2024-03-26 19:04:00
In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state veterinary and public health authorities, are investigating a disease primarily affecting dairy cows aged Texasof Kansas a you New Mexicowhich causes decreased milk supply, lack of appetite and other symptoms.
Since Monday, March 25, clinical samples of unpasteurized milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one from Texas, as well as an oropharyngeal swab from another dairy farm in Texas, have tested positive to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Additional testing was carried out on Friday March 22 and over the weekend as farms also reported deceased wild birds on their land. Based on the results obtained in Texas, it appears that wild birds are the source of these detections. Initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories did not reveal changes to the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans, indicating that the current risk to the public remains low.
Federal and state agencies are moving forward with additional HPAI testing and viral genome sequencing to better understand the situation, including characterizing the HPAI strain(s). associated with these detections.
At this stage, there is no need to be concerned about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this situation poses a health risk to consumers. Dairies are required to only send milk from healthy animals for processing for human consumption; milk from contaminated animals is diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the food supply. Additionally, pasteurization has been shown to inactivate bacteria and viruses, such as influenza, found in milk. Pasteurization is required for all milk entering interstate commerce.
Federal agencies are also working with states and industry partners to encourage farmers and veterinarians to promptly report livestock diseases so that we can monitor for potential additional cases and minimize the impact on farmers, consumers and other animals. For dairies with symptomatic herds, on average about 10% of each affected herd appears to be affected, with little or no associated mortality reported among the animals. To date, milk losses due to symptomatic cattle are too limited to have a major impact on supply and there is not expected to be an impact on the price of milk or other dairy products.
This event comes less than a week after the veterinary authorities of the Minnesota detected the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in kids on a farm where the virus had been detected in a flock of backyard poultry.
Sources : Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (University of Minnesota), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – U.S. Department of Agriculture
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