A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that agricultural workers in the United States have a higher chance of being infected with bird flu than previously thought. Researchers sampled 115 workers who interacted with infected cows, and eight workers tested positive for bird flu antibodies. The CDC states that the current efforts to contain and protect people from bird flu need to be improved. A majority of the workers who tested positive for bird flu were unaware that they worked with infected cows, which likely means that many agricultural workers aren’t aware of the potential risks that they face. The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases’ director stated that there needs to be increased training for agricultural workers about bird flu and how workers can protect themselves.
See "CDC study finds that bird flu affects agricultural workers at higher rate than previously believed", Melody Schreiber, The Guardian, November 12, 2024