Bird flu found in cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico

TUESDAY, March 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — U.S. officials say milk from cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico has tested positive for avian influenza.

In a press release issued on Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified the virus as the H5N1 A strain, which is known to cause outbreaks in birds and sometimes infect humans.

“As of Monday, March 25, unpasteurized clinical samples of milk from sick cows were collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one dairy farm in Texas, as well as from another dairy farm in Texas. The oropharyngeal swab tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza,” the USDA said in a statement.

Still, the agency noted that the risk to humans remains low.

“Based on the findings in Texas, these findings appear to have been introduced by wild birds,” the agency said. “Preliminary testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory found that the virus has not changed in any way that would make it It is more easily transmitted to humans, indicating that the risk to the public remains low at this time.”

The bottom line, the USDA notes, is that only milk from healthy animals enters the food supply; milk from sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. The agency added that pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria and is a process required for milk sold through interstate commerce.

The news comes a week after Minnesota officials announced that goats at a farm experiencing an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were also diagnosed with the virus.

Texas dairy farmers first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle began suffering from what authorities called a “mysterious cow disease,” Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told The Associated Press. Milk production drops sharply, and cows become lethargic and don’t eat much.

“We’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said. “It’s like they have a cold.”

Experts say the cattle appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. This is different from bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which typically require culling flocks to eliminate the virus. According to the Associated Press, the epidemic has caused the loss of approximately 80 million chickens from commercial chicken flocks in the United States since 2022.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information about avian influenza.

Source: USDA, press release, March 25, 2024; Associated Press