#18,019
The USDA, which has been criticized for being slow to release genetic sequences from H5N1 viruses affecting cattle (see Helen Branswell's STAT report) - published 239 genetic sequences on Sunday evening on the SRA - NCBI (nih.gov) website.
Each submission contains megabytes of cryptic data, so it will take time for researchers to fully analyse them.
The USDA announcement follows:
USDA Publishes H5N1 Influenza A Virus Genetic Sequences on publicly available site
Last Modified: April 21, 2024
Today, the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories made available 239 genetic sequences from the U.S. H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b influenza virus recently found in samples associated with the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in poultry and wild birds, and the recent H5N1 event in dairy cattle. APHIS routinely publishes influenza genetic sequence data on GISAID (the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data); however, in the interest of public transparency and ensuring the scientific community has access to this information as quickly as possible to encourage disease research and development to benefit the U.S. dairy industry, APHIS is also rapidly sharing raw sequence data to the National Institute of Health’s National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information. Sequences posted are from cattle, cats, chickens, skunk, racoon, grackle, blackbird, and goose. APHIS will continue making additional raw genetic sequences available on a rolling basis at Home - SRA - NCBI (nih.gov); use the search term “WGS of H5N1”.
