Discussion thread: H5N1 avian flu in US Dairy Cows - March 24+ - 13 total human cases (poultry & dairy workers) in 2024

[Treyfish]

Bird flu risks are rising for farmworkers across Minnesota. Health experts have advice — and free protective gear.

After devastating the state’s turkey flocks, the influenza virus H5N1 is now appearing in cows and goats. The fear: Humans may be next. The state’s 100,000-plus farmworkers — including many undocumented workers — should look out for symptoms and take precautions.
by Sheila Mulrooney Eldred
8 mins ago

This spring, a goat on a Minnesota farm tested positive for bird flu — the common name for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It was the first known incidence in the U.S. of the current bird flu outbreak involving a goat.

Earlier this month, Minnesota became the 11th state to find bird flu in a cow, when a farmer in Benton County noticed symptoms in a handful of animals.

Sahan Journal talked to public health experts to identify who is at risk, what protections they can take and what to watch for.
......
“I am very worried about these workers,” Jennifer B. Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health, said on a call with health and science reporters across the U.S. “So far the infections that have happened have been mild, but I do not see anything in the data to give me hope that future cases will necessarily be mild. I’m also worried that this virus could mutate and become a pandemic threat….but before we even get to that, I think we need to be talking more about the workers who are in harm’s way.”.....

In Minnesota, that includes about 112,000 Minnesotans who work in agriculture, on some 68,000 farms. In southern Minnesota, between 8,500 and 21,000 farmworkers immigrated from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, according to research from Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER). Roughly half of those workers are undocumented.....
Minnesota is offering free N95 respirators, goggles, face shields, and gloves to farms through MDH, the Board of Animal Health, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Minnesota Extension. Anyone who works on a farm can request a one-time shipment of supplies.

But so far, only 43 farms in Minnesota have requested PPE.

And many questions remain about the best and most appropriate forms of PPE, Osterholm said. Beyond the practical considerations, how effective will an N95 mask be in an environment that can get moist and humid?.....

What should farmworkers expect if they’ve been near animals that have tested positive for H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu? Holzbauer says the state health department will monitor symptoms as long as the animals are in quarantine. But health officials won’t ask about immigration status or residency, Holzbauer said.

“We only ask about your job duties, what kind of PPE you were wearing, and how you are feeling,” she said.

https://sahanjournal.com/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-minnesota-ppe/

[Commonground]

from Post #271

In Minnesota, that includes about 112,000 Minnesotans who work in agriculture, on some 68,000 farms. In southern Minnesota, between 8,500 and 21,000 farmworkersimmigrated from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, according to research from Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER). Roughly half of those workers are undocumented.....
Minnesota is offering free N95 respirators, goggles, face shields, and gloves to farms through MDH, the Board of Animal Health, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Minnesota Extension. Anyone who works on a farm can request a one-time shipment of supplies.

But so far, only 43 farms in Minnesota have requested PPE.

Now that is startling.

[Treyfish]

Four states to begin voluntary testing for bird flu in dairy farm milk tanks

BY: JENNIFER SHUTT - JUNE 25, 2024 12:51 PM


WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that four states will launch voluntary pilot programs in the days ahead to test bulk milk tanks on dairy farms for bird flu — a move that’s aimed at making it easier for farmers to ship herds across state lines and for public health officials to track spread of the virus.

Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas will be in the first round of voluntary participation, with other states likely to follow, officials said on a call with reporters. Iowa has had 11 outbreaks of bird flu in cattle so far this month.

“This list of participating states is just the beginning,” said Eric Deeble, the acting senior advisor for H5N1 response at USDA.

“We are in close conversation with about a dozen other states who are very interested in participating as well,” Deeble said. “But it was important for us to get these four states going so that other states could watch how the
……..
126 cases of bird flu confirmed


The announcement is part of the federal government’s ongoing response to the months-long outbreak within dairy cattle and years-long challenges faced by the country’s poultry industry.

The USDA has confirmed 126 cases of bird flu in dairy cattle herds in a dozen states, including Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

Idaho has the most dairy herds affected, with a total of 27 as of June 21. That’s followed by Michigan with 25 herds and Texas with 21 herds. Colorado has reported 18 affected herds, according to the USDA data. All other states had fewer than 10 cases as of that date, according to USDA data…..

