Local authorities reported on Thursday that cows at a dairy farm in the southern U.S. state of Texas were infected with the avian influenza virus, an unprecedented event, with cases also reported on farms in Kansas.
“This newly confirmed infection in dairy cows is unprecedented,” Texas Department of Agriculture Superintendent Sid Miller said in a statement, anticipating more cases could emerge in the coming days.
This is a form of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Miller clarified that “while concerning, this outbreak is not currently expected to threaten the country’s commercial dairy supply.”
Texas agriculture authorities said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinary laboratory “has not identified changes in the virus that would make it more likely to spread to humans.”
“The risk to the public at this time remains low. We are increasing our efforts to continue epidemiological investigations to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the situation,” the statement detailed.
ADVERTISEMENT – SCROLL TO CONTINUE
Miller said bird flu was detected last Monday in raw milk samples from a farm in Texas and in production at two other dairy plants in Kansas.
Affected cattle exhibit flu-like symptoms such as fever, milk thickening and discoloration, and a sharp decrease in milk production. Miller explained that sick cows are kept separate from other livestock and their milk.
“It’s unclear whether the contaminated milk has entered the food chain,” Miller said earlier this week. He noted that if some of the affected milk breached control measures, the pasteurization process would render the virus inactive.
ADVERTISEMENT – SCROLL TO CONTINUE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday it was investigating “a disease occurring primarily in older dairy cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico.” They tested samples from Texas and Kansas and the results came back positive for bird flu.
As background, the farm discovered dead wild birds on its property. “Based on findings in Texas, the virus appears to have been introduced by wild birds,” the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service detailed.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said avian influenza “poses a significant threat to commercial poultry farming and people’s livelihoods, in addition to potential risks to human health.”
MAV/DGA