USDA assesses vaccine to protect cattle from bird flu virus – Successful Farming

The Agriculture Department said its research agency has begun to assess the potential to develop an effective vaccine against the H5N1 bird flu virus in cattle, although it warned that it is too early to say how long the process would take. The virus has so far infected 29 dairy herds in eight states, though there have been no detections in commercial beef herds since the disease was identified in cattle in late March.

In an updated fact sheet, theAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service(APHIS) said that while wild migratory birds are believed to be the original source of the virus, it has been passed from cow to cow in some instances. Additionally, we have similar evidence that the virus also spread from dairy cattle premises back into nearby poultry facilities through an unknown route.

Authorities say bird flu poses a low risk to human health, although it has only recently been found in U.S. cattle. A Texas dairy worker was treated for mild symptoms of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says genetic sequencing of samples from dairy cows and the farmworker showed the H5N1 virus for the most part lack changes that would make them better adapted to infect mammals.

The U.S. poultry industry is contending with persistent outbreaks of HPAI that began in early February 2022. To date, 90.7 million birds in domestic flocks, mostly egg-laying hens and turkeys being raised for human consumption, have been culled in attempts to stamp out bird flu. There have been four major outbreaks in April, affecting 8.4 million laying hens.

Were dealing with wild birds. Its not an easy thing, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the North American Agricultural Journalists early this week. Bad weather may cause migrating birds to pause anywhere along their routes. When they spend more time, theres the opportunity obviously for virus that always has been present to be spread in the area.

The Agricultural Research Service has begun to assess the potential to develop an effective vaccine for H5N1 in bovine, said APHIS in its backgrounder. It is difficult to predict how long development might take, as many outstanding questions remain about the transmission to cattle, characterizations of the infection, etc.

Vaccine manufacturers have expressed interest in developing vaccines for H5N1 in poultry and cattle, said APHIS. We will continue to engage with those developers to better understand their vaccine development, the efficacy of potential vaccines, as well as the cost of development and production.

CDIRAP, theCenter for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, at the University of Minnesota, was the first to report USDA interest in an H5N1 cattle vaccine.

The USDA said spread of the bird flu virus within and among herds indicates that bovine-to-bovine spread occurs, likely through mechanical means. Themedical news site STATsaid transmission was potentially through sequential use of milking equipment. The USDA told STAT on Thursday that it can establish links between affected herds in Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas, but it does not currently have evidence to suggest all affected herds in all impacted states received cows from Texas.

For some time, the USDA has explored an HPAI vaccine for poultry. However, using a vaccine would imperil egg and poultry meat exports because it is currