Marin bird flu probe has raw milk connection

A child with a potential bird flu infection had consumed raw milk before becoming ill, Marin County health officials reported Tuesday.

The county is still waiting for test results to confirm whether the child had avian flu or seasonal flu, said Dr. Lisa Santora, the county’s public health officer. But the avian flu has passed from birds to cows, and health officials are warning the public to avoid unpasteurized milk.

“Bird flu infections in humans are uncommon but there are ongoing outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry farms in the United States,” Santora said. “The risk to the public remains low, as bird flu spread from person to person is rare.”

The child who drank raw milk fell ill while visiting Marin during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the county. The child suffered fever and vomiting.

Initial state and local tests for bird flu were inconclusive, and the county is waiting for results from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The child has recovered, and no other family members became sick, indicating no person-to person transmission,” the Marin public health office said in a statement Tuesday. “There have been 32 confirmed cases of bird flu reported in California this year. Most bird flu detections in the U.S. have been in poultry and dairy workers who were exposed to sick animals, but sporadic cases are expected.”