Cows in North Carolina tested positive for the influenza.
North Carolina authorities on April 10 reported that cows in the state tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, as the state became the latest to impose restrictions on the movement of cows.
Testing of samples from North Carolina conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) came back positive for the influenza, also known as the bird flu and HPAI, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.
“We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation,” Steve Troxler, the state’s agriculture commissioner, said in a statement.
He noted that, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is presently no concern regarding the safety or availability of pasteurized milk or milk products in the United States. Some experts, though, have warned there’s not enough evidence to support that position.
Avian influenza cases in cattle first appeared in the United States in March. USDA officials have since confirmed cases in 20 herds across six states, including Idaho, Kansas, and Texas, and a single case in a human. They have not yet commented on the North Carolina situation.
Stephanie Langel, Ph.D, an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, said on social media that because the influenza is not a reportable disease in cows, it’s likely the outbreak is larger than currently represented.
USDA officials do not require testing and only recommend testing if cows start exhibiting symptoms.
“Additionally, the majority of workers on dairy farms (especially large farms) are undocumented and are less likely to report symptoms,” Ms. Langel said, referring to illegal immigrants. “I worry we are underestimating human infections.”
The strain of HPAI that’s circulating, H5N1, originates from birds. Dead birds have been found on farms that have had cows with confirmed cases.
