By Jamie Martin
The bird flu virus, known as H5N1, has now been detected in dairy herds across the Mountain West, prompting concern among federal animal health inspectors.
Though the virus has long been a problem for poultry, its transmission to cattle is a newer development. Experts stress, however, that it currently poses little risk to the public.
Poultry flocks in states such as Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming have recently been affected. The virus has also been identified in cattle in Arizona and Idaho.
In Nevada, 20 non-poultry birds tested positive for the virus earlier this year, according to the CDC.
H5N1 is particularly lethal for poultry, often leading to the rapid death of entire flocks. Cattle, on the other hand, have shown a stronger ability to recover. Human infections have remained rare and are generally limited to individuals who work directly with infected animals.
“The cases that we’ve seen so far have been people working with sick chickens or working with infected cattle and have large occupational exposures,” said Brian Labus, associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “So far we have seen 70 cases in the United States and one person has died. But we haven’t seen it spread person to person.”
In response, the federal government issued a testing requirement last spring for cattle being moved across state lines, a move officials believe has reduced virus transmission. The CDC continues to monitor human exposure through existing flu surveillance systems.
According to Labus, food safety measures like pasteurization and thorough cooking help prevent H5N1 from spreading via dairy and meat products.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ahavelaar
Categories: National