Avian flu research, latest in infected cats and more

Avian flu research, latest in infected cats and more

by Meghan Bartel edit Lauren J. Young

We round up regularly Latest news on bird flu. This is what happened recently.

At a glance

In the case of humans: No new cases have been reported. Since 2024, there have been 70 confirmed cases and seven cases.

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For poultry: In February, 112.7 million domestic birds infected with avian influenza were culled in response to the infection. The number is more than half of the January tally. To date, March has seen 220,000 birds die.

Cases of dairy cows: California has reported a flock of six dairy cows infected with avian flu this month, reporting a national total of 983 infected since the current outbreak began.

Cat infection

Avian influenza infection in cats Keeping in mind, there have been some related new developments on this issue.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Department of Animal Plant Health Testing Services, the office that monitors livestock and wildlife avian flu outbreaks, has not announced new detections of mammal avian influenza since March began. However, several local officials recently announced a new incident involving pet cats. The report includes specific potential exposure routes, two Kansas cats without outdoor cats In New JerseyCat drinking raw milk In Los Angeles Cats ate raw food in Washington and Oregon.

Along with the Washington and Oregon incidents, a Washington-based company called Wild Coast Raw was on March 1. I spontaneously remembered some of the raw cat food. After the H5N1 virus is discovered in the product. This was the third example of raw pet food being connected to infected pet cats in at least recent months. Experts encourage people to protect their pet cats from bird flu.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pet bird flu symptoms Includes difficult neurological effects such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, red or inflamed eyes, drainage from the nose or eyes, trembling or blindness.

New research into viruses

Scientists recently published two new and interesting findings on the genetics and potential for transmission of avian influenza.

The first was reported in a paper published in New microorganisms and infections that Analysed strains of avian influenza infected at a chicken farm in British Columbia Second half of 2024. Scientists have discovered that in the region, a virus killing poultry across North America picked up mutations from local, hypopathogenic avian influenza viruses. This mutation is often seen in flu strains that are resistant to oseltamivir, a common human influenza treatment sold under the brand name Tamiflu. Detection of mutations raises concerns that strains are more widespread and are difficult to alleviate if they infect humans.

The second finding is explained in a preprint paper currently awaiting peer reviews and publications. In this study, the researchers confirmed it Pigs can get infected with avian influenza virus strains It is most commonly distributed in dairy cows in the United States. Because pigs are like that Important species For influenza transmissions; they are vulnerable to infections by both birds and humans. If the same pig is infected with both avian and human-type influenza viruses, the virus can be mixed and create new, dangerous avian influenza strains suitable for infecting humans.

Bird feeder questions

In general, experts advise to be careful about dead wild birds. However, with high levels of avian influenza circulating in wildlife, I wondered whether bird feeders were dangerous to wildlife or a source of human exposure. In 2022, the USDA recommended that poultry people remove feeders, but additional guidance is lacking. Assuming that avian flu doesn't affect all species equally, you probably don't need to remove your feeder, says Krysten Schuler, a wildlife disease ecologist at Cornell University.

Birds visiting the feeder tend to be small perches scientifically known as passerine. “We don't see much [highly pathogenic avian influenza] In Passerine, you will encounter them in bird feeders,” Schuler says. She recommends sticking Her regular maintenance advice: Clean feeders every two weeks to prevent various infections and call the state's wildlife management agency to report dead wild birds.