PeopleImages / Getty ImagesWearing gloves and masks stops the spread of avian fluPeopleImages / Getty Images
In the USA, people who work with cattle — milking cows, for example — must take precautions by wearing masks and other personal protective equipment. That is the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in response to the identification of H5N1 bird flu in 42 herds in nine states in the country at the end of May, and in two people. The H5N1 virus is spread around the world by wild birds, including migratory species who travel long distances. Although infections are less frequent in mammals than in birds, the number of mammal species infected worldwide is increasing: this year, it rose from 13 to 64. The virus can infect people through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. The use of protective equipment could therefore prevent the disease from spreading. Preliminary studies indicated that the bird flu virus spilled over into cattle through a single event and was spread across the country when the animals were transported between different locations (STATNews, May 2).
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