The first patient with severe bird flu in Louisiana and the United States has died, marking the first U.S. death from the disease, authorities announced Monday.

The 65-year-old male patient had been infected with a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain, or H5N1, from a mixture of wild birds and backyard livestock flocks. According to to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

Some birds got sick and others died. This case is the first case of H5N1 infection associated with exposure to a backyard herd. According to Send it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Related: ‘Just exploded last week’: Birds fall from the sky in metropolitan area)

LDH did not release the names of the patients who died, citing confidentiality of medical data. The patient had underlying health conditions and is the only known case of H5N1 in Louisiana.

“The ministry extends its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends who are grieving the death of their loved one,” LDH said. “Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the last update regarding the patient.”

According to the CDC, authorities confirmed the patient’s illness on December 13, 2024. His infection was one of more than 61 human cases recorded in the United States since April 2024.

The avian influenza strain that caused the man’s illness is genetically related to strains already found in wild and domesticated birds and some humans in the United States and Canada, but is primarily found in dairy cows. The CDC noted that this is different from the current strain.

The sporadic cases in the United States are new but not unexpected, as several other countries have reported severe human illness and death from H5N1 viruses before 2024. said the CDC.

The immediate risk posed by the H5N1 virus to public health in the United States remains low, and authorities have not yet detected human-to-human transmission of the virus. Nevertheless, according to the CDC, hunters, bird owners and fanciers, and pet owners should be careful because infected livestock can shed the virus in their saliva, feces, mucus, and unpasteurized milk. You need to be careful about exposing yourself and your pets.

LDH said seasonal influenza vaccination cannot prevent infection with avian influenza, but it may prevent co-infection with the avian influenza virus. Co-infection poses a risk of significant viral genetic changes that give rise to influenza viruses with pandemic potential. According to To the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the risk is rare, WHO added.

“There are also concerns about vaccination.” [of animals] This could result in the generation of even more lethal HPAI strains that can evade vaccines. ” According to to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

When vaccines are used prophylactically to boost innate immune responses, disease-causing microorganisms are generally less successful in establishing themselves, according to two Penn State researchers. reported.