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New Mutations Identified in Bird Flu Virus

A genetic analysis sheds light on when the outbreak began, how the virus spread and where it may be going.

Β© Eye of Science/Science Source

A color-enhanced transmission electron microscope image of bird flu viruses.

Pasteurized Dairy Foods Free of Live Bird Flu, Federal Tests Confirm

1 May 2024 at 19:54
But the scope of the outbreak among cattle remains uncertain, and little human testing has been done.

Β© Hans Pennink/Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration said regulators had examined 201 commercial dairy samples, including milk, cottage cheese and sour cream, and had so far not found evidence that potentially infectious virus was on grocery shelves.

Dairy Cows Transported Between States Must Now Be Tested for Bird Flu

Since a new form of bird flu arrived in 2022, federal officials have sought to reassure Americans that the threat to the public remained low.

Β© Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse β€” Getty Images

The C.D.C. maintained Wednesday that the risk for the public was still low, with no changes in the genetic makeup of the virus that would allow it to spread more easily to or between humans.

Bird Flu Outbreak in Cattle May Have Begun Months Earlier Than Thought

24 April 2024 at 07:35
A single spillover, from a bird to a cow, led to the infections, a review of genetic data has found.

Β© Jim Vondruska/Reuters

The U.S.D.A. announced last month that dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas had tested positive for the bird flu virus, called H5N1. It has since reported cases in dozens of herds in eight states.

Fragments of Bird Flu Virus Discovered in Milk

The milk poses virtually no risk to consumers, experts said. But the finding suggests that the outbreak in dairy cows is wider than has been known.

Β© Charlie Litchfield/Associated Press

Scientists say that the presence of viral fragments in milk, which is pasteurized, isn’t cause for alarm, but that the bigger problem is the ongoing uncertainty about the size and scope of the outbreak.

Scientists Fault Federal Response to Bird Flu Outbreaks on Dairy Farms

Officials have shared little information, saying the outbreak was limited. But asymptomatic cows in North Carolina have changed the assessment.

Β© Jim Vondruska/Reuters

So far, bird flu in cattle seems to affect only lactating cows, and only temporarily. There have been no diagnoses in calves, pregnant heifers or beef cows, and no deaths.
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