Multiple U.S. government agencies announced Friday that a deadly strain of avian influenza has spread to dairy cows for the first time. Affected cows have been found in multiple states as authorities reiterate the importance of consuming only pasteurized dairy products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they tested sick cows on dairy farms in Kansas and Texas, confirming the spread of avian influenza. These tests returned positive results for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which has been impacting bird populations in Europe and Asia since August 2020. It “caused widespread morbidity and mortality” in similar species across the United States. fish and wildlife services.
this is, first time Bird flu has been detected in dairy cows, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the discovery comes just days after the virus was detected in goats on a farm in Minnesota. In autumn, Bird flu also affected polar bear species For the first time, one bear died and it spread to other areas. Marine life,kill tens of thousands of seals and sea lions.
Avian influenza is suspected to be affecting U.S. cows after cows showed “reduced milk production, decreased appetite and other symptoms,” authorities said. joint news release. On March 25th, it was announced that the milk samples revealed the following: Two farms in Kansas One case was also affected in Texas. A swab taken at another dairy farm in Texas also tested positive.
Bird flu was then discovered in a herd in Michigan, which had recently had an outbreak of bird flu.I received a cow from Texas.and “additional herds in New Mexico, Idaho, and Texas have also received presumptive positive test results,” officials said.
Certain animal species are infected with the virus, usually by eating sick or infected birds. However, among dairy cows, officials said that based on the reported symptoms and test results, “the possibility of transmission between cows cannot be ruled out.” People with dairy cows are being asked to minimize movement of their cows and to test them if they do. It also recommended that sick cattle be isolated.
How will bird flu affect the U.S. milk supply?
Affected cows are producing less milk, but the government said milk losses are currently “too limited to significantly impact supply.”
“There should be no impact on the prices of milk and other dairy products,” the agency said. “Additionally, there is usually ample milk supply in the spring due to seasonal increases in production in the United States.”
There are also no concerns from authorities that commercially supplied milk is unsafe. All dairy products must be pasteurized and only milk from healthy animals is allowed to be sent for processing for human consumption, they added.
“Milk collected from affected animals is being diverted or discarded to prevent it from entering the human food supply,” the agency said. “Furthermore, pasteurization continues to be proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, such as influenza, in milk. The FDA’s long-standing position is that unpasteurized raw milk does not pose a serious risk to consumers. FDA is reminding consumers of this risk because it may harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose a health risk.” Given the detection of HPAI, I am. ”
The outbreak of avian influenza in cattle comes just weeks after cattle ranchers in the Texas Panhandle were devastated by the largest wildfire in the state’s history. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, thousands of dead cattle had to be picked up throughout the charred area.
“Growers in the Texas Panhandle have already endured enough,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, calling the situation “unprecedented” “The Texas Department of Agriculture will utilize all available resources to maintain the high quality and safety standards that define Texas agriculture.”
Can avian influenza infect humans?
Although there have been cases of bird flu infecting humans, health officials said such cases remain rare.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and CDC said Friday that “initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory found no changes in the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans. This means there is no current risk to the public.” “This shows that it remains low.” “Federal and state agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional testing for HPAI and viral genome sequencing to better understand the situation, including characterizing HPAI strains and those associated with these detections. Now you can understand it.”
