Bird Flu Found in US Dairy Cows

H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus Poses Risk to Humans

Scientists Monitor Transmission and Impact

A strain of avian influenza that has killed millions of birds has infected cattle in six US states and one person. Scientists are monitoring the virus's evolution, transmission, and impact on humans.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has spread to dairy cows and humans in the US, raising concerns for public health and animal welfare. The virus is transmitted through contact with infected birds or their feces, and it can cause severe illness and death in both animals and humans.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking states to take more steps to protect the public from the risks of raw milk. The FDA is recommending that states require testing of raw milk for H5N1 and that they prohibit the sale of raw milk from infected herds.

US officials first announced on 25 March that H5N1 had been found in cattle. As of 7 May, cows from 36 herds in 9 states have tested positive. Tests of pasteurized milk have found no living virus.

Bird flu virus has been spreading in US cows for months. RNA reveals that surveillance has continued to falter. The USDA did not release the first viral sequences until...

News that bird flu has been spreading between cows for months and that fragments of the virus are even showing up in milk on US grocery store shelves have fueled new worries about the risk.

The USDA has announced a Federal Order requiring testing and reporting for interstate movement of dairy cattle to limit the spread of H5N1 in livestock. The virus has been found in cows in...