The Arizona Department of Health Services is reporting the first *human H5 cases in Arizona.
Both individuals were exposed to infected poultry while working at a commercial facility in Pinal County. These individuals reported mild symptoms, received treatment and recovered.
There is no evidence that human-to-human transmission of H5 is occurring to date. The risk to the general public from H5 remains low.
Avian influenza has been detected in Arizona, including a commercial poultry farm in Pinal County and a backyard flock in Maricopa County. Most human infections with H5 virus have occurred after unprotected exposure to sick or dead infected animals or their environment. Human infections with H5 can happen when the virus gets in a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled from close or prolonged exposure to sick animals or their environments.
H5 infection in people can range from mild (upper respiratory symptoms, conjunctivitis) to severe (pneumonia, multi-organ failure, and death).
Avian influenza H5 is a novel influenza A virus that primarily affects birds. Although human infections with H5 are rare, exposure to animals infected with influenza A(H5) or environments in which infected animals have been present increase the risk of individuals becoming infected.
To reduce the risk of infection, people should avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals and their droppings or bedding, and should not consume unpasteurized (raw) dairy products.