How Bird Flu Virus Fragments Get into Milk Sold in Stores, and What the Spread of H5N1 in Cows Means for the Dairy Industry and Milk Drinkers
The discovery of fragments of avian flu virus in milk sold in U.S. stores, including in about 20% of samples in initial testing across the country, suggests that the H5N1 virus may be more widespread in dairy cattle than previously realized.
The Food and Drug Administration, which announced the early results from its nationally representative sampling on April 25, 2024, was quick to stress that it believes the commercial milk supply is safe. However, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus can make cows sick, and the flu virus’s presence in herds in several states and new federal restrictions on the movement of dairy cows between states are putting economic pressure on farmers.
Five experts in infectious diseases in cattle from the University of California, Davis – Noelia Silva del Rio, Terry Lehenbauer, Richard Pereira, Robert Moeller and Todd Cornish – explain what the test results mean, how bird flu can spread to cattle and the impact on the industry.