Bird Flu Spreads to Cows Again: What It Means for Animal and Public Health 

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United States: The recent discovery of bird flu infection in Nevada dairy cows represents an unprecedented second case of bird flu transmission between birds and cattle. 

Second Case of Bird Flu in Dairy Cows Raises Concerns 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivered a report on Wednesday explaining this latest animal infection caused by the D1.1 H5N1 bird flu strain, also known as bird flu. Wild birds and poultry within various regions have demonstrated an ongoing spread of this strain, as reported by HealthDay. 

Scientists believed cows were not vulnerable to bird flu until last year before the recent discovery demonstrated possible herd vulnerability. 

Scientists Reconsider Cow Susceptibility to Bird Flu 

“This is not what anyone wanted to see,” evolutionary biologist Louise Moncla, who studies avian influenza at the University of Pennsylvania, told The New York Times. “We need to now consider the possibility that cows are more broadly susceptible to these viruses than we initially thought.” 

How Widespread Is the Infection? 

The B3.13 strain has affected 957 herds located across 16 states since it occurred in birds before infecting cows about one year ago, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. 

Scientists previously thought that cow-to-bird infection was uncommon, yet the latest discovery has changed these beliefs. 

“I was kind of under the belief that the bird-to-cow movement was a pretty rare event,” Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., told The Times. 

Webby expressed his surprise about the second occurrence by stating, “It’s a bit surprising” to him. 

Is There a Risk to Humans? 

Experts maintain that the general population does not face risks, but dairy employees who perform close work with infected cows might be at risk. 

A Louisiana resident died after handling infected birds carrying the D1.1 strain during the beginning of January, as reported by HealthDay. 

Research has not uncovered human-to-human transmission while the virus continues mutating after infection in humans. 

There is concern among experts that B3.13-infected cows might fall ill once again with this newly discovered strain as it poses additional challenges for virus control efforts. 

“It’s no longer just one virus,” Webby told The Times. “This, to me, suggests that it’s going to be a lingering problem.”