#dairy-cow — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #dairy-cow, aggregated by home.social.
-
At Uncle Neils Home, Margaret is finally safe. 🐄❤️🩹 #dairycow #dairycows #rescueanimals
-
Astro and Cosmo from Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary deserve every moment of joy they can get. 🐮💚 Dairy tears families apart! 💔 Credit: crittercreekfarmsanctuary (IG) #dairycow #cows #cow #rescueanimals #animalsanctuary
-
Cows aren’t machines, they’re mothers. 🥺🐮 👉 Pizza Hut: Please Offer Plant-Based Cheese in the US! 🧀 https://veganfta.com/petitions/pizza-hut-please-offer-plant-based-cheese-in-the-us/ 🍕 With farahamberr (IG) Credit: thesavemovement (IG) #vegan #ditchdairy #dairyfree #dairyisscary #dairycow
-
Cows were not meant to breastfeed humans for their entire lives. 👀 👉 Tell Waterbean Coffee to Drop the Non-Dairy Milk Upcharge! https://drove.com/.2NSZ ☕️ 🎥: VeganFTA x vegan_bea (IG) Clips from thesavemovement and galapagos_marc (IG) #dairy #dairyfarming #dairycow #veganactivist #vegan
-
Establishing #methods to #monitor #H5N1 #influenza virus in dairy #cattle #milk
Source: MedRxIV, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.04.24318491v1
Abstract
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza strain H5N1 has caused a multi-state outbreak among US dairy cattle, spreading across 15 states and infecting hundreds of herds since its onset. We rapidly developed and optimized PCR-based detection assays and sequencing protocols to support H5N1 molecular surveillance. Using 214 retail milk from 20 states for methods development, we found that H5N1 concentrations by digital PCR strongly correlated with qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) values, with dPCR exhibiting greater sensitivity. We also found that metagenomic sequencing after hybrid selection was best for higher concentration samples while amplicon sequencing performs best for lower concentrations. By establishing these methods, we were able to support the creation of a statewide surveillance program to test bulk milk samples monthly from all cattle dairy farms within Massachusetts, which remain negative to date. The methods, workflow, and recommendations described here provide a framework for others aiming to conduct H5N1 surveillance efforts.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #dairyProducts #diagnosticTests #foodSafety #h5n1 #health #massachusetts #news #research #USA
-
A single #mutation in #bovine #influenza #H5N1 #hemagglutinin switches specificity to #human #receptors
Source: Science, https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt0180
Editor’s summary
In 2021, a highly pathogenic influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus was detected in North America that is capable of infecting a diversity of avian species, marine mammals, and humans. In 2024, clade 2.3.4.4b virus spread widely in dairy cattle in the US, causing a few mild human cases, but retaining specificity for avian receptors. Historically, this virus has caused up to 30% fatality in humans, so Lin et al. performed a genetic and structural analysis of the mutations necessary to fully switch host receptor recognition. A single glutamic acid to leucine mutation at residue 226 of the virus hemagglutinin was sufficient to enact the change from avian to human specificity. In nature, the occurrence of this single mutation could be an indicator of human pandemic risk. —Caroline Ash
Abstract
In 2024, several human infections with highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b bovine influenza H5N1 viruses in the United States raised concerns about their capability for bovine-to-human or even human-to-human transmission. In this study, analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) from the first-reported human-infecting bovine H5N1 virus (A/Texas/37/2024, Texas) revealed avian-type receptor binding preference. Notably, a Gln226Leu substitution switched Texas HA binding specificity to human-type receptors, which was enhanced when combined with an Asn224Lys mutation. Crystal structures of the Texas HA with avian receptor analog LSTa and its Gln226Leu mutant with human receptor analog LSTc elucidated the structural basis for this preferential receptor recognition. These findings highlight the need for continuous surveillance of emerging mutations in avian and bovine clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses.
