PPE use ‘not optimal’ among poultry workers infected with bird flu
Despite the discovery of bird flu among five workers at a Colorado egg farm, there is no reason to vaccinate livestock workers against the viral disease, said a top CDC official on Tuesday. Nirav Shah, CDC principal deputy director, said a heat wave, with temperatures above 100 degrees, may have discouraged workers from wearing a full set of protective gear.
Bird flu virus susceptible to antiviral meds used against seasonal flu, says CDC
Testing has confirmed that antiviral medications used against the seasonal flu would be effective against the H5N1 bird flu virus that also infects dairy cattle, said the Centers for Disease Control. The USDA said on Monday the virus has been confirmed in 33 dairy herds in eight states since it was first identified on March 25.
CDC says 77 new cases of salmonella linked to cucumbers
An additional 77 cases of salmonella were reported in the past week in a outbreak of food-borne illness linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
White House releases five-year plan on antibiotics
The Obama administration released a five-year "national action plan" to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In a blog, the secretaries of Health, Agriculture and Defense say it is "a whole-of-government approach" built around slowing the spread of resistant bacteria; better surveillance to detect resistant bacteria; development of rapid tests to guide treatment of infections; more research into new antibiotics and alternative treatments; and expanded international health work.
Mexico eases restrictions on U.S. poultry
A decision by Mexico to allow the import of poultry meat from states affected by avian influenza "signals the disease's threat to U.S. poultry exports is starting to subside," according to a report from Bloomberg.