The flare-up of extremely pathogenic fowl flu continues to widen in US livestock after federal officers confirmed final week that the virus has unfold to US cows for the primary time. The virus has now been detected in dairy cows in at least five states, a single person in Texas uncovered to contaminated cows, and an egg farm in Texas, all spurring but extra intense monitoring and biosecurity vigilance because the state of affairs continues to evolve.
As of Tuesday, seven dairy herds in Texas, two in Kansas, and one every in Idaho, Michigan, and New Mexico had examined constructive for the virus. The affected dairy herd in Michigan had just lately obtained cows from one of many contaminated herds in Texas. It stays unclear if there may be cow-to-cow transmission of the flu virus.
The virus—a extremely pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza or HPAI—has been devastating wild birds worldwide for the previous a number of years. Throughout the devastating outbreak, the flu virus has spilled over to various species, together with massive cats in zoos, river otters, bears, dolphins, seals, squirrels, and foxes. While cows have been an surprising addition to the record, federal officers famous final week that affected dairy farms had discovered lifeless wild birds on their farms, suggesting that wild birds launched the virus to the cows, not an intermediate host.
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Protection reported that a person in Texas who had contact with infected dairy cows had tested positive for the HPAI. The person’s solely symptom was eye redness. The CDC mentioned the person was handled with an antiviral for flu and was recovering. It is the second case of HPAI present in a person within the US. The first case was in a person in Colorado who was instantly uncovered to poultry contaminated with the virus. In that case, the person’s solely symptom was fatigue over a number of days. The person recovered. The CDC considers the danger of HPAI to most of the people to be low.
Low danger
Meanwhile, the virus continues to unfold to less-surprising animals: chickens. On Tuesday, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the nation’s largest producer of recent eggs, reported that HPAI was detected in one of its facilities in Texas. The facility is situated in Parmer County, which sits on the border of Texas and New Mexico. It’s unclear if the egg facility is near any of the affected dairy herds. Cal-Maine, following the US Department of Agriculture biosecurity protocols, instantly shut down the power. Approximately 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets—young hens—have been culled. Cal-Maine mentioned the hens represented about 3.6 p.c of the corporate’s whole flock.
Since the outbreak started in wild birds, the virus has led to the deaths of over 82 million commercial and backyard birds within the US, with 48 states affected and over 1,000 outbreaks reported. The infections have spurred will increase in egg and poultry costs.
It’s unclear if the virus may have the identical impact on milk or beef, however to date, it seems that it’ll not. In the contaminated herds, the virus seems to solely be affecting a small share of animals, significantly older animals, and so they typically get well. As the USDA places it there’s “little to no related mortality reported.” Milk from sick cows is at all times diverted from the milk provide, however even when milk contaminated with HPAI have been to make it into the provision, the virus can be destroyed within the pasteurization course of.
Still, the continued, widespread outbreak and spillovers of HPAI in numerous species spotlight the ever-present danger that influenza viruses may combine collectively, combining genetic fragments of various strains (genetic reassortment) to create a brand new pressure that might spark outbreaks or perhaps a pandemic in people. In the present outbreak amongst dairy cattle, federal researchers have been fast to verify the genetic sequence of the HPAI, discovering that, to date, the pressure lacks mutations in key genetic areas that will sign the virus has turn into extra infectious to people. For now, the USDA and the CDC report that the danger to the general public is low.
