Second Missouri Health Worker Develops Symptoms After Contact with Bird Flu Patient

The CDC investigates potential human-to-human transmission as three contacts of the infected patient recover from mild symptoms.

A second healthcare worker in Missouri who had contact with a bird flu patient developed mild respiratory symptoms but was not tested for the virus.
Three individuals who were in contact with the infected patient exhibited symptoms; all have since recovered.
The Missouri patient, who had no known contact with infected animals, was hospitalized in August and tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.
The CDC is conducting serologic testing to determine if the contacts were infected with bird flu, although results may take several weeks.
Health officials are concerned about the possibility of human-to-human transmission, particularly since the infections occurred outside of flu season.