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CDC detects Bird Flu Mutation in Human, amid new Infections in Cats. [🦠 :ahovercat:]

The ongoing spread of bird flu in the United States has alarmed experts — not just because of human cases causing severe illness, but also due to troubling new instances of infections in cats.

https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-12232024.html

#h5n1 #birdflu #virus #mutation #pets #cats #infections #pandemic #us #cdc #healthcare #engineer #media #science #health #tech #nature #news
Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the mutations were "likely generated by replication of this virus in the patient with advanced disease," emphasizing that no transmission of the mutated strain to other humans had been identified.

Several experts contacted by AFP cautioned that it was too early to determine whether these changes would make the virus more transmissible or more severe in people.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, explained that while the mutation might help the virus enter cells more easily, additional evidence [such as animal testing] would be needed to confirm any effect on transmissibility.

Moreover, similar mutations have occurred in previous critically ill patients without leading to broader outbreaks. "It's good to know we should be looking out for this," Rasmussen said, "but it doesn't actually tell us, [Oh, we're this much closer to a pandemic now]."
[ImageSource: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)]

A sample of the virus found in a critically ill patient in the United States has shown signs of mutating to better suit human airways, although there is no indication it has spread beyond that individual, authorities report.

An analysis posted by the CDC revealed that a small percentage of the virus in the patient's throat carried genetic changes that could increase the virus's ability to bind to certain cell receptors found in the human upper respiratory tract.

Importantly, the agency noted that these changes have not been detected in birds – including in the backyard poultry flock believed to have been the source of the patient's initial infection.

Earlier this month, officials announced that an elderly Louisiana patient was in "critical condition" with a severe H5N1 infection. And now, a updated @CDCgov technical report on the Louisiana case is out. There are low frequency mutations in HA that indicate adaptation in a human host [specifically this human host].


« Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul. »

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

🔗 · https://poligraf.tumblr.com/post/746513643035820032/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet

#quotes #RalphWaldoEmerson #greatness #nature


Some more pics from icy Cors Caron today.

There were some water birds on the main pond but the windows in the hide were all fogged up (and short-arse here couldn’t see over the screen outside)!

#Nature #LichenSubscribe
Photo of little icicles on the wooden overhang of a roof, in the out-of-focus background is a wetland - pond, edged with reeds and spindly trees - through which a boardwalk runs. The sky is blue with fluffy white clouds. The low sun sparkles on the icicles, showing up little air bubbles trapped in the ice. A drop of meltwater falls from the icicle on the left.
Landscape photo of a wetland pond framed by bare branches of birch trees. Trees also stand on a small island in the middle. The blue sky reflects on the icy, still water. It looks cold!
Photo of a fence post covered with all manner of lichen - grey and scaly on the face and more green and tufty on the top. Tussocks of golden-brown grasses behind.
Photo of a wooden fence rail topped with ice crystals over pale green lichen. The background is blurred golden-brown grasses and a line of silver birch trees.


You can probably imagine my disappointment when I opened up these images and saw I had missed focus by fractions of a milimeter.

The woodlice have been eating my strawberries, but I tried to make the most of it by getting some strong red backgrounds and interesting scenes from it. I nearly managed, but just marginally missed as the little guys were moving around so fast.

Oh well, maybe next year

#photography #MacroPhotography #macro #fail #woodlice #nature #garden #strawberry
a photo of a woodlouse, head on to the camera, climbing out of the hole it has eaten in a strawberry. the strawberry fills the rest of the frame. the woodlouse's face is just marginally out of focus
a woodlouse poking its head out of a strawberry that it has eaten a hole into. it is facing to the left of frame and is just slightly out of focus. the strawberry creates a large, bright, red blur for the remainder of the frame


Our friends, a retired librarian and a bookstore clerk, leave books on our porch, culled from yard sales and donations. Always good; they have excellent taste.

I recommend this one, left in a grocery bag with cookies and honey.

Winter World by Bernd Heinrich

#bookstodon
#RuralSouth
#nature


This spot... is not easy to photograph. During low tide, it is just rocks. When the water is coming... you can get smashed by a wave OR you could get cut off from the shore. Gotta be always alert.

#seascape #seascapephotography #ocean #sunset #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #naturephotography #pink #magenta #rock #australia #photooftheday #art #MastoArt #beach
pink-magenta seascape sunset among the rocks and near a large fin-shaped boulder


« He is great who is what he is from Nature, and who never reminds us of others. »

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

🔗 · https://poligraf.tumblr.com/post/745958673504927744/he-is-great-who-is-what-he-is-from-nature-and-who

#quotes #RalphWaldoEmerson #greatness #nature #HumanNature


Tasmania's environment department pushed to not upgrade status of endangered Maugean skate, documents show
#nature #biodiversity
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-26/maugean-skate-critically-endangered-status-not-pursued/104761668


The Sagittarius Dwarf Tidal Stream
Credits: David Martinez-Delgado, MPIA, IAC
#nature #space #astrophotography
The Sagittarius Dwarf Tidal Stream