____
#aH5n1 #abstract #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #news #research
-
#Influenza A(#H5N1) shedding in #air corresponds to #transmissibility in #mammals
Source: Nature Microbiology, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01885-6
Abstract
An increase in spillover events of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses to mammals suggests selection of viruses that transmit well in mammals. Here we use air-sampling devices to continuously sample infectious influenza viruses expelled by experimentally infected ferrets. The resulting quantitative virus shedding kinetics data resembled ferret-to-ferret transmission studies and indicated that the absence of transmission observed for earlier A(H5N1) viruses was due to a lack of infectious virus shedding in the air, rather than the absence of necessary mammalian adaptation mutations. Whereas infectious human A(H1N1pdm) virus was efficiently shed in the air, infectious 2005 zoonotic and 2024 bovine A(H5N1) viruses were not detected in the air. By contrast, shedding of infectious virus was observed for 1 out of 4 ferrets infected with a 2022 European polecat A(H5N1) virus and a 2024 A(H5N1) virus isolated from a dairy farm worker.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #animalModels #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #news #pathogensAirborneTransmission #research
-
Polygenic #Determinants of #H5N1 #Adaptation to Bovine Cells
Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.29.626120v1
Abstract
H5N1 avian influenza virus (lineage 2.3.4.4b, B3.13 genotype) has caused, unexpectedly, a large outbreak in dairy cattle in North America. It is critical to ascertain how this virus has specifically adapted to bovine cells and the molecular determinants of this process. Here, we focused on the contribution of the viral internal genomic segments of H5N1 B3.13 to bovine cells adaptation. We generated 45 reassortant viruses harbouring the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 and internal gene constellations from several influenza A viruses (IAV) or carrying segment swaps between distinct H5N1 strains. The recombinant B3.13 viruses displayed faster replication kinetics in bovine cells compared to other IAV. Importantly, multiple genomic segments of B3.13 viruses contribute to their faster replicative fitness. Further, recombinants with the B3.13 internal genes were less susceptible than ancestral 2.3.4.4b strain to the bovine IFN response. However, bovine (and human) MX1, a key restriction factor for avian IAV, restricted both ancestral 2.3.4.4b and B3.13 recombinant viruses. Interestingly, the latter escape restriction from human BTN3A3. Finally, recombinant B3.13 was virulent in mice unlike the ancestor 2.3.4.4b recombinant virus. Our results highlight the polygenic nature of influenza host range as multiple internal genes of B3.13 contribute to bovine adaptation.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #animalModels #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #news #research #viralPathogenesis
-
First #Report of #Influenza D Virus in Dairy #Cattle in #Pakistan
Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/12/1865
Abstract
Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly emerged zoonotic virus increasingly reported worldwide. Cattle are considered the main reservoir of IDV, although it was first isolated from pigs. IDV infects multiple animal species and contributes to the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). To date, there has been no report on the presence and frequency of IDV among cattle herds in Pakistan. In this study, we collected nasal swabs from cattle and performed virological surveillance of IDV via qRT-PCR. Among 376 swab samples, IDV was detected in 9 samples (2.4%). Four dairy cattle farms were positive for IDV; two IDV-positive samples (two/nine, 22.2%) belonged to asymptomatic cattle, while seven IDV-positive samples (seven/nine, 77.8%) were from cattle showing respiratory clinical signs, including two with a recent history of abortion and mastitis. Partial sequences of the hemagglutinin–esterase-fusion gene of IDV were obtained from nine qRT-PCR-positive samples. Notably, all IDV strains in this study clustered within the D/OK lineages in phylogenetic analysis. A 98.8–99.6% genetic identity to its European and US counterparts indicates that the IDVs are closely related. The D/OK lineage of IDV was previously unreported in Pakistan. This is the first report of IDV in Pakistan. We confirmed that IDV is circulating among cattle herds in Pakistan. This study underscores the importance of virological surveillance to monitor the ecology of IDV for better animal and public health. The continued spread of IDV and its adaptation to various hosts necessitate further epidemiological studies.____
#abstract #cattle #dairyCow #health #influenzaD #news #pakistan #research
-
#USA, #California: DPH Warns Against Drinking Second Lot of Raw #Milk Following {#H5N1} #Birdflu {virus} #Detection
Source: Department of Health, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR24-042.aspx
November 27, 2024
NR24-042Voluntary recall underway; Pasteurized milk is safe to drink
What You Need to Know: CDPH is issuing another warning to Californians not to consume an additional batch of cream top, whole raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC of Fresno County due to a second detection of bird flu virus. Raw Farm, LLC issued a voluntary recall at the state’s request of the affected lot code 20241119 with a Best By 12/07/2024. Consumers should immediately return any remaining product to the store where it was purchased. Pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
Sacramento – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is issuing a second warning to Californians to not consume raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm, LLC of Fresno County due to a detection of bird flu virus in a second retail sample. At the state’s request, the company has issued a voluntary recall of the affected milk lot code number 20241119 with a Best By date of 12/07/2024 printed on the packaging.
No human bird flu cases associated with the product have been detected. As the state continues to investigate the link between bird flu detections in retail raw milk and the ongoing spread of bird flu in dairy cows, poultry, and sporadic human cases, consumers are strongly urged to not consume any of the affected raw milk. Customers should immediately return any remaining product to the retail point of purchase.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) was onsite at Raw Farm’s milk processing facility today, November 27, collecting additional samples of stored bulk tank milk and bottled products. Results from that additional testing are pending.
As with the testing that led to the November 24 voluntary recall notice, the Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory tested raw milk products from retail stores in their county as a second line of consumer protection. The county identified bird flu in this second sample of raw milk purchased at a retail outlet.
Risks Associated with Raw Milk
Public health experts have long warned consumers against consuming raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness. Outbreaks due to Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, toxin producing E. coli, Brucella, Campylobacter, and many other bacteria have all been reported related to consuming raw dairy products. Raw milk products are not pasteurized, a heating process that kills bacteria and viruses such as bird flu. Pasteurized milk and milk products are safe to consume because the heating process kills pathogens, including bird flu, that can cause illness.
Drinking or accidentally inhaling raw milk containing bird flu virus may lead to illness. In addition, touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands after touching raw milk with bird flu virus may also lead to infection. Symptoms of bird flu infection in humans include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever. Anyone who has consumed these specific products, and is experiencing these symptoms, should immediately contact their health care provider or local health department.
California Regularly Tests Raw Milk
As part of the state’s bird flu response, testing of raw milk from dairies has been increased to help prevent raw milk consumers from getting the virus. Once bird flu was found in California dairy herds, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) began regular testing of raw milk in bulk tanks. In response to these recent positive tests from two retail raw milk batches, CDFA followed up with immediate additional sampling and testing at Raw Farm.Pasteurized Milk is Safe to Drink
Pasteurized milk is safe to drink. Pasteurization, one of the most significant scientific food safety discoveries in human history, is the process of heating milk to specific temperatures for a certain length of time to kill many microorganisms and enzymes that lead to spoilage and illness. Pasteurization kills the bird flu virus and other harmful germs that can be found in raw milk. CDPH advises consumers not to drink raw milk or eat raw milk products due to the risk of foodborne illnesses. About Bird Flu
Since early October, California has reported 29 confirmed human cases of bird flu, 28 of whom had direct contact with infected dairy cows. No person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in California or the U.S. To date, all cases have reported mild symptoms (primarily eye infections), and none have been hospitalized. Because bird flu viruses can change and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, public health officials have provided preventive measures and are monitoring animal and human infections carefully. Protecting Public Health
California continues to take swift and comprehensive action in response to the detection of bird flu in dairy cows across the Central Valley, demonstrating a strong commitment to public health and worker safety. While the overall risk to the public remains low, the state is prioritizing containment efforts, raising public awareness, and providing resources to those at higher risk. Key initiatives include the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), increased testing, and robust surveillance of infected areas.Through coordinated efforts between agencies like CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and CalOES, California is leading a cross-agency response that includes multilingual outreach to dairy and poultry workers, a targeted social media campaign to promote preventive practices, and media interviews to keep the public informed. Additionally, the state is ensuring that farm workers have access to additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce concurrent flu risks.
Specifically, the state is:
— Working with local, state, and federal partners to monitor bird flu in farm animals and people who work closely with poultry and dairy cows.
— Distributing protective gear to dairy farms and workers who have contact with infected dairy cows or raw milk to reduce the risk of getting bird flu.
— Helping ensure individuals with symptoms of or exposure to bird flu have access to testing and treatment.
— Conducting timely public education efforts to ensure those impacted have information about bird flu.How Bird Flu Spreads
— Touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands after contact with raw milk from an infected cow, or other contaminated items or surfaces.
— Raw milk from an infected cow splashed into eyes, nose, or mouth.
— Drinking raw milk from a cow infected with bird flu virus. More Resources
— For the latest information on the state’s bird flu response, visit CDPH’s Bird Flu webpage and CDFA’s H5N1 Bird Flu Virus in Livestock site.