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024...rm-milk-tanks/

[Treyfish]

Double Trouble from Flooding and H5N1 hits Some Iowa Farms
By RHONDA BROOKS
June 25, 2024
Active flooding is still underway in parts of Iowa due to the more than 15 inches of rain that fell on parts of the state, particularly the northwest region, over the weekend, according to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

“There were folks literally being rescued off of rooftops and flown out of the flooded areas,” Naig told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory on Tuesday. “After a couple of days, we will be able to come in and start to get a sense of what the enormity of what's happened is and the size of the impact on the ag landscape.”

The devastation led to a disaster proclamation from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the evacuation of thousands of Iowa residents from the area.....

...Naig said state officials won’t have a full sense of the crop damage or number of livestock lost in the region until the flood waters recede....

Added Stress On Dairies

For dairy producers in northwest Iowa, the floods arrived on top of challenges they already faced from dealing with cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) or efforts to prevent the occurrence of the disease.

“Unfortunately, a lot of our cases are in dairies up in that area,” Naig said. “Think of the added stress that those folks are experiencing right now.”

Naig said, in total, Iowa has confirmed 11 dairies and three poultry sites where H5N1 has been found.

“Don't be surprised if you continue to hear about some additional cases in the state of Iowa, because here's the point – we're looking for it,” Naig said. “Our farmers are testing. Turns out, when you look for it, you can find it. I think this is a little wider spread than maybe what is just being confirmed.”



Naig said he commends the Iowa dairy industry for being proactive in reporting any positive cases. When cases are confirmed, he said the state can bring in a USDA epidemiological strike team to look for clues to how H5N1 is being transmitted.

“If we're going to experience the pain of having positive cases, let's learn as much as we can, so that we can craft biosecurity strategies to address those things that are found to be the cause of transmission,” he said.

Wide Range Of Symptoms And Outcomes
Naig added that the scope of H5N1 infections has varied between farms as well as in individual animals.

“I think maybe early on, folks said, ‘Oh, it's really just a kind of a minimal milk production loss, and then everything gets back to normal.’ I don't think it's quite that way,” he said. “Some (producers) aren’t seeing clinical signs while others see acute infections and significant milk losses. We are also hearing about some cattle mortality, though it's maybe because of a secondary infection or condition that actually causes that mortality.”
...

https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/cro...ome-iowa-farms

[sharon sanders]

Three months into bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows, experts see deep-rooted problems in response


By Andrew Joseph , Rachel Cohrs Zhang , Helen Branswell , and Megan Molteni
June 26, 2024



snip

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated that its goal is to eliminate the virus, known as H5N1, from cattle. But that messaging has left scientists scratching their heads about how exactly officials plan to stop further transmission given that the impediments persist. It’s also not clear whether the virus could burn out, or if cows are vulnerable to reinfection.

“If that was the goal, we should have been doing a lot of other things from the beginning,” said Seema Lakdawala, an influenza expert at Emory University. “We could have been working toward that for the last three months, rather than trying to play catch-up now.”

Other countries are taking notice. Last month, a committee of scientific advisers alerted the French government to the “unprecedented situation” happening 4,000 miles away, saying that while the start of the virus’s spread among cows had not yet increased the threat to people, it was concerning enough that the government needed to take its own measures.

“The situation is serious,” Bruno Lina, a virologist and member of the committee, told STAT, noting that European countries were already expanding their surveillance systems to include cows. “It has to be taken seriously in the U.S., and that is what we expect from the U.S.”

But by just about all accounts, not enough is being done.

more... https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/26/...ion-in-cattle/

[Pathfinder]

From the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):

Survival time of avian influenza viruses

Survival Time of Avian Influenza at 20 degrees Celsius.

Available in the following languages:

• English (PDF – 2,330 kb)
• French (PDF – 2,330 kb)
• Spanish (PDF – ,330 kb)

Description of infographic - Survival Time of Avian Influenza at 20 degrees Celsius

This infographic describes the survival time of avian influenza virus at 20 degrees Celsius. The following times are approximate and may consider various avian influenza subtypes.

Waterfowl are the reservoir of avian influenza viruses. They contaminate their environment by excreting the virus up to 11 days after infection through respiratory droplets and feces. Waterfowl defecate approximately 30 times per day.

The survival time of avian influenza is approximately 5 hours on skin, and 1 day on fabrics such as clothing, jackets and coveralls. The virus may survive for 3 days in litter such as wood shavings or sawdust as well as on plastic and rubber, including boots and other footwear. The survival time of avian influenza is approximately 6 days on cardboard and 7 days in bird feces. It may survive for 15 days in feathers and 18 days in soil. The survival time of the avian influenza virus is the longest in water; about 21 days.


Survival Time of Avian Influenza at 4 degrees Celsius

Available in the following languages:

• English (PDF – 4,180 kb)
• French (PDF – 2,310 kb)
• Spanish (PDF – 2,310 kb)

Description of infographic - Survival Time of Avian Influenza at 4 degrees Celsius

This infographic describes the survival time of avian influenza virus at 4 degrees Celsius. The following times are approximate and may consider various avian influenza subtypes.

Waterfowl are the reservoir of avian influenza viruses. They contaminate their environment by excreting the virus up to 11 days after infection through respiratory droplets and feces. Waterfowl defecate approximately 30 times per day.

The survival time of avian influenza at 4 degrees Celsius is approximately 60 days in slurry tanks, in bird feces, and also on metal surfaces. The virus may survive for 72 days on glass and 120 days in soiled litter and in soil. In feathers, the virus may survive for 160 days. Avian influenza virus survival in water at low temperatures is variable and can range from 40 days at 4 degrees Celsius in sea water to 1 year in ice at minus 20 degrees Celsius.

...
Date modified: 2024-02-12 Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)


https://inspection.canada.ca/en/anim...luenza-viruses

[Commonground]

Lack of H5N1 influenza diagnostics undermines global pandemic readiness

• There are currently no commercially available diagnostic tests to detect H5N1 specifically
• There is an urgent need for development of adaptable, scalable tests, globally accessible and suitable for wide use
• These critical gaps in testing and surveillance jeopardize containment and management of the current disease outbreaks

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - 27/06/2024.

Experts at FIND are warning that human cases of H5N1 avian flu could be going undetected because of poor surveillance and a lack of diagnostic testing in at-risk groups. Analysis of the diagnostic landscape reveals extensive diagnostic gaps for this subtype of the influenza A virus, leaving the world with little visibility on the scale or scope of current outbreaks and jeopardizing containment measures.
-snip-
With no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission yet, leaders have a window of opportunity to step up preparedness for possible outbreaks – including urgently filling critical diagnostic gaps.
-snip-

Nucleic acid-based (molecular) tests are the current gold standard for detection of influenza viruses, being more sensitive than antigen-based testing, but they generally require laboratory infrastructure to support their use. As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid tests that can provide a result in around 10–15 minutes, without the need for a laboratory or highly skilled technicians, are a critical tool for outbreak containment – even if they are less sensitive than molecular tests. Rapid tests exist that can differentiate between influenza A and B viruses, but these cannot subtype and thus cannot identify H5N1.

“Without comprehensive diagnostics for H5N1, we are pirouetting on the edge of a volcano that is about to erupt,” said Dr Ayoade Alakija, Board Chair of FIND. “The absence of surveillance means we’re increasing the potential of missing the window to contain outbreaks like H5N1 before they escalate into full-blown pandemics.”
-snip-

“Quality diagnostics are the first line of defence in identifying and isolating cases to prevent widespread transmission,” said Dr Rick Bright, FIND Board Member, virologist and former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in the US. “Having just come out of the worst pandemic in a century, the lack of surveillance and investment into R&D of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines is not only shocking but negligent.”

To mitigate the risk of an H5N1 pandemic, experts recommend the following actions:

1. Strengthen surveillance: Enhance global surveillance to monitor bird and animal populations to enhance visibility on how H5N1 is moving and potentially mutating. This includes training the workforce, simplifying reporting systems and making sure modern technologies such as artificial intelligence are being employed to enhance our predictive analytics.
2. Investment in quality and accessible diagnostics: Allocate resources to develop rapid, accurate, and affordable diagnostic tests for highly pathogenic avian influenza including H5N1. These tests should be accessible globally, especially in places where there is an increased risk to humans due to a close interface with infectious animals and food products.
3. Collaborate on treatments and vaccines: Based on genomic surveillance, utilize global collaborations like the 100 Days Mission, which are built on the work done through partnerships like the ACT-Accelerator and WHO i-MCM-net, to ensure that manufacturing capabilities are scalable to meet global demand – with a priority focus on vulnerable populations and low- and middle-income countries.
4. Develop and regularly update pandemic preparedness and response plans: Based on the lessons of COVID-19, where most countries adapted their pandemic influenza plans to respond, countries should be supported to update their plans to include implementable interventions.

Dr Alakija added: “FIND and partners are analysing the current influenza infrastructure to understand where best to invest resources in a ‘no regrets’ policy. We’re not starting from ground zero like we were for COVID-19, but we really need governments to act now and increase diagnostic testing and data sharing, and put systems in place for benefits sharing should the need arise.”

https://www.finddx.org/publications-and-statements/press-release/lack-of-h5n1-influenza-diagnostics-undermines-global-pandemic-readiness/%E2%80%8B"]https://www.finddx.org/publications-and-statements/press-release/lack-of-h5n1-influenza-diagnostics-undermines-global-pandemic-readiness/

[Pathfinder]

Influenza A Virus Wastewater Data

Updated June 27, 2024

Main Findings from Wastewater Surveillance

During the two most recent weeks, (June 9, 2024–June 22, 2024), a total of 337 of 737 sites reported data meeting criteria for analysis for influenza A virus for both weeks or for either week, and 4 (1%) sites from 3 states were at a high level (>80th percentile compared to levels recorded at that site between October 1, 2023 and March 2, 2024).
...
Data Table
...
Id:1738 8 Oregon Linn Above Average 73.91 Two-Week Maximum 60,000 2021-09-29
Id:423 8 Illinois Cook Above Average 76.56 Two-Week Maximum 1,130,000 2022-10-06
Id:454 7 Illinois Lake Above Average 61.63 Two-Week Maximum 60,000 2022-10-05
Id:549 7 Kansas Johnson Above Average 68.92 Two-Week Maximum 150,000 2023-09-17
Id:439 7 Illinois Du Page Above Average 60.98 Two-Week Maximum 160,000 2022-10-10
Id:137 8 California Plumas Above Average 75.0 Two-Week Maximum <10,000 2023-01-03
Id:488 8 Illinois Sangamon Above Average 73.75 Two-Week Maximum 100,000 2023-02-14
Id:362-B 8 Hawaii Honolulu Above Average 70.59 Two-Week Maximum 20,000 2023-06-26
Id:452 9 Illinois Knox High 83.78 Two-Week Maximum 40,000 2022-10-06
Id:462 10 Illinois Mchenry High 93.18 Two-Week Maximum <10,000 2022-10-05
Id:1729 9 Oregon Jackson High 80.0 Two-Week Maximum 20,000 2021-09-27
Id:154 9 California San Francisco High 87.72 Two-Week Maximum <10,000 2022-12-29
...

https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/wastewater-surveillance/Flu-A-data.html

[Pathfinder]

Related to post #267
(H5 California)

LA Times

Signs of avian flu found in San Francisco wastewater

Susanne Rust
Sat, June 29, 2024 at 5:00 AM CDT·3 min read
...
Genetic evidence of bird flu was detected in San Francisco wastewater on June 18 and June 26. Additional H5 "hits" were seen at a site in Palo Alto on June 19, and another on June 10 from the West County Wastewater facility in Richmond.

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, officials have been closely monitoring H5N1 along with federal, state and local partners, and are "aware of the recent detections of fragments of H5N1 in San Francisco’s wastewater."

