By Daniel Dunaief

Bird flu, which is a virus that has so far primarily infected animals, has affected a duck farm in Aquebogue.

Amid concerns about transmission, Crescent Duck Farm, which has operated as a family business since 1908, has had to put down close to 100,000 ducks.

At this point, health officials haven’t reported any cases of humans contracting the virus, although the farm, its workers and doctors have been looking out for signs of illness.

Local doctors suggested that the risk to humans from bird flu is limited to those people who have worked with or handled sick birds.

The virus “transmits easily from bird to bird, but so far transmission to humans has not occurred to my knowledge,” Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/ Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine, explained in an email. “There is a theoretical possibility that this can occur, but so far, I think we are safe,” as New York State is monitoring exposed workers.

Doctors urged residents to see a healthcare worker if they have any contact with birds and they develop symptoms such as a fever, conjunctivitis (an eye infection that can include redness or watery eyes), or breathing issues.

“Monitor yourself for 10 days after exposure,” urged Dr. Aleena Zahra, infectious disease physician at St. Charles Hospital. “If you develop any symptoms, seek medical attention.”

The treatment for bird flu, which can affect people in ways that are similar to influenza, is to take tamiflu, which is more effective in the earlier stages of an infection.

“If you’re in contact with an animal that is sick, then that would be a potential risk factor,” added Zahra.

Zahra advised residents to avoid picking up a dead bird in their yard without gloves and other safety measures.

Dr. Sharon Nachmann, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, added that the jump to humans from other animals is rarely happening.

People who have become infected are typically recovering, although one person in Louisiana died from the virus.

Despite the relatively low risk, viruses have the ability to mutate, which could make them more transmissible and more dangerous.

CDC silence

At the same time, local doctors are concerned that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped publishing information on infectious diseases.

“This is an unprecedented attack on timely access to reports about transmission of various infectious diseases in the country and worldwide,” Popp explained. “It will lead to delayed prevention measures, poor health care, and potentially allowing infectious disease outbreaks to get out of control.”

The CDC has created travel bans in the past, but has not closed its reporting on outbreaks, Nachmann said.

“It’s incredibly stressful,” said Nachmann.

Doctors added that they were missing the bigger picture that might offer important information about the source of an illness and the best possible treatment.

“We want to do the best for our patients. We want to tell them that this is working or that is not working and you need a different medication,” Nachmann said.

For right now, doctors are gathering information from state and local officials, said Zahra.

The CDC typically shares details about the specific type of infections in an area or region, its responsiveness to various treatments and its differential impact on any specific subgroup, such as children.

“It is sad to see how political, partisan measures are used to suppress sharing of scientific information between healthcare professionals,” Popp added.

Doctors are hoping for more and better information before too long.

“All we have now is a stop,” said Nachmann. “We don’t know what happens after the stop.”