Cassia Count, ID Credit Wikipedia
#17,972
Overnight Treyfish and other volunteer newshounds on FluTrackers posted media and official reports (see thread here) on the detection of HPAI in a dairy herd in yet another state: Idaho.
Unlike previous official statements, which have strongly suggested wild birds as the source of these infections, Idaho's State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) specifically mentions the possibility of cow-to-cow transmission.
They report that the affected facility had recently imported cows from another state which is now reporting HPAI in cattle, and they may be the source of local infection.
All of this is quite preliminary, but if the virus is found to be transmitting from cow-to-cow, that would be a worrisome development.
First the press release from the ISDA, after which I'll have a bit more.
HPAI Detection in Idaho Dairy Herd
Boise, Idaho – The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) identified today highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a Cassia County dairy cattle operation.
These are the first cases of HPAI in a livestock operation in Idaho. The affected facility recently imported cattle from another state that has identified cases of HPAI in cattle, which suggests the virus may be transmitted from cow-to-cow, in addition to previous reports indicating cattle were acquiring the virus from infected birds.
The primary concern with this diagnosis is on-farm production losses, as the disease has been associated with decreased milk production.
Symptoms of HPAI in cattle include:
At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health. The pasteurization process of heating milk to a high temperature ensures milk and dairy products can be consumed safely.
- Drop in milk production
- Loss of appetite
- Changes in manure consistency
- Thickened or colostrum-like milk
- Low-grade fever
The ISDA encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their local veterinarian immediately if cattle appear to show symptoms. HPAI is a mandatory reportable disease, and any Idaho veterinarians who suspect cases of HPAI in livestock should immediately report it to ISDA at 208-332-8540 or complete the HPAI Livestock Screen at agri.idaho.gov/main/animals/hpai/.
It is recommended to enhance biosecurity measures across all livestock facilities in Idaho. Biosecurity practices can be found at agri.idaho.gov/main/animals/hpai/.
For decades, Idaho has worked diligently to implement industry-driven programs that mitigate the transmission of diseases that cause on-farm economic losses. ISDA’s response to the detection of HPAI in cattle aligns with standard ISDA animal disease detection procedure.
This is an evolving situation, and additional updates will be provided by ISDA as they become available.
For more information visit agri.idaho.gov/main/animals/hpai/ or contact ISDA Animal Industries Division (208) 332-8540.
Media Inquiries
Sydney Kennedy
media@isda.idaho.gov
(208) 332-8507
Regardless of whether this virus is spreading from cow-to-cow, or is the result of direct exposure to infected birds (or their feces), we have a habit of underestimating HPAI. Two weeks ago, the notion that HPAI would be infecting cattle and goats across 5 states would have been considered ludicrous.
So much so, that it apparently took several weeks into the investigation of sick cows in Texas before they decided to test for the virus (see Lisa Schnirring's CIDRAP article Avian flu detections in dairy cows raise more key questions).
If HPAI has been infecting (and possibly spreading) in cows undetected for months, it begs the question, what other reservoirs are we overlooking?
Last summer, in Avian Flu's New Normal: When the Extraordinary Becomes Ordinary, I wrote how outbreaks and spillovers that were nearly unthinkable two or three years ago have now become `the new normal'.Pigs obviously rank high on our list (see Netherlands: Zoonoses Experts Council (DB-Z) Risk Assessment & Warning of Swine As `Mixing Vessels' For Avian Flu), and with the summer & fall county and state fair season soon to begin, may require additional scrutiny.