"As with the previous detections reported from before mid-May 2024, it is unclear what the source of H5N1 is, and an investigation is ongoing," wrote department officials in a statement. "It is possible that it originated from bird waste or waste from other animals due to San Francisco’s sewer system that collects and treats both wastewater and stormwater in the same network of pipes."
...
The finding "is concerning" because of their urban origin, said Devabhaktuni Srikrishna, an entrepreneur who is developing techniques for disease detection, and the chief executive and founder of PatientKnowHow.com. "There are not many dairy or animal farms in San Francisco."

There are also no dairy farms in Palo Alto or Richmond.
...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/signs-avian-flu-found-san-100011596.html

[Commonground]

California: San Mateo County Health Offers Protective Gear for Workers on Dairy and Poultry Farms from H5N1

June 26, 2024

Redwood City – In response to the potential for H5N1 infection, also known as bird flu, San Mateo County Health is participating in a state program to provide personal protective equipment to workers on poultry and dairy farms.

Cases of H5N1 have been detected among birds in the Bay Area, and in other livestock, including dairy cows, nationally. While around the country there have been three recent human cases among workers in close contact with dairy cows, there are no known H5N1 cases in humans or cattle to date in California.

While the current risk to the general public is low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends dairy farmworkers and others who handle raw milk, as well as slaughterhouse and poultry farm workers, to have personal protective equipment (PPE), including an N95 mask or other approved respirator, gloves, goggles and face shield available in case they are needed.

Through a program from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), County Health is providing, upon request, a one-time supply of PPE to farms, businesses and organizations that employ or serve dairy farmworkers, workers who handle raw milk, and slaughterhouse and poultry workers.

In accordance with CalOSHA standards, the use of PPE is voluntary when there are no confirmed occupational exposures to H5N1, but respirators and other PPE must be provided and wornwhen employees work closely with animals or products that are known or suspected to be infected with H5N1, including animal excretions and other materials that have come into contact with the animal.

ORDERING PPE
Operators of poultry and dairy farms, as well as community organizations that serve dairy and poultry farmworkers, may request a 30-day supply of PPE for workers at risk by sending an email to County Health at HS_MHOAC@smcgov.org (note the underscore: HS_MHOAC). County Health will respond with details about the process for ordering.

The deadline to place an order is July 9, 2024. The program to order PPE is available only to commercial operators and farmworker support organizations and not to individuals.

The personal protective equipment is intended for immediate use and to give time to facilities to obtain and distribute their own supplies. The materials cannot be returned to CDPH or to County Health.

More information about H5N1 from County Health is available here.
https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/news/coun...try-farms-h5n1

[Commonground]

From Posts #266 and 267 above. https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/...558#post992558

San Mateo County is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA MSA(metropolitan statistical area), Silicon Valley, and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area, the nine counties bordering San Francisco Bay.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 741 square miles (1,920 km²), of which 448 square miles (1,160 km²) is land and 293 square miles (760 km²) (40%) is water.^[18] It is the third-smallest county in California by land area. A number of bayside watercourses drain the eastern part of the county including San Bruno Creek and Colma Creek. Streams draining the western county include Frenchmans Creek, Pilarcitos Creek, Naples Creek, Arroyo de en Medio, and Denniston Creek. These streams originate along the northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountains that run through the county. The northern and eastern parts of the county are very heavy densely populated with largely urban and suburban areas, with many of its cities as edge-cities for the Bay Area, while the deep south and the west-central parts of the county are less densely populated with more rural environment and coastal beaches areas.

-wikipedia-

[Pathfinder]

How Does Bird Flu Spread in Cows? Experiment Yields Some ‘Good News.’
...
By Carl Zimmer
June 29, 2024, 5:04 a.m. ET

Ever since scientists discovered influenza infecting American cows earlier this year, they have been puzzling over how it spreads from one animal to another. An experiment carried out in Kansas and Germany has shed some light on the mystery.

Scientists failed to find evidence that the virus can spread as a respiratory infection. Juergen Richt, a virologist at Kansas State University who helped lead the research, said that the results suggested that the virus is mainly infectious via contaminated milking machines.

