UC Davis Experts Educate Public and Industry about Avian Flu

As highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to spread throughout the world, including on California dairy farms recently, experts on the subject from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have taken great strides to educate the public and industry partners on the subject.

HPAI has been detected on commercial farms in California and other parts of the United States. The most recent outbreak of the highly transmissible strain of bird flu began in early 2022 and has resulted in the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys. It has also been detected in cows in the U.S., marine mammals in South America, and other species globally. The CDC has confirmed a handful of human cases in the U.S. and several cases of avian flu in cats on dairy farms.

As concern about the outbreak grows, the school has compiled a list of avian flu experts to cover all areas of this communicable viral disease. From poultry and livestock experts to leaders in small animal infectious disease and marine wildlife, these experts have been featured in dozens of media outlets throughout the world.

In October, school officials participated in three seminars for industry to learn more about mitigating circumstances surrounding the outbreak:

• “Coping with HPAI in California” – This webinar featured a panel discussion on how California producers are dealing with the outbreak. Joining the panel were officials from CDFA and USDA providing status updates and assistance availability. Additionally, two California dairy farmers whose herds have been affected by HPAI, discussed their personal experiences with the disease and quarantine. 
• “Preparing for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Northern California Dairies” – Leaders from UC Cooperative Extension and CDFA joined school officials for three in-person workshops held in various Northern California locations to discuss lessons learned from other parts of the country, research updates, biosecurity measures, and treatment options.
• “Protect Dairy Workers - HPAI Train-the-Trainer” – This bilingual one-hour training for herdsmen and farm managers featured topics such as recognizing HPAI symptoms in cattle and humans, PPE requirements, and available resources for workers and employees. 

Many other units of the school and university have created additional resources for the public surrounding this timely topic:

• The school’s Western Institute for Food Safety and Security created a website for consumers and industry partners with resources and other information about HPAI.
• Avian and wildlife experts with the university created a video of the spread of avian influenza over the past three years.
• Bilingual fact sheets on HPAI and how to reduce its spread were created for industry partners.
• Faculty from UC Davis Health and the veterinary school have compiled information on the safety of dairy products and the testing of milk samples and why it’s still safe to drink milk.

As the spread of HPAI proceeds, UC Davis officials will continue to monitor and research the outbreak. Stay tuned to the school’s website for the latest updates.