Houston, USA. dairy cow from the dairy TexasIn the southern U.S., tests come back positive Infectious strains of avian influenzaThis was an unprecedented incident, according to local authorities, who also reported Cases on a Kansas farm.
“This newly diagnosed infection in dairy cows is an unprecedented event,” Texas Department of Agriculture Director Sid Miller said in a statement. More cases may emerge in the coming days.
It is a avian influenza virus strains Highly pathogenic (HPAI), commonly known as Avian InfluenzaAccording 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 agricultural authorities said the “have not Get it yet Changes in the virus make it more Can be transmitted to humans“.
“he risk still known to the public at the lowest limit. “Intensified efforts are being made to continue epidemiological investigations to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the situation,” the statement detailed.
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.
What are the symptoms of avian influenza in animals?
Affected cattle exhibit flu-like symptoms, e.g. fever, Thick, discolored milk and drastically reduce its 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.
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.
Bird flu may have been introduced by wild birds
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.
“Avian influenza has not been confirmed to be the sole causative agent of the reported cattle illness,” Texas authorities said.
The outbreak occurred in an area of North Texas that has recently been affected by large-scale wildfires, which has hit agricultural production.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Avian Influenza “Represents an important Threats to commercial poultry farmingfor people’s livelihood, in addition to potential risks to human health.