Health
First case of human bird flu diagnosed without exposure to infected animals, CDC says
A patient in Missouri was hospitalized with bird flu despite having no known contact with animals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the positive case of avian influenza A (H5) on Friday.
The patient, who had underlying medical conditions, was successfully treated with antiviral medications at the hospital and has since been discharged, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).
3 DEATHS REPORTED AFTER LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK AT SENIOR LIVING FACILITY
This marks the 14th person (in three states) to contract bird flu in the U.S. this year — and the first infection to occur without any reported exposure to sick or infected animals, the CDC alert stated.
The prior 13 cases came after exposure to dairy cows or poultry.
The CDC has confirmed the positive case of avian influenza A (H5) without any known exposure to animals. (iStock)
Dr. Benjamin Anderson, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida, said the fact that an individual has tested positive for H5 without any reported animal exposure is “very concerning,” but noted that very little is known about the case.
“We don’t know if the individual had indirect exposure to people or products from agricultural settings,” he told Fox News Digital.
VALLEY FEVER OUTBREAK REPORTED AFTER CALIFORNIA MUSIC FESTIVAL AS HEALTH OFFICIALS CITE ‘HOTSPOT’
“We also do not yet know the sequence of the virus to determine if it is related to the strains circulating in dairy cattle or not.”
A full epidemiological investigation is necessary to determine all potential paths of exposure, Anderson said.
“If our cases of influenza A spike, we need to test more samples to see if some are avian influenza.”
“This is definitely something we need to pay very close attention to.”
Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, echoed the concern about human-to-human spread.
“When that happens, you won’t see an animal vector or source,” he told Fox News Digital.
A full epidemiological investigation is necessary to determine all potential paths of exposure, said an infectious disease expert. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
“One of the underlying concerns is that the avian influenza will adapt itself to be more efficient at replicating in humans and better at spreading in respiratory droplets and secretions.”
Liu also emphasized that current testing for avian influenza is limited.
WHAT IS EEE, THE MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE THAT KILLED A NEW HAMPSHIRE MAN?
“Knowing it is influenza A doesn’t mean it is avian influenza,” he said.
“The confirmation of avian influenza requires another step to send it to the state health department or CDC — so we may be measuring the tip of an iceberg. If our cases of influenza A spike, we need to test more samples to see if some are avian influenza.”
This marks the 14th person to contract bird flu in the U.S. this year. The prior 13 cases came after exposure to dairy cows or poultry. (iStock)
Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, noted that while there hasn’t been evidence of animal exposure, “most likely there was.”
“There has been no evidence of any human-to-human spread at this point,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Surveillance, wastewater analysis and control in animals are key.”
Risk factors
The biggest concern for bird flu right now, according to Anderson, is the potential for it to evolve and gain human-to-human transmission ability.
“Influenza viruses can evolve over time through the accumulation of small point mutations in their genetic sequence,” he said. “However, they can also evolve very rapidly through what is called recombination — when two or more influenza viruses infecting the same host exchange their genetic material and make a new strain of virus.”
COVID VACCINE DISTRUST GROWING AMONG AMERICANS, SURVEY FINDS: ‘SHOULD BE A PERSONAL CHOICE’
The more this strain of influenza virus circulates, the greater the potential for recombination to occur, the doctor said.
“Right now, the highest-risk human groups are individuals with dairy cow and poultry exposure in areas where spillovers of bird flu have been documented,” Anderson said.
Bird flu is not currently in the seasonal influenza vaccine, although the immunization may still provide some protection, one expert said. (iStock)
So far, those who have contracted the dairy cow strain of influenza virus have mostly had mild infections, the doctor noted.
“However, we know these viruses change quickly, so we need to continue to be vigilant in monitoring their circulation.”
Another risk is that avian influenza may cause more severe disease than regular influenza, Liu cautioned.
“It is not currently in our seasonal influenza vaccine, although the vaccine may still provide some protection,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Luckily, current prescription antivirals, like Tamiflu, still can treat avian influenza.”
As with other flu strains, avian influenza will likely pose a greater risk to older patients, young children, immunocompromised patients, and those with chronic lung, cardiac or kidney disease, the doctor added.
“If it starts to pass from human to human, it could be a huge problem, but we aren’t there.”
Overall, Siegel said, bird flu poses “no current concern unless it mutates further.”
“It needs to be monitored closely,” he added. “If it starts to pass from human to human, it could be a huge problem, but we aren’t there.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
The CDC stated on Friday that the public risk for bird flu infection remains low.
The agency will continue to investigate the specimen from the human patient, and the Missouri DHSS is looking into potential means of exposure.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Missouri DHSS for comment.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
Related Article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
Related Article
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise
3 dead in apparent murder-suicide spanning from Pennsylvania to Illinois, police say
RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for March 4, 2026
South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 4, 2026
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 4, 2026
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
DHS defends McLaughlin against allegations husband’s company profited millions from ad contracts: ‘Baseless’
Sánchez defies Trump in political gamble as Madrid say no to war
Satellite images show Iran school strike hit more buildings than earlier reported
US submarine sinks Iranian warship by torpedo in a first since World War II
Which oil and gas facilities in the Gulf have been attacked?
-
World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Wisconsin3 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Maryland4 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Florida4 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Oregon6 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks