A bird flu outbreak is being investigated in California after a suspected infection of three dairy farms in Central Valley. If the presence of the virus is confirmed, it will be the first case of bird flu detected in the state's cattle.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an infectious viral illness that spreads primarily among wild and domestic birds. However, the virus that causes bird flu can sometimes jump into animals, including dairy cows and, in some cases, humans.
A "multistate outbreak" of the virus has emerged among dairy cattle since mid-March, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with 13 states and 193 herds affected—rising to 14 states and 196 herds if the suspected Californian cases test positive.
A total of 13 human cases have been reported in the United States this year. Four of these cases were linked with exposure to sick dairy cows, while nine were associated with exposure to infected poultry. Reported symptoms have been mild, including conjunctivitis, fever, and body aches, as well as the typical nose and throat symptoms associated with common colds and flu.
"With the detection of HPAI in dairies elsewhere in the U.S. in recent months, California Department of Food and Agriculture has been engaged with private veterinarians, farmers and ranchers, and local, state and federal partners to develop response plans and actively monitor for the disease in livestock and poultry throughout California," the department said in a statement on August 29.
So far, samples from the herds in question have been submitted for testing at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. If these come out positive, further testing will be conducted by the U.S. Department for Agriculture for final confirmation.
The department added that, even if bird flu is confirmed, there is no immediate concern to consumer safety. "Pasteurization is fully effective at inactivating the virus and there is no milk or dairy product safety concern for consumers," the department said.
Indeed, earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration revealed that one in five retail milk samples across the U.S. contain genetic traces of the bird flu virus. While the majority of these genetic traces were not active, whole forms of the virus, findings like this underscore the importance of milk pasteurization amid the current outbreak.
The CDC also recommends the following actions to keep yourself safe from bird flu:
- Avoid direct contact with wild birds
- Report sick or dead birds to your local authority
- Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure to cattle
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