The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has diagnosed a case of H5N1 avian influenza in a worker in contact with infected poultry in Barron County. The diagnosis is undergoing confirmation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Department of Health Services of the state is monitoring farm workers potentially exposed to avian influenza. It is presumed that the patient was infected depopulating a commercial turkey breeder flock on December 13th. No information was provided concerning the condition of the patient and it is presumed that symptoms were confined to conjunctivitis and possibly mild respiratory involvement.
The mild case in Iowa was acquired depopulating an infected layer complex in Sioux county. According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the provisional diagnosis of H5N1 conjunctivitis was confirmed by the CDC.
Given that U.S. origin H5 vaccine is available and deployed in Finland, it is time that public health authorities gave consideration to preemptive vaccination of workers on dairy and poultry farms and especially those involved in depopulation of flocks infected with H5N1. It is evident that PPE is not absolutely protective and vaccination would be a valuable adjunct to respirators and goggles.