Announcement

**Treyfish** · April 22, 2024, 05:50 PM

USDA releases H5N1 bird flu genetic data eagerly awaited by scientists

By Helen Branswell April 21, 2024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has been under pressure from scientists both at home and abroad to share more data on the H5N1 bird flu outbreaks in dairy cows, uploaded a large number of genetic sequences of the pathogen late Sunday.

The excitement that news generated in the scientific community quickly gave way to frustration, though, when researchers who tried to start analyzing the sequences realized the files did not include any information about when the samples that generated the data were collected, or where.

The expectation that the sequence data could help determine if the H5N1 virus has been changing as it transmitted from cow to cow and herd to herd gave way to a realization that it would do nothing of the sort.

“The sequences — they just all look like the [original] Texas sequences,” said Tom Peacock, a flu virologist at Imperial College, London. “For all we know, they are all the [original] Texas sequences.”

“The only date information is 2024. And that’s it.”....

...“Epidemiology is show, don’t tell,” he said. “Show your work, please.”

Rick Bright, a pandemic planning consultant who has been vocally critical of the USDA for being slow to share sequence data, noted the disclosure had “taken a long time.”

On Sunday evening, he expressed gratitude for the government’s move. By Monday, he was expressing dismay about the limitations of the shared data.

“It’s as if the USDA is intentionally trying to hide data from the world,” Bright, a former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the former head of the Rockefeller Foundation’s now-defunct Pandemic Prevention Institute, wrote to STAT....

Page not found | STAT

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/21/usda-releases-h5n1-bird-flu-genetic-data-eagerly-awaited-by-scientists/

**Treyfish** · April 22, 2024, 08:02 PM

U.S. government in hot seat for response to growing cow flu outbreak

Veterinarians and researchers on the front lines say it has taken too long to share data on viral changes, spread, and milk safety

22 APR 2024
11:45 AM ET
BYJON COHEN

.......Now, 3 weeks into the first ever outbreak of a bird flu virus in dairy cattle, Russo and others are still dismayed—this time by the many questions that remain about the infections and the threat they may pose to livestock and people, and by the federal response.
.... but government scientists have released few details about how the virus is spreading. In the face of mounting criticism about sharing little genetic data—which could indicate how the virus is changing and its potential for further spread—the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) did an unusual Sunday evening dump on 21 April of 202 sequences from cattle into a public database. (Some may be different samples from the same animal.) And despite public reassurances about the safety of the country’s milk supply, officials have yet to provide supporting data......

...

.....Only one human case linked to cattle has been confirmed to date, and symptoms were limited to conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. But Russo and many other vets have heard anecdotes about workers who have pink eye and other symptoms—including fever, cough, and lethargy—and do not want to be tested or seen by doctors. ...

James Lowe, a researcher who specializes in pig influenza viruses, says policies for monitoring exposed people vary greatly between states. “I believe there are probably lots of human cases,” he says, noting that most likely are asymptomatic.....

....Richard Webby, an avian influenza researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, notes that available data on the virus’ genetic sequence show “no smoking guns”—mutations that could enable it to jump readily from birds to cows. At a 4 April meeting organized by a group known as the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases, Suelee Robbe Austerman of USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory said “a single spillover event or a couple of very closely related spillover events” from birds is more likely. The cow virus—which USDA has designated 3.13—could then have moved between farms as southern herds were moved northward for the spring, perhaps spreading from animal to animal on milking equipment. Lowe, who has necropsied infected cows, found no virus in their respiratory tracts, which could enable spread through the air....

As a result, confusion is rife. A knowledgeable source who asked not to be identified says cattle that were healthy when they left a Texas farm appear to have brought the virus to a North Carolina farm. That raises the possibility that many cattle are infected but asymptomatic, which would make the virus harder to contain...

...... Lowe says. “We didn’t even try to get ahead of this thing,” he says. “That’s a black mark on the industry and on the profession.”

..The agency made six sequences from cattle—plus six related ones from birds and one from a skunk—available on the GISAID database on 29 March, 1 week after learning that cows were infected. It released one more sequence on 5 April, but then shared nothing else until the data dump 16 days later. Webby suspects the agency has moved cautiously because of the potential impact on the dairy industry. ...

..Thijs Kuiken, an avian influenza researcher at Erasmus Medical Center, says the “very sparse” information released by the U.S. government has international implications, too. State and federal animal health authorities have “abundant information … that [has] not been made public, but would be informative for health professionals and scientists” in the United States and abr....

...With its Sunday evening release, USDA made the unusual move to bypass GISAID—which requires a login and restricts how data can be used—and instead posted on a database run by the National Institutes of Health that everyone can access and do with as they please. USDA explained it did this “in ....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said it has “no concern” that pasteurized milk presents risks because the process “has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.”

But Lowe says for this specific virus, there are no data to back that claim. That’s “shocking,” he says. “It should not be that hard to get that data. I do not know why the foot dragging is occurring there.”...

...to truly assess the continuing threat of H5N1 in cattle, they need to understand how this virus succeeded at infecting dairy cows in the first place. “Which cells is the virus replicating in? How is it getting around the body? What receptor is it using to get into cells?....

https://www.science.org/content/arti...w-flu-outbreak

**Mary Wilson** · April 23, 2024, 10:41 AM

Two veterinarians, hundreds of miles apart, solved a cow sickness whodunit

APRIL 17, 2024 4:19 PM
BY: JARED STRONG

... In February, dairy cattle in multiple herds in northern Texas were suddenly producing less milk, and what they gave was abnormal and thick.

And the typically voracious eaters had seemingly lost their appetites. ...

But then the cats started dying.

Barn cats are common on farms. They kill rodents, provide companionship and need little help to survive.

Some dairy farmers also feed them milk from their cows, and sick cows can shed viruses in their milk. ...

Two veterinarians, hundreds of miles apart, solved a cow sickness whodunit • Iowa Capital Dispatch

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/17/two-veterinarians-hundreds-of-miles-apart-solved-a-cow-sickness-whodunit/

Bird flu was thought to be an implausible cause of a mysterious dairy cattle sickness in Texas. Then the cats started dying.

**Mary Wilson** · April 23, 2024, 05:46 PM

BREAKING NEWS: H5N1 bird flu virus particles found in pasteurized milk but FDA says commercial milk supply appears safe

April 23, 2024

By Helen Branswell , Nicholas Florko , Megan Molteni , and Rachel Cohrs Zhang

WASHINGTON — Testing conducted by the Food and Drug Administration on pasteurized commercially purchased milk has found genetic evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus, the agency confirmed Tuesday. But the testing, done by polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, cannot distinguish between live virus or fragments of viruses that could have been killed by the pasteurization process.

The agency said it has been trying to see if it could grow virus from milk found to contain evidence of H5N1, which is the gold standard test to see if there is viable virus in a product. The lengthy statement the agency released does not explicitly say FDA laboratories were unable to find live virus in the milk samples, but it does state that its belief that commercial, pasteurized milk is safe to consume has not been altered by these findings.

“To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the statement said. ...

“Some of the samples collected have indicated the presence of [H5N1] using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing,” the FDA wrote in a statement.

The FDA reiterated Tuesday that it believes the pasteurization process is “very likely” to inactivate H5N1, though the agency acknowledged that no studies have been done testing the impact of pasteurization on H5N1 viruses. ...

The FDA emphasized Tuesday that testing of commercially available milk is ongoing, and this includes efforts to discern any potential differences between different dairy products, such as cream and whole milk. ...

This is a developing story and it will be updated.

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/23/...ized-milk-fda/

**Treyfish** · April 23, 2024, 07:46 PM

Updates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

Content current as of:

04/23/2024

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a disease that is highly contagious and often deadly in poultry, caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) and A (H7) viruses; it is also known as bird or avian flu. HPAI viruses can be transmitted by wild birds to domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Although bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans, sporadic human infections have occurred. It is important to note that “highly pathogenic” refers to severe impact in birds, not necessarily in humans.

Ongoing Work to Ensure Continued Effectiveness of Federal-State Milk Safety System - April 2024 Update

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state partners, continue to investigate an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus impacting dairy cows in multiple states. Infection with the virus is causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms in affected cattle.

The FDA and USDA have indicated that based on the information currently available, our commercial milk supply is safe because of these two reasons: 1) the pasteurization process and 2) the diversion or destruction of milk from sick cows.

The pasteurization process has served public health well for more than 100 years. Pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria and viruses by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time to make milk safer. Even if virus is detected in raw milk, pasteurization is generally expected to eliminate pathogens to a level that does not pose a risk to consumer health. However, pasteurization is different than complete sterilization; sterilization extends shelf life but is not required to ensure milk safety. While milk is pasteurized, not sterilized, this process has helped ensure the health of the American public for more than 100 years by inactivating infectious agents.

Nearly all (99%) of the commercial milk supply that is produced on dairy farms in the U.S. comes from farms that participate in the Grade “A” milk program and follow the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), which includes controls that help ensure the safety of dairy products. Pasteurization and diversion or destruction of milk from sick cows are two important measures that are part of the federal-state milk safety system.

There are a number of collective activities being undertaken to ensure the continued effectiveness of the federal-state milk safety system. In addition to these specific research activities, the FDA is collaborating closely with CDC's food safety group, as well as its surveillance team that’s monitoring emergency department data and flu testing data for any unusual trends in flu-like illness, flu, or conjunctivitis. To date, surveillance systems do not show any unusual trends or activity.

As noted by USDA and some press reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources, the presence of the virus has been detected in raw milk. Based on available information, pasteurization is likely to inactivate the virus, however the process is not expected to remove the presence of viral particles. Therefore, some of the samples collected have indicated the presence of HPAI using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing.

During the course of the outbreak, the FDA has been evaluating milk from affected animals, in the processing system, and on the shelves. We are completing a large representative national sample, to better understand the extent of these findings. Because qPCR findings do not represent actual virus that may be a risk to consumers, the FDA is further assessing any positive findings through egg inoculation tests, a gold-standard for determining viable virus. To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe. Results from multiple studies will be made available in the next few days to weeks.

Sound science is critical to informing public health decisions like those made by the FDA related to food safety and we take this current situation and the safety of the milk supply very seriously. We recognize the importance of releasing further, actionable information.

Review of Available Data

Given that the detection of H5N1 in dairy cows is a novel and evolving situation, no studies on the effects of pasteurization on HPAI viruses (such as H5N1) in bovine milk have previously been completed although considerable scientific literature is available that has informed our current understanding.

The established pasteurization process set forth in the PMO provides specific times and temperature requirements[i] for effective pasteurization of known pathogens in the milk supply. Data from previous studies[ii, iii], that serve as the underpinnings of the FDA’s current milk supply safety assessment show that pasteurization is very likely to effectively inactivate heat-sensitive viruses, like H5N1, in milk from cows and other species. Additionally, data[iv, v, vi] shows thermal inactivation of HPAI (H5N1) has been successful during the pasteurization process for eggs, which occurs at lower temperatures than what is used for milk.

Ongoing Research

U.S. government partners have been working with deliberate speed on a wide range of studies looking at milk along all stages of production -- on the farm, during processing and on shelves -- using well- established methodologies used previously to confirm pasteurization effectiveness for known pathogens.

This work is a top priority, and we are proceeding in an efficient, methodical, and scientific fashion to ensure the continued effectiveness and safety of the federal-state milk safety system.

Laboratory benchtop tests are the first part of this ongoing work. This includes testing laboratory generated samples inoculated with high levels of a recently isolated and closely related avian flu virus and samples of raw, unpasteurized milk directly from cows in affected herds with and without symptoms to understand how, and at what levels, heat treatment (pasteurization) inactivates the virus.

While this information is important, this testing alone cannot provide a complete picture as these samples are not representative of what we would expect to see in the real-world from milk routed to pasteurization and processing for commercial use.

In addition to lab testing, a critical step in the scientific confirmation process includes testing of milk that is representative of real-world scenarios in which milk is typically pooled in large amounts from numerous healthy cows from numerous farms before pasteurizing and processing.

Work is underway to test samples of milk in systems that represent current industry practices using the range of temperature and time combinations that are used in pasteurization processes.

Additional analysis is underway of milk on store shelves across the country in addition to work to evaluate any potential differentiation for various types of dairy products (e.g., whole milk, cream).

We are aware that universities or other entities are conducting work in this area, particularly universities and consortia supported by the National Institutes of Health. We look forward to reviewing all results generated from various scientific studies, testing methods and the product(s) used as we continue assessing all the data and information available. We are committed to collaborating with the broad community to come to sound scientific conclusions regarding this situation -- which it’s important to understand takes time.

Data Considerations

Multiple tests are used to assess the safety of food items. Understanding how and why different methodologies are used and work, as well as how results fit into the larger picture, is critical to interpret any findings.

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a screening tool used to determine the presence or absence of an organism’s genetic material in a sample. A positive qPCR means that the genetic material from the targeted pathogen was detected in the sample, but that does not mean that the sample contains an intact, infectious pathogen. That’s because qPCR tests will also detect the residual genetic material from pathogens killed by heat, like pasteurization, or other food safety treatments. Importantly, additional testing is required to determine whether intact pathogen is still present and if it remains infectious, which determines whether there is any risk of illness associated with consuming the product.
Embryonated Egg Viability Studies are considered the “gold standard” for sensitive detection of active, infectious virus. These studies are one of the types of additional tests necessary following PCR testing. These studies are done by injecting an embryonated chicken egg with a sample and then evaluating to see whether any active virus replicates. While this provides the most sensitive results, it takes a longer time to complete than other methods.
Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) Cell Culture is different type of additional test used following PCR testing to detect live, infectious virus. This is done by injecting a sample into specific tissue cells to determine whether any live virus is present and replicates. This method can usually be done more quickly than embryonated egg viability studies, but it is not as sensitive and may provide false negative results when the amount of virus in the sample is very low.

Precautions for Raw Milk

The FDA has a long-standing recommendation to consumers not to consume raw milk (milk that has not been pasteurized). Because of the limited information available about the possible transmission of H5N1 virus via raw milk, the FDA continues to recommend that industry does not manufacture or sell raw milk or raw milk products, including raw milk cheese, made with milk from cows showing symptoms of illness, including those infected with avian influenza viruses or exposed to those infected with avian influenza viruses.

Importantly, the FDA has also recommended producers take precautions when discarding milk from affected cows so that the discarded milk does not become a source of further spread. Producers should consult with their state regulatory authorities for specific recommendations or requirements; however, such precautions should include heat treatment, pasteurization or its equivalent, of discarded milk prior to dumping in lagoons or application of waste solids and ensuring biosecurity around lagoons (e.g., ensuring that animals and birds do not have access to lagoons). Any raw milk or raw milk products from exposed cattle that are fed to calves (or to other animals, such as farm cats) should be heat treated or pasteurized.

Conclusion

The PMO and pasteurization continue to provide important measures to assure milk safety. Given this is the first time we have seen this virus affect cows, these are the first studies that have been initiated to look at the effectiveness of pasteurization on HPAI viruses such as H5N1 in bovine milk.

As previously noted, the FDA is collaborating closely with CDC's food safety group, as well as its surveillance team that’s monitoring emergency department data and flu testing data for any unusual trends in flu-like illness, flu, or conjunctivitis. To date, surveillance systems do not show any unusual trends or activity. Only one associated human case from a person exposed to infected cows has been linked with this outbreak in dairy cows to date and CDC says risk to the general public remains low.

The FDA and USDA are working closely to collect and evaluate additional data and information specific to H5N1 in dairy cattle and to support state counterparts as this emerging disease in dairy cattle is managed. These important efforts are ongoing, and we are committed to sharing results as soon as possible. In the meantime, the FDA and USDA continue to indicate that based on the information we currently have, our commercial milk supply is safe. Additional Resources

i. 21 CFR part 131 -- milk and cream. (n.d.). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2...ter-B/part-131

ii. Pitino, M. A., O’Connor, D. L., McGeer, A. J., & Unger, S. (2021). The impact of thermal pasteurization on viral load and detectable live viruses in human milk and other matrices: a rapid review. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism, 46(1), 10–26. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0388 External Link Disclaimer

iii. Jay, J. M., Loessner, M. J., Golden, D. A., & Keller, H. B. (2005). Food Protection with High Temperatures. In Modern Food Microbiology (pp. 415–441). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10...387-23413-6_17 External Link Disclaimer

iv. Chmielewski, R. A., Beck, J. R., & Swayne, D. E. (2011). Thermal inactivation of avian influenza virus and Newcastle disease virus in a fat-free egg product. Journal of Food Protection, 74(7), 1161–1169. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-10-415 External Link Disclaimer https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-10-415 External Link Disclaimer

v. Chmielewski, R. A., Beck, J. R., & Swayne, D. E. (2013). Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s egg pasteurization processes on the inactivation of high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus and velogenic Newcastle disease virus in processed egg products. Journal of Food Protection, 76(4), 640–645. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-12-369 External Link Disclaimer

vi. Chmielewski, R. A., Beck, J. R., Juneja, V. K., & Swayne, D. E. (2013). Inactivation of low pathogenicity notifiable avian influenza virus and lentogenic Newcastle disease virus following pasteurization in liquid egg products. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft Und Technologie [Food Science and Technology], 52(1), 27–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.01.002 External Link Disclaimer

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advi...influenza-hpai

**Pathfinder** · April 24, 2024, 11:22 AM

How CDC is monitoring influenza data among people to better understand the current avian influenza A (H5N1) situation

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Updated April 24, 2024

Weekly Snapshot for Week Ending April 13, 2024

CDC influenza (flu) surveillance systems show no indicators of unusual influenza activity in people, including avian influenza A(H5N1).

This page provides information on how CDC systems that monitor national, state, and local level influenza data are being used during the current avian influenza A(H5N1) situation

Influenza virus and illness activity are monitored year-round through a collaborative effort between CDC and many partners, including state, local, and territorial health departments; public health and clinical laboratories; clinics; and emergency departments.
Human cases of novel influenza, which are human infections with non-human influenza A viruses that are different from currently spreading seasonal human influenza viruses, are nationally notifiable. Every identified case is investigated and reported to CDC.
CDC is actively looking at multiple flu indicators during the current situation to monitor for influenza A(H5N1) viruses, including looking for spread of the virus to, or among people, in jurisdictions where the virus has been identified in people or animals.

Main Findings:

Case Reporting
In 2024, one human case of influenza A(H5N1) virus infection has been reported by one state (Texas), following exposure to dairy cattle. A total of 2 human cases of A(H5N1) have been reported in the United States ever, with the first case occurring in 2022, following exposure to presumably infected poultry.

Clinical Laboratory Trends
CDC has not identified any unusual trends in reported clinical laboratory data at the national, state, or local levels.

Public Health Laboratory Monitoring
No novel influenza A positive test results, including for influenza A(H5N1) virus, were reported by public health laboratories for the week ending April 13, 2024.

Emergency Departments
CDC has not identified any unusual trends in emergency department visits associated with influenza or potentially related symptoms at the national, state, or local levels.

Monitoring for Novel Influenza A Virus Infections among People, including Influenza A(H5N1)

Rapid detection and reporting of human infections with novel influenza A viruses, including influenza A(H5N1), is important to facilitate prompt awareness and an effective public health response. For confirmed cases, the reporting jurisdiction completes a case report form, which is submitted to CDC. The information includes patient demographics, symptoms, the clinical course of illness, and exposure history. The reporting jurisdiction for influenza A(H5N1) cases reported in 2024 are summarized below.

Data presented through:04/13/2024; Data as of: 04/18/2024

Additional novel influenza case surveillance information for current and past seasons:
Surveillance Methods | FluView Interactive: Case Characteristics

Public Health Laboratory Reporting

Public health laboratories use CDC’s diagnostic tools to detect both seasonal influenza viruses and novel influenza A viruses including influenza A(H5N1). These diagnostic tools are used at more than 100 public health laboratories in all 50 U.S. states. The results of tests performed by these public health laboratories nationwide are summarized below.

Data presented through: 04/13/2024; Data as of: 04/18/2024

Additional virologic surveillance information for current and past seasons:
Surveillance Methods | FluView Interactive: National, Regional, and State Data or Age Data

Systems Used to Monitor Influenza Activity

Influenza activity is monitored year-round using multiple systems. These systems are used for monitoring seasonal influenza and, because influenza viruses are constantly changing in small, and occasionally more significant ways, these systems are also useful for monitoring signals and trends from novel influenza virus infections. Some examples are provided below.

Monitoring for Changes in Tests Positive for Influenza in Clinical Settings

Approximately 300 clinical laboratories located throughout all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the District of Columbia report the results of clinical testing for influenza through either the U.S. WHO Collaborating Laboratories System or the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS). The results of tests performed by clinical laboratories nationwide are summarized below. While these laboratories don’t test specifically for influenza A(H5N1) virus, by tracking the percentage of specimens tested that are positive for influenza A viruses, we can monitor for unusual increases in influenza activity that may be an early sign of spread of novel influenza A viruses, including H5N1.

Data presented through: 04/13/2024; Data as of: 04/18/2024

Additional clinical laboratory surveillance information for current and past seasons:
Surveillance Methods | FluView Interactive: National, Regional, and State Data

Monitoring for Changes in Emergency Department Visits for Influenza

The National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) collects, analyzes, and shares electronic data received from multiple health care settings, including emergency departments (ED). Data from NSSP on the weekly percentage of total emergency department visits associated with influenza-related diagnoses are summarized below. It’s important to note that these visits are among persons with any influenza diagnosis and are not specific to H5N1. However, by tracking all influenza diagnoses, as well as symptoms potentially related to influenza virus infections, among patients in EDs, the chance of detecting unusual levels of influenza is improved, including in jurisdictions where the virus has been identified in people or animals. StateUnited StatesAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColora doConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIo waKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusett sMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMontanaNebraskaNevada New JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingto nWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming CountyAll Counties included in this area

Weekly percent of total emergency department visits associated with influenza

Skip Over Chart Container
Percent of Emergency Department VisitsWeek Ending
Data presented through: 04/13/2024; Data as of: 04/17/2024
Dataset on data.cdc.gov | Link to Dataset Skip Data Table
Data Table Skipped data table.

Additional emergency department surveillance information for current and past seasons:
Surveillance Methods |Data.CDC.gov: NSSP Emergency Department Visit Trajectories

Explore Deeper

Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report

Novel A FluView Interactive

Respiratory Virus Data Channel Weekly Snapshot

Page Not Found | CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/h5-monitoring.html

Page Not Found | CDC

**Commonground** · April 24, 2024, 11:44 AM

U.S. requires more dairy cows tested for bird flu as viral concerns grow

April 24, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. EDT

Dairy cows must be tested for bird flu before moving across state lines under a federal order to be issued Wednesday, as evidence mounts the virus is more widespread than feared among cows in the United States.

-snip-

Michael Watson, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, says every lactating dairy cow must be tested before moving across state lines. Positive test results would trigger additional requirements for officials to investigate herds. He said the order could help overcome reluctance from some milk producers to allow testing in their herds. Voluntary testing protocols for cows, limited until now to cows with symptoms, has drawn criticism from public health experts.

...https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...ciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.

**sharon sanders** · April 24, 2024, 12:40 PM

This is not adequate.

We need widespread mandatory sentinel testing across the entire US to see what is going on genetically and practically. The federal government should pay and/or reimburse the states for it.

**Treyfish** · April 24, 2024, 01:21 PM

A second Idaho dairy herd has bird flu. Here's what to know

Boise State Public Radio News | By Rachel Cohen
Published April 24, 2024 at 11:59 AM MDT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed a second Idaho dairy herd with avian flu late last week.

This herd, like the first group of cows that tested positive nearly three weeks ago, is at a farm in Cassia County.

Cows with the virus have reduced milk production and thicker milk consistency.

Unlike the first affected farm, which had recently imported cattle from Texas, the infected cows in this case have no connection to out-of-state cattle carrying the virus, according to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

Federal officials have determined that the virus is spreading from cow to cow, from cows back to poultry, between dairy farms through cattle movements and among cows not showing symptoms.

In response, ISDA has issued a quarantine on the second Cassia County farm, meaning no livestock are allowed in or out, and a ban on cattle and bison imports from out-of-state facilities where animals have tested positive remains in effect. ISDA said it recommends farmers test groups of at-risk cattle “whenever necessary,” and testing asymptomatic cattle is voluntary.....

A second Idaho dairy herd has bird flu. Here's what to know

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2024-04-24/idaho-dairy-cow-bird-flu-avian-influenza-cassia-county

Both herds detected for with virus are in Cassia County. But the second one is not linked to any cows that were shipped from another state with a positive case.

**Treyfish** · April 24, 2024, 01:33 PM

US orders testing for certain dairy cows after H5N1 avian flu remnants found in retail milk

Lisa Schnirring
11 minutes ago.

A day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that H5N1 avian flu fragments have been found in retail milk samples, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that lactating dairy cows must be tested before interstate transport.

The movement of dairy cows, some of which aren't showing disease symptoms, from already affected states such as Texas has been a source of H5N1 spread to dairy herds in states such as Idaho and Michigan. Also, the identification of virus fragments in finished milk suggests that the virus may be more widespread in dairy cows than currently known.

Wider cow testing to help fill data gaps

At a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) media briefing today, Michael Watson, PhD, administrator of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the new testing order—which will increase information available to the USDA—also requires labs to report the H5N1 test findings to federal officials. Positive cows must be held for 30 days before they are moved.

Watson said he expects the testing will help shed light on the extent of virus circulation in asymptomatic cows and fill other information gaps.

For now, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, which has 50 labs, has enough capacity and materials for testing and can conduct tens of thousands of tests per day, he added, noting that testing takes about 1 to 3 days. Scientists are developing a field test that producers can use on farms.

..Watson shared a few new details about the situation in cows, including that one sample from a cow in Kansas showed a genetic shift that suggests adaptation. And though cows sickened by H5N1 have shown little to no mortality, lung samples from a culled dairy cow yielded H5N1.

...
...When pressed to share details on the geographic location of the positive milk samples, Prater said the FDA is conducting a nationwide survey and will release the results in the days ahead.

A senior official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters that 44 people exposed to infected cattle have been tested, and so far, just one person has tested positive, the previously mentioned patient from Texas.
..There's not currently a need to ramp up [vaccine production].

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-inf...remnants-found

**Treyfish** · April 24, 2024, 03:24 PM

APRIL 24, 2024
WHO calls for global detection networks for bird flu virus

The World Health Organization (WHO) called Wednesday for a strengthening of global detection networks for the H5N1 bird flu virus which infected a large number of animal species.

Earlier this month, the H5N1 virus was detected in very high concentrations in raw, or unpasteurised, milk from infected cows—a surprising development for experts because they were not thought to be susceptible to this type of influenza.

While the surveillance of birds and poultry is already very developed, "what we really need globally is strong surveillance in different animal species," Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads pandemic prevention and preparedness at the WHO, said during a press conference in Geneva.

The increased surveillance must be extended to milk and dairy products to ensure "that people are protected", Van Kerkhove stressed.

She noted that pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill microbes, is recommended and safe.

"I don't think detection in dairy cattle fundamentally changes our risk assessment. But this is concerning," Van Kerkhove added.
....
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-...flu-virus.html

**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2024, 09:21 AM

hat tip Michael Coston

Virus Material Found in 38% of Retail Milk Samples at Lab
April 24, 2024

snip

The Ohio State lab is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) network for the Centers for Excellence in Influenza Research and Response. As the team worked together to generate scientific data, Bowman and the team needed to try to get a handle on the scope of the new outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in cattle. They decided it would be quicker and more efficient to test samples of retail milk versus visiting every dairy farm in the country.

“We've tested 150 samples, 58 of those have tested positive to date,” says Bowman. “We've screened them for the presence of influenza genetic material, so the viral RNA. Those that have tested positive, we have been forwarded to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where they are conducting studies to see if there's a viable virus in there. To date, none of them have been viable, but certainly they give the indication that there is viral genetic material in the region.”

Bowman says the team purchased milk from six different states, and the processing plant codes on those 58 positives represent 10 different states where the milk was processed.

“I think this certainly gives us some idea that it's a larger problem than the handful of states in the 38 farms that had been reported,” says Bowman. “I think it's much more common.”

The difference between finding viral RNA, which is genetic material, versus a live virus, is a major point in reassuring consumers the U.S. milk supply is safe, but it’s also a key metric in tracking how widespread the virus actually is.

more...

Access to this page has been denied

https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/usda-now-requiring-mandatory-testing-and-reporting-hpai-dairy-cattle-new-data

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**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2024, 09:28 AM

Originally posted by sharon sanders View Post

hat tip Michael Coston

Virus Material Found in 38% of Retail Milk Samples at Lab
April 24, 2024

snip

The Ohio State lab is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) network for the Centers for Excellence in Influenza Research and Response. As the team worked together to generate scientific data, Bowman and the team needed to try to get a handle on the scope of the new outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in cattle. They decided it would be quicker and more efficient to test samples of retail milk versus visiting every dairy farm in the country.

“We've tested 150 samples, 58 of those have tested positive to date,” says Bowman. “We've screened them for the presence of influenza genetic material, so the viral RNA. Those that have tested positive, we have been forwarded to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where they are conducting studies to see if there's a viable virus in there. To date, none of them have been viable, but certainly they give the indication that there is viral genetic material in the region.”

Bowman says the team purchased milk from six different states, and the processing plant codes on those 58 positives represent 10 different states where the milk was processed.

“I think this certainly gives us some idea that it's a larger problem than the handful of states in the 38 farms that had been reported,” says Bowman. “I think it's much more common.”

The difference between finding viral RNA, which is genetic material, versus a live virus, is a major point in reassuring consumers the U.S. milk supply is safe, but it’s also a key metric in tracking how widespread the virus actually is.

more...

Access to this page has been denied

https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/usda-now-requiring-mandatory-testing-and-reporting-hpai-dairy-cattle-new-data

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From:"FluTrackers" <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: <bowman REDACTED
Subject: From Sharon Sanders at FluTrackers.com
Date: Apr 25, 2024 10:27 AM

Hi Dr. Bowman!

Can you verify the comments, that reportedly came from you, in this media report please?

Access to this page has been denied

https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/usda-now-requiring-mandatory-testing-and-reporting-hpai-dairy-cattle-new-data

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I will publish your response.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sharon Sanders
Editor-in-Chief
FluTrackers.com

**Mary Wilson** · April 25, 2024, 10:05 AM

Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest U.S. bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread

April 25, 2024
By Megan Molteni

... The team that produced that data — the St. Jude and OSU groups — told STAT that it has so far analyzed four samples of store-bought milk which had tested positive via PCR for H5N1 genetic material. “We’ve done the viral growth assays to see if we can recover any virus from them and we can’t,” Webby said.

Those four samples came from an initial collection of 22 commercial milk products purchased in the Columbus, Ohio, area. “It was basically just me hitting up the five grocery stores between campus and my house,” said Bowman.

PCR testing at OSU revealed 33 of those 22 products to be positive for viral RNA. Bowman sent them to Webby to inject into plates of mammalian cells and embryonated chicken eggs and look for any signs of active viral replication. In order to do that, Webby needed a negative control so he went and bought milk at a store near his lab in Memphis. But PCR testing found H5N1 RNA in that sample too, making it useless as a negative control, but an additional data point showing a lack of live virus. ...

The St. Jude group is now repeating the experiment with the additional samples Bowman and his graduate student bought around the Midwest. Their early findings provide further evidence that H5N1 is spreading broadly among dairy cows in the US...

“Both of these data — the milk data and the genetic data that shows this has been around since December of last year — suggests that the outbreak is probably much bigger than we know,” said Angie Rasmussen, a virologist who studies emerging zoonotic pathogens at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada....

“This is telling us that we’re probably already seeing that milk from asymptomatically infected cows does have some virus in there,” said Andrew Pekosz, a molecular microbiologist who studies respiratory viruses at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. ...

Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest U.S. bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/25/h5n1-bird-flu-cows-outbreak-likely-widespread/?utm_campaign=rss

The prevalence of H5N1 genetic material in purchased milk products suggests the bird flu outbreak is far more widespread in cows than official counts indicate.

**sharon sanders** · April 25, 2024, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by sharon sanders View Post

From:"FluTrackers" <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
To: <bowman REDACTED
Subject: From Sharon Sanders at FluTrackers.com
Date: Apr 25, 2024 10:27 AM

Hi Dr. Bowman!

Can you verify the comments, that reportedly came from you, in this media report please?

Access to this page has been denied

https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/industry/usda-now-requiring-mandatory-testing-and-reporting-hpai-dairy-cattle-new-data

px-captcha

I will publish your response.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sharon Sanders
Editor-in-Chief
FluTrackers.com

From:
"Bowman, Andrew" REDACTED
To: "FluTrackers" <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
Subject: RE: From Sharon Sanders at FluTrackers.com
Date: Apr 25, 2024 11:30 AM

I confirm.

Announcement

US - Dairy cows test positive for H5N1 avian flu in Texas, Kansas, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, North Carolina, South Dakota, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Wyoming, Oklahoma, California, Utah - March 24+ - please see state forums for latest now

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