— For information on the national bird flu response, see CDC’s Bird Flu Response Update.
— For work-related questions or complaints related to bird flu, contact the Cal/OSHA Call Center in English or Spanish at 1-833-579-0927. Employers can contact the California Occupational Health and Safety Division at 800-963-9424 for a free consultation to strengthen their illness and injury safety program.
— Farmers should contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s bird flu hotline at 866-922-2473 if they suspect their animals are infected with bird flu.____
#aH5n1 #avianInfluenza #avianFlu #birdFlu #california #dairyCow #dairyProducts #foodSafety #h5n1 #health #news #updates #USA
-
#USA, #Idaho: #Veterinary and #Health Authorities worried after rapid spread of #H5N1 birdflu virus in dairy cattle herds
Source: Kastra.com, https://kastra.co/berita-utama/tiga-perusahaan-susu-idaho-sekarang-dikarantina-karena-flu-burung-apa-yang-terjadi-pada-sapi-dan-apa-artinya/3910/
{Excerpt, original text in Bahasa Indonesia}
(…) “Quite frankly, the USDA has not been able to control the spread of this infection,” Pate said. “I suspect there is a lot of underreporting, probably both in terms of the number of cattle infected and the number of farm workers infected.”
He said some farmworkers may not seek medical care because they can’t afford it or are afraid of losing their jobs. According to the Idaho Milk Producers Association, about 90% of dairy jobs in the state are held by foreign-born workers, many of whom are undocumented.
Pate said cases may also go unreported if workers or animals are sick but don’t show any symptoms.
“With the COVID pandemic, we learned that one of the real challenges in controlling infectious outbreaks is that if people don’t have symptoms or if animals don’t have symptoms, it’s very difficult to know if they have cases unless you test,” he said.
Idaho has not identified any human cases of bird flu, but seven people have been tested so far, according to Dr. Christine Hahn, an epidemiologist with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
(…)
____
-
One #health, one #flu: the re-emergence of avian #influenza
Source: Lancet Respiratory Medicine, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(24)00375-8/fulltext?rss=yes
{Excerpt}
As the Northern Hemisphere heads into the winter season, we have an increased risk of catching influenza and other respiratory illnesses. But while the focus is mostly on human viruses, some animal viruses also thrive. Two US states affected by avian influenza outbreaks in dairy cattle and poultry have recently reported H5N1 influenza infections in seven farm workers, four in California and three in Washington, raising the current number of people infected with the H5N1 virus this year to 46 in the USA. Of note, according to the US Department of Agriculture, a pig on a farm in Oregon was also infected with the virus at the end of October; the first known case of H5N1 in pigs in the US. All of the farm workers reported mild symptoms of eye redness, conjunctivitis, and, in some cases, mild upper respiratory symptoms. More recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed a human case of avian influenza in Canada, a teen with no previous contact with a farm developed conjunctivitis, fever, and cough, and was hospitalised with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
(…)
____
#aH5n1 #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #canada #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #human #news #poultry #research #USA
-
Enhanced #encephalitic #tropism of #bovine #H5N1 compared to the #Vietnam #H5N1 isolate in #mice
Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.19.624162v1
Abstract
In recent years, the landscape of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infections has shifted, as evidenced by an increase in infections among mammals. This includes the recent circulation of H5N1 in dairy cattle herds in the USA and a rise in associated human cases. In this study, we investigated differences in tissue tropism of two HPAI H5N1 strains, the isolate A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (VN1203) isolated from a fatal human case in 2004 and the bovine isolate A/Bovine/Ohio/B24osu-342/2024 (Bov342) isolated in 2024, in C57BL/6J mice. Infection with either HPAI H5N1 isolate was uniformly lethal in mice. However, tissue tropism differed significantly: while VN1203 replication was largely restricted to the respiratory tract, Bov342 successfully replicated in the respiratory tract as well as various regions of the brain. Bov342-challenged animals exhibited clinical signs consistent with central nervous system (CNS) infection, and infectious virus was detected in brain tissue. Correspondingly, cytokine profiles in the brain differed significantly between the isolates. Notably, in addition to abundant evidence of CNS infection in Bov342-challenged mice via immunohistochemistry, sporadic intranuclear and intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity was observed in other tissues in the head, including the choroid plexus, retina, and inner ear. This study demonstrates that while both HPAI H5N1 isolates are uniformly lethal in C57BL/6J mice upon aerosol exposure, significant differences exist in tissue tropism, with Bov342 resulting in respiratory disease as well as increased neurotropism and inflammation in the brain and nasal turbinates compared to VN1203, which predominantly induces respiratory disease.____
#research #abstract #avianInfluenza #aH5n1 #animalModels #neuroinvasion #animalHealth #health #news #birdFlu #h5n1 #AVIANINFLUENZA #dairyCow
-
Avian #influenza A (#H5N1) virus in dairy #cattle: #origin, #evolution, and cross-species #transmission
Source: mBio, https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.02542-24
ABSTRACT
Since the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4b as a novel reassortant virus from subtype H5N8, the virus has led to a massive number of outbreaks worldwide in wild and domestic birds. Compared to the parental HPAIV H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4b, the novel reassortant HPAIV H5N1 displayed an increased ability to escape species barriers and infect multiple mammalian species, including humans. The virus host range has been recently expanded to include ruminants, particularly dairy cattle in the United States, where cattle-to-cattle transmission was reported. As with the avian 2.3.4.4.b H5N1 viruses, the cattle-infecting virus was found to transmit from cattle to other contact animals including cats, raccoons, rodents, opossums, and poultry. Although replication of the virus in cows appears to be mainly confined to the mammary tissue, with high levels of viral loads detected in milk, infected cats and poultry showed severe respiratory disease, neurologic signs, and eventually died. Furthermore, several human infections with HPAIV H5N1 have also been reported in dairy farm workers and were attributed to exposures to infected dairy cattle. This is believed to represent the first mammalian-to-human transmission report of the HPAIV H5N1. Fortunately, infection in humans and cows, as opposed to other animals, appears to be mild in most cases. Nevertheless, the H5N1 bovine outbreak represents the largest outbreak of the H5N1 in a domestic mammal close to humans, increasing the risk that this already mammalian adapted H5N1 further adapts to human-to-human transmission and starts a pandemic. Herein, we discuss the epidemiology, evolution, pathogenesis, and potential impact of the recently identified HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in dairy cattle in the United States. Eventually, interdisciplinary cooperation under a One Health framework is required to be able to control this ongoing HPAIV H5N1 outbreak to stop it before further expansion of its host range and geographical distribution._____
#aH5n1 #aH5n8 #abstract #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #cats #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #human #news #pandemicInfluenza #poultry #reassortantStrain #research #USA
-
Source: Xinhua, https://xhpfmapi.xinhuaxmt.com/vh512/share/12269905
Xinhua News Agency, Los Angeles, November 8 (Xinhua) — A new study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other institutions shows that the actual number of U.S. dairy farm workers infected with the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus may be far greater than official statistics. The relevant research report was published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Journal.
From June to August 2024, researchers collected and tested blood samples from workers on dairy farms in Michigan and Colorado, where outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza had occurred. They found that 8 of the 115 workers tested had recently been infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, with an infection rate of 7%.
According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 46 cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus have been reported in the United States this year, from six states including California, Washington, Colorado, and Michigan. 45 of the infected people had contact with infected cattle or poultry, and another person had an unknown source of infection.
Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the United States, said that thousands of dairy workers may have been exposed to infected dairy cows, and the new study shows that many cases have been missed. She believes that it is likely that most or all states with H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks have human cases.
Since March this year, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has continued to spread in the United States. According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has been detected in more than 440 dairy cow herds in 15 states in the United States.
In response to the latest findings, the CDC is expanding testing of affected dairy farm workers. The agency is also recommending that workers who have had high-risk contact with infected animals take antiviral drugs.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there is currently no evidence that the H5N1 avian influenza virus can be transmitted from person to person, and the risk posed by the virus to the US public health remains low.
____
#aH5n1 #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #human #news #poultry #USA
-
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7344a3.htm?s_cid=mm7344a3_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM140166&ACSTrackingLabel=This%20Week%20in%20MMWR%3A%20Vol.%2073%2C%20November%207%2C%202024&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM140166
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses have been detected sporadically in dairy farm workers in the United States since April 2024. Public health response efforts include active monitoring of workers exposed to HPAI A(H5) virus for illness.
What is added by this report?
Health officials conducted surveys and serologic testing to identify recent HPAI A(H5) infections among dairy workers in two states. Serologic testing indicated that 7% of participating dairy workers had evidence of recent infection with HPAI A(H5) virus.What are the implications for public health practice?
The findings support the need for active monitoring of exposed workers and testing to detect and treat HPAI A(H5) infections, including those in persons with very mild symptoms. These efforts should be coupled with farmworker education about infection risks and prevention measures.
Abstract
Since April 2024, sporadic infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses have been detected among dairy farm workers in the United States. To date, infections have mostly been detected through worker monitoring, and have been mild despite the possibility of more severe illness. During June–August 2024, CDC collaborated with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to implement cross-sectional serologic surveys to ascertain the prevalence of recent infection with HPAI A(H5) virus among dairy workers. In both states, a convenience sample of persons who work in dairies was interviewed, and blood specimens were collected. Among 115 persons, eight (7%; 95% CI = 3.6%–13.1%) had serologic evidence of recent infection with A(H5) virus; all reported milking cows or cleaning the milking parlor. Among persons with serologic evidence of infection, four recalled being ill around the time cows were ill; symptoms began before or within a few days of A(H5) virus detections among cows. This finding supports the need to identify and implement strategies to prevent transmission among dairy cattle to reduce worker exposures and for education and outreach to dairy workers concerning prevention, symptoms, and where to seek medical care if the workers develop symptoms. Timely identification of infected herds can support rapid initiation of monitoring, testing, and treatment for human illness, including mild illness, among exposed dairy workers.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #colorado #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #human #michigan #news #occupationalHealth #research #serology #USCDC #USA
-
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7344a2.htm?s_cid=mm7344a2_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM140166&ACSTrackingLabel=This%20Week%20in%20MMWR%3A%20Vol.%2073%2C%20November%207%2C%202024&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM140166
Summary:
What is already known about this topic?
Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by farmworkers can protect them when they are working with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1)–infected cows.
What is added by this report?
Dairy farmworkers in Colorado who were interviewed about PPE use during work activities with ill cows reported 28% higher use of PPE after detection of A(H5N1) virus on the farm than before detection, including a 40% increase in reported use of eye protection during milking. Reported use of respirators and other masks was low.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Establishing strong relationships between public health agencies and agricultural organizations to communicate public health risk and protective practices on U.S. farms after detection of A(H5N1) in cows, and early distribution of PPE before A(H5N1) virus detection, might increase PPE use once an A(H5N1) outbreak is identified.
Abstract
The risk for transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus from dairy cows to humans is currently low; however, personal protective equipment (PPE) use during work activities on dairy farms has not been well described. PPE use can protect farmworkers when they are working with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1)–infected cows. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) offered PPE to all Colorado farms before or during an A(H5N1) outbreak in cows in 2024. CDPHE surveyed 83 dairy workers from three farms with a confirmed bovine A(H5N1) outbreak. Frequently reported farm worker activities included milking cows or working in the milking parlor (51%), cleaning cow manure (49%), and transporting cows (46%). Frequently reported PPE items available to workers before A(H5N1) outbreaks included gloves (88%), eye protection (e.g., safety glasses or goggles) (76%), rubber boots or boot covers (71%), and head covers (69%). N95 respirator use was low among workers who were exposed to ill cows after detection of A(H5N1) virus (26%). PPE use while working with ill cows increased a mean of 28% after detection of A(H5N1) virus on surveyed farms; use of eye protection while milking cows increased the most (40%). Public health PPE distribution, education, and collaboration with CDA might have increased PPE use on dairy farms with A(H5N1) virus–infected cows and mitigated risk for farmworkers acquiring A(H5N1) virus._____
#aH5n1 #abstract #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #colorado #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #news #occupationalHealth #PPE #research #USCDC #USA
-
Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.01.621606v1?rss=1
Abstract
The ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 of the clade 2.3.4.4b in dairy cows has led to numerous questions including how the virus transmits amongst cattle given the limited respiratory infection. One hypothesis is that the virus is spreading through fomites from udder to udder. In these studies, we demonstrate that intraductal inoculation of H5N1 but not H1N1 influenza virus results in infection in mice. This model will be useful to our understanding of the impact of influenza virus on the mammary gland, the potential as a new route of transmission, and can be used to assess if antiviral treatments prevent infections in the mammary gland.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #animalModels #avianInfluenza #dairyCow #research
-
Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/11/1703
Abstract
The rapid geographic spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus in poultry, wild birds, and other mammalian hosts, including humans, raises significant health concerns globally. The recent emergence of HPAI A(H5N1) in agricultural animals such as cattle and goats indicates the ability of the virus to breach unconventional host interfaces, further expanding the host range. Among the four influenza types—A, B, C, and D, cattle are most susceptible to influenza D infection and serve as a reservoir for this seven-segmented influenza virus. It is generally thought that bovines are not hosts for other types of influenza viruses, including type A. However, this long-standing viewpoint has been challenged by the recent outbreaks of HPAI A(H5N1) in dairy cows in the United States. To date, HPAI A(H5N1) has spread into fourteen states, affecting 299 dairy herds and causing clinical symptoms such as reduced appetite, fever, and a sudden drop in milk production. Infected cows can also transmit the disease through raw milk. This review article describes the current epidemiological landscape of HPAI A(H5N1) in US dairy cows and its interspecies transmission events in other mammalian hosts reported across the globe. The review also discusses the viral determinants of tropism, host range, adaptative mutations of HPAI A(H5N1) in various mammalian hosts with natural and experimental infections, and vaccination strategies. Finally, it summarizes some immediate questions that need to be addressed for a better understanding of the infection biology, transmission, and immune response of HPAI A(H5N1) in bovines.____
-
Source: BioRxIV, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.29.620905v1
Abstract
The host range of HPAIV H5N1 was recently expanded to include ruminants, particularly dairy cattle in the United States. Shortly after, human H5N1 infection was reported in a dairy worker in Texas following exposure to infected cattle. Herein, we rescued the cattle-origin influenza A/bovine/Texas/24-029328-02/2024(H5N1, rHPbTX) and A/Texas/37/2024(H5N1, rHPhTX) viruses, identified in dairy cattle and human, respectively, and their low pathogenic forms, rLPbTX and rLPhTX, with monobasic HA cleavage sites. Intriguingly, rHPhTX replicated more efficiently than rHPbTX in mammalian and avian cells. Still, variations in the PA and NA proteins did not affect their antiviral susceptibility to PA and NA inhibitors. Compared to rHPbTX and rLPbTX, the rHPhTX and rLPhTX exhibited higher pathogenicity and efficient replication in infected C57BL/6J mice. The lungs of rHPhTX-infected mice produced higher inflammatory cytokines/chemokines than rHPbTX-infected mice. Our results highlight potential risk of HPAIV H5N1 virus adaptation in human and/or dairy cattle during the current multistate/multispecies outbreak.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #animalModels #avianInfluenza #AVIANINFLUENZA #birdFlu #dairyCow #h5n1 #health #human #news #research
-
Source: Nature, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08254-7
Abstract
The outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype (HPAI H5N1) in dairy cows in the US has so far resulted in spillover infections of at least thirteen farm workers1-3, who presented with mild respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis, and one individual with no known animal exposure who was hospitalized but recovered3,4. Here, we characterized A/Texas/37/2024 (huTX37-H5N1), a virus isolated from the eyes of an infected farm worker who developed conjunctivitis5. huTX37-H5N1 replicated efficiently in primary human alveolar epithelial cells, but less efficiently in corneal epithelial cells. Despite causing mild disease in the infected worker, huTX37-H5N1 was lethal in mice and ferrets and spread systemically with high titres in respiratory and non-respiratory organs. Importantly, in four independent experiments in ferrets, huTX37-H5N1 transmitted via respiratory droplets in 17%–33% of transmission pairs and five of six exposed ferrets that became infected died. PB2-631L (encoded by bovine isolates), promoted influenza polymerase activity in human cells, suggesting a role in mammalian adaptation like that of PB2-627K (encoded by huTX37-H5N1). Additionally, bovine HPAI H5N1 viruses were found to be susceptible to polymerase inhibitors both in vitro and in mice. Thus, HPAI H5N1 virus derived from dairy cattle transmits by respiratory droplets in mammals without prior adaptation and causes lethal disease in animal models.____
#aH5n1 #abstract #avianInfluenza #dairyCow #ferrets #human #research
