A CDC study revealed that three veterinarians unintentionally tested positive for prior H5 bird flu infections amid an ongoing H5N1 outbreak affecting US dairy farms. Despite working in regions without known H5N1 cases, the veterinarians' positive tests highlight potential unnoticed infections and raise concerns over existing surveillance systems. This suggests the need for improved monitoring of HPAI A(H5) in herds and among those who work with them, stressing the urgency of robust health assessments across the board to address silent transmission of the virus.
These findings suggest the possible benefit of systematic surveillance for rapid identification of HPAI A(H5) virus in dairy cattle, milk, and humans who are exposed to cattle to ensure appropriate hazard assessments.
It is notable that none of the three veterinarians were aware of being infected, and none of them worked with cows that were known or suspected to be infected with H5N1.
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