Raw, unpasteurized milk is expected to be tested for avian flu across the United States starting Monday, in an effort to monitor H5N1 in cattle that comply with a new federal order.
On-demand testing is expected to begin in several U.S. states as experts focus on completely eliminating the virus from dairy herds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in announcing the plan earlier this month. First on the list are Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania, although they already have testing in place, with or without bird flu cases.
The virus was first detected in dairy cows in Texas and Kansas in March. Since then, it has been confirmed in more than 700 herds across 15 states. California has seen several cases of bird flu and has issued several milk recalls, most recently on Saturday.
Pasteurized milk is safe to drink because the virus does not survive the heat treatment process.
“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers greater confidence in the safety of their animals and their ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on the right track to quickly control and stop the spread of the virus to the nationally,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. in a press release announcing the federal order on December 6.
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Raw milk will be tested for H5N1 starting Monday. (Getty)
The move comes as more animals, from wild birds to poultry to cattle, test positive for the deadly strain. Additionally, 60 cases have been confirmed in humans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although there is still no sign of human-to-human transmission in the United States or any imminent danger of a bird flu pandemic, researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said Saturday that some potential mutations merit investigation. ‘be monitored.
A study published in the journal Science on December 5 “found that a single alteration of a protein on the surface of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus – currently present in dairy cows in the United States – could significantly increase its potential for infection by humans. transmission to humans,” the NIAID noted. “These results highlight the critical importance of continued surveillance and monitoring of HPAI H5N1 to detect genetic changes that may improve its ability to spread between humans.”
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has also called for vigilance as bird flu spreads through the wild bird population and infects other animals, including humans.
“We call on the animal health community to increased surveillance of avian flu“, the Paris-based international organization said on December 11. “As the disease infects increasing numbers of domestic and wild mammals, including humans, we encourage increased surveillance and reporting. “
With news feed services