In an interview, Dr. Richt said that the results offered hope that the outbreak could be halted before the virus evolved into a form that could spread readily between humans.

“I think this is good news that we can most likely control it easier than people thought,” ...

The findings have yet to be posted online or published in a peer-reviewed science journal.
...

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/29/health/bird-flu-dairy-cows-infection.html

[Pathfinder]

Michigan’s top agricultural leader cautiously optimistic about bird flu in state

Kristen Jordan Shamus
Detroit Free Press
Published 12:37 p.m. ET June 28, 2024
...
"We certainly take it as good news that we haven't had any recent detections here in a couple of weeks," Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, told the Free Press on Thursday.
...
The H5N1 virus is what's known as a reportable disease in Michigan, he said, which means that on any farm where a veterinarian identifies bird flu symptoms, lab tests are ordered to check for highly pathogenic avian influenza infections.

The catch is that asymptomatic cows also can be infected with the virus. And without symptoms, a veterinarian wouldn't be likely to order an H5N1 test.

That's problematic, said Dr. Arnold Monto, emeritus professor of epidemiology and global public health at the University of Michigan and co-director of the Michigan Center for Respiratory Virus Research and Response.
...
Monto noted that wastewater testing from six Michigan sampling sites detected H5 influenza virus in recent weeks, according to WastewaterSCAN, even in places where there are no known infections among dairy herds.

"It has to be coming from somewhere," Monto said. "You can hypothesize any number of places it's coming from. ... And if they're only testing symptomatic cows and people, then we don't know.

"What is going on in other states is probably even worse because they haven't identified it in dairy cattle and they're seeing positives in the wastewater.
...

https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2024/06/28/bird-flu-michigan-h5n1-avian-influenza-cattle-poultry-testing/74223022007/

[Treyfish]

Is bird flu in cattle here to stay?
BY SUSANNE RUST, LOS ANGELES TIMES THE TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY
UPDATED JUNE 29, 2024 8:16 AM

Despite assurances from the federal government that bird flu will be eradicated from the nation's dairy cows, some experts worry the disease is here to stay. Recently, Eric Deeble, USDA acting senior advisor for H5N1 response, said that the federal government hoped to "eliminate the disease from the dairy herd" without requiring vaccines……..

David Topham, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Rochester's Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, said he considers H5N1 to be "endemic in animals in North America" - citing its prevalence in wild bird populations as well as its long staying power in domestic poultry. No one knows how widespread it is in cattle, Topham said, because testing has largely targeted symptomatic cows and herds. "But I suspect the closer we look, the more we'll find, and I don't know if we're going to cull our entire cattle herds and start over again."

Topham said he understands the industry's reluctance to permit government scientists onto farms "because we're going to want to see everything, and we're going to report everything that we see, and that might be bad for business. ... But until we have all that information, I don't think we will have control."….

lots more

Read more at: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/...orylink=cpy

[sharon sanders]

Bird flu snapshot: A pathologist sees familiar echoes in U.S. response to the outbreak


By Helen Branswell July 1, 2024


When pathologist Thijs Kuiken looks at what’s happening in the U.S. response to the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in dairy cows, he’s reminded of a difficult period in the Netherlands, where he lives, back in the late aughts.

Large goat and sheep farms in the country were hit with outbreaks of what is known as Q fever every year from 2007 to 2010. The disease, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, primarily affects ruminants — sheep, goats, and cows. But people can contract it too. Some don’t get sick. Some have flu-like illness and recover. But some develop chronic Q fever syndrome, a debilitating condition. Hundreds of people in the Netherlands still suffer from the condition as a consequence of the 2007-2010 epidemics.

H5N1 is a virus that scientists fear might one day trigger a pandemic; Q fever is a bacterial disease that when present in an environment can lead to significant numbers of infections in people. But the similarity Kuiken sees is how, in both cases, the initial inclination is to treat these events in animals as an economic problem for the agricultural sector, rather than as an agricultural problem that could have large human health consequences as well.

more....

https://www.statnews.com/2024/07/01/h5n1-bird-flu-snapshot-q-fever/