Jamie Hansen, APR’s Post

How concerned should we be about the avian flu? Stanford University School of Medicine's michele barry lays out the facts as this fluid situation plays out within our dairy farms. As she told Jamie Hansen, APR: 'This virus has the potential to seriously disrupt our agricultural supplies and also jump from other mammals to humans and become an epidemic or even a pandemic.' In other words, stay closely tuned and on alert. (How about this illustration by Emily Moskal?)

Bird Flu Jumps Another Hurdle 🦠🐄- A new report published today in the journal Nature (link: https://lnkd.in/gp7rwxZ6 ) reveals a concerning development regarding the deadly H5N1 virus. The in-depth study on dairy cows shows "multidirectional interspecies transmissions" between dairy cows and other nearby mammals, such as domesticated cats and raccoons. This sustained, efficient mammal-to-mammal transmission has not been observed before for this virus (clade 2.3.4.4b), indicating a potential for the virus to adapt to human-to-human transmission. Additionally, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment today (7/25/24) reported three more confirmed cases of avian flu in humans at a second farm in Weld County (link: https://lnkd.in/gn9Si9b6 ). "Colorado's total number of confirmed avian flu cases in humans now stands at 10 — nine cases at two poultry farms and one case from a dairy farm." The virus gets around and we're not paying much attention. 🆘 #PublicHealth #BirdFlu #H5N1 #InterspeciesTransmission #HealthAlert #AvianFlu #VirusResearch #Colorado

The alarming spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has taken a chilling turn as reports emerge of its first-ever infections in cattle across multiple states. While the virus has typically targeted avian and mammalian species, its leap to cattle raises red flags. Could this be the ominous precursor to a human pandemic? Ronald St. John, MD, MPH, co-founder of Sitata, delves into the latest developments and the looming spectre of a potential global crisis. https://lnkd.in/gMJt4hGd #safewithSITATA #health #avian #influenza #h5n1 #risk #riskmanagement #riskintelligence #travelsafety

American dairy cows have been hit by avian flu, and the disease has now been found in milk supplies across the United States. While the transmission to humans has been limited, it's evident that relying on good luck is not a viable strategy for responding to potential pandemics. According to a The New York Times Opinion columnist, Zeynep Tufekci, the government needs to do a better job of coordinating, testing, and reporting their findings immediately. Preliminary analysis of genomic data reveals that a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been spreading among US cattle for several months. The outbreak likely started with a jump from an infected bird to a cow, indicating that more cattle than currently reported could be infected with avian influenza. The undetected spread is worrying, and researchers are disturbed by the lack of critical information in the data dump by the USDA. Even more concerning is that the genomic data was not released until almost four weeks after the outbreak was announced. It's clear that the government needs to act quickly and decisively to prevent further spread of avian influenza among cattle and potential transmission to humans. Coordinated efforts to test and report findings are crucial in preventing future pandemics.

"May the 4th be with us". H5N1 bird flu has now been found in dairy cattle in 13 US states as shown by latest sequence data submitted to GISAID today, with the number of virus genomes available for this outbreak tripled. Why does this matter? Avian influenza is optimized to infect birds and whenever it is found in mammals it could also potentially infect humans more easily. It seems to be spreading fast between farms although the mode of transmission is not yet understood. The virus RNA is also found in raw milk and cats and racoons around farms are getting infected too. Should we worry? Not so fast. FDA says pasteurized milk is safe. So far one farm worker was found infected and had only mild symptoms, specifically eye infection, eyes are a possible entry point for avian influenza. The good news is that from earlier studies on H5N1 and H7N9 avian influenza we know which mutations could facilitate sustained human-human transmission and genomic surveillance together with tools such as the FluSurver developed by our A*STAR team on the GISAID platform show that the current cattle outbreak sequences lack the markers for human adaptation and we are paying careful attention on every new incoming sequence. For latest news and phylogenetic trees, please see: https://lnkd.in/ggP8PyYi #H5N1 #birdflu #dairy #cattle USDA The GISAID Initiative World Health Organization A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research A*STAR Research

A man in Mexico died after contracting H5N2 avian influenza in late April. The patient was already suffering from chronic health problems, and the WHO rapidly stated that the death was ‘multifactorial’. The virus may thus not have been the direct cause of death. Contamination between humans and animals can occur through direct contact with sick birds or their secretions. The H5N2 strain has been detected in poultry in Mexico and other countries, and Mexican authorities are still investigating whether humans were infected by an animal or a person. More recently, two other cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been reported in the United States, but they were linked to an epidemic in cows and did not represent a high risk for the population. source https://buff.ly/4bYFBEc #zoonosis #publichealth #h5n2 #avianinfluenza #virus

Avian #influenza (AI) #virus poses an ongoing challenge in the EU and globally, with significant impacts on wild #bird populations, spillover to both wild and domestic mammals, and #outbreaks on farms. A recent comprehensive report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) evaluates the risk factors associated with a potential #influenzapandemic and suggests key mitigation strategies. Stay informed and proactive in safeguarding against this pressing #health concern. #onehealth #pandemic2024 #viraldiseases #pandemic2025 #zoonosis #zoonotic #birdflu #viruses #avaininfluenza #virology #flu #H5N1 #globaldiseasesurveillance #pandemicmonitoring

With the Easter festivities right around the corner, CBP would like to remind the public that fresh eggs, raw chicken, and live birds or poultry continue to be prohibited from Mexico as Mexico is affected with Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Attempting to bring in these or other prohibited agricultural items would lead to traveler delays and may result in a fine ranging from $300 to $1000. Cascarones are a restricted commodity by CBP; to prevent further spread of Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) through contaminated eggshells. Newcastle Disease is a highly contagious, fatal viral disease that affects a substantial number of bird species, attacking respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. Mortality is up to 90 percent of exposed birds. HPAI is also a viral disease that can cause exceptionally high mortality, especially in turkeys. The virus infects chickens, turkeys, ducks, partridges, pheasants, quail, pigeons, and ostriches.

Bird Flu is making headlines. The virus has now been detected on poultry farms in 48 of America’s 50 states and, most recently, in 33 dairy cow herds across 8 states. On April 1, a Texas farm worker was reported to have contracted the virus after exposure to infected cows. As avian influenza spreads quickly to new species and new regions, its potential threat to humans — and to business operations — is coming into sharper focus. Learn more about Bird Flu here --> https://lnkd.in/gXETw7sc We're also hosting a webinar on May 23 about this topic. Register here --> https://lnkd.in/gzFijnY5

🚩Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus propagation is hitting different areas around the world now. And the recent identification of infected bovine and mammals worries and concerns everyone.   HPAI usually infects poultry and wild birds, but over the past 2 years the virus has significantly spread to mammals, both terrestrial and aquatic.   🐄The current HPAI bovine outbreak in the USA is of great concern because such infections could lead to the virus adapting to mammals and potentially reaching humans.   🔎In April 2024, 185 sequences from bovine infected with Influenza A/H5N1/clade 2.3.4.4b have been published, all coming from the US. (source: virological.org). Bio-X Diagnostics researchers confirm, after having analyzed 185 sequences, that the ADIALYO FLU A kit can detect the Influenza strain currently infecting US cattle.   Moreover, the ADIALYO FLU A kit is designed with an exogenous internal control and hence can be used on all species infected with Influenza virus, including mammals.   This kit is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool that plays a key role in the One Health strategy to prevent the spread of an epizootic or even future pandemic.   ✅On this note, the diagnostic kit is also registered in France, Germany, Poland, and Spain for avian flu screening.   For more information, contact us directly or visit our website. 👆   #Influenza #OneHealth #diseaseprevention #veterinarydiagnostics