring workers to shower and change into clean clothes before entering barns, frequently washing trucks, using lasers, and installing special fencing to prevent wild birds from visiting. These efforts aim to minimize the risk of bird flu transmission within the industry.

It is important to note that trust in public health and government is at an all-time low due in part to disinformation and misinformation spread through social media. Regulators have warned against consuming unpasteurized milk due to H5N1 presence, but raw milk sales have increased despite the potential danger it poses.

These incidents serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges presented by avian influenza and its impact on both human health and agricultural industries.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Possible underreporting of bird flu cases within Mexico and US dairy industry
  • Unknown source of human exposure to the virus

Sources

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Human infection caused by avian Influenza A(H5N2)- Mexico

World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday, 11 June 2024 09:44
  • Unique Points
    • On May 23, 2024, the first laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N2) virus infection was reported in Mexico.
    • , a resident of the State of Mexico, who was hospitalized in Mexico City and had multiple underlying medical conditions, died due to complications from the infection.
    • The source of exposure to the virus is currently unknown, but A(H5N2) viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico.
  • Accuracy
    • ]The first laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N2) virus infection was reported in Mexico[]
    • Three dairy farm workers have been infected with H5N1 according to the CDC.
    • Bird flu is typically fatal to chickens and turkeys within days, leading to immediate mass killings.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

74%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

H5N1 Bird Flu Isn’t a Human Pandemic—Yet

Scientific American Maggie Fox Tuesday, 11 June 2024 09:46
  • Unique Points
    • Regulators warned against consuming unpasteurized milk due to H5N1 presence.
    • Dairy farmers refuse access to disease detectives on their properties.
    • Trust in public health and government is at an all-time low.
    • Disinformation and misinformation have never been worse, thanks to social media.
  • Accuracy
    • Three dairy farm workers have been infected with H5N1 according to the CDC.
    • Two of these workers had mild symptoms (conjunctivitis), but one had respiratory symptoms which could lead to easier spread.
    • The virus has killed a few farm cats and infected multiple organs in mice that drank H5N1-contaminated raw milk
    • Mild symptoms suggest the virus might be spreading unnoticed among people
    • CDC and USDA are trying to get onto farms to test but face resistance from farmers and workers
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains editorializing and sensationalism. The author expresses her opinion that 'American contrariness' could tip H5N1 bird flu into a pandemic. She also uses the phrase 'at such a vulnerable point in time' to create a sense of urgency and fear. Additionally, the author quotes experts making predictions about the potential for H5N1 to mutate and become more dangerous, which can be seen as selective reporting.
    • The more it spreads within mammals, that gives it more chances to mutate. As it mutates, as it changes, there is a greater chance it can infect humans.
    • Here's what it takes for a virus to start a human pandemic:
    • It only took three years for COVID to kill seven million people.
    • When American contrariness tips it over into a pandemic could be...
    • At such a vulnerable point in time, an old enemy, bird flu, moves into a new host: the milk cow.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting experts such as Richard Webby and Nita Madhav. However, the author also provides context and her own analysis of the situation. No dichotomous depictions or inflammatory rhetoric were found in the article.
    • ][Richard Webby]’s an expert in animal and human viruses who works at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.[/]
    • [[]Nita Madhav[]] a former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researcher who is now senior director of epidemiology and modeling at Ginkgo Biosecurity.[/
  • Bias (80%)
    The author expresses a lack of trust in the government and public health institutions, implying a potential monetary bias towards raw milk sales and an ideological bias against government intervention. The author also uses language that depicts the federal government as unprepared and ineffective, potentially creating a negative perception towards those who support or work for the government.
    • But after having seen this response in real time during COVID, the U.S. and many other governments have done too little to learn from their mistakes.
      • People have always had odd ideas about how to resist disease, from the notion that eating certain diets can boost immunity to the widely debunked Great Barrington Declaration that called for allowing COVID-19 to spread through most of the population to build up some kind of natural immunity, a recipe for overloaded ICUs and mass deaths.
        • That's what raw milk promoters are doing now.
          • What happened? Raw milk sales went up.
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          73%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          With 100M birds dead, poultry industry could serve as example as dairy farmers confront bird flu

          Yahoo Finance SCOTT McFETRIDGE Tuesday, 11 June 2024 09:47
          • Unique Points
            • Bird flu outbreak started in February 2022 and has forced the slaughter of nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys.
            • Hot spots of bird flu still occur but their frequency has dropped due to biosecurity efforts at farms and a coordinated approach between companies and agricultural officials.
            • Egg producers require workers to shower and change into clean clothes before entering barns and shower again when they leave, frequently wash trucks, use lasers and install special fencing to prevent wild birds from visiting.
          • Accuracy
            • Bird flu is typically fatal to chickens and turkeys within days, leading to immediate mass killings. It's not usually fatal to cows but an infected animal can be more vulnerable to other ailments.
          • Deception (30%)
            The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the current bird flu outbreak in the U.S., which has resulted in the slaughter of nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys, while downplaying that dairy cows are also susceptible to bird flu but typically do not die from it. The author also uses emotional language such as 'nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys have been slaughtered' to manipulate the reader's emotions. Furthermore, the author quotes experts who express their opinions on how dairy farmers could learn from the egg industry to prevent bird flu outbreaks in their own industries.
            • The parlor is a warm, humid place with lots of liquid flying around, whether it's urine, feces, water because they're spraying off areas. Cows might kick off a milk machine so you get milk splatter.
            • Many mammals have caught the illness too, including sea lions and skunks. Animals can be infected by eating an infected bird or by being exposed to environments where the virus is present. That said, there are big differences in how cows and chickens have fared after getting infected.
            • To prevent disease from spreading, egg producers require workers to shower and change into clean clothes before they enter a barn and shower again when they leave. They also frequently wash trucks and spray tires with solutions to kill off virus remnants. Many egg operations even use lasers and install special fencing to discourage wild birds from stopping by for a visit.
            • The current one started in February 2022 and has forced the slaughter of nearly 100 million chickens and turkeys.
          • Fallacies (90%)
            The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It does not contain any formal logical fallacies. The author presents the current bird flu outbreak's impact on the dairy industry and compares it with past bird flu outbreaks, citing expert opinions throughout the article.
            • DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the U.S. dairy industry confronts a bird flu outbreak...
            • Dairies can certainly reduce the spread of disease by limiting access to barns...
            • The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin testing a vaccine...
          • Bias (95%)
            The author uses the term 'bird flu' repeatedly to describe the disease affecting both chickens and cows, implying that it is primarily a bird disease. This could potentially downplay the risk to dairy cows and their farmers. The author also mentions that 'many mammals have caught the illness too', but then goes on to focus on how birds are affected, further emphasizing the bird aspect of the disease.
            • Bird flu is typically fatal to chickens and turkeys within days of an infection, leading to immediate mass killings of birds. That’s not true for cows.
              • DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the U.S. dairy industry confronts a bird flu outbreak, with cases reported at dozens of farms and the disease spreading to people, the egg industry could serve as an example of how to slow the disease but also shows how difficult it can be to eradicate the virus.
                • It’s commonly called bird flu because the disease is largely spread by wild birds that can survive infections.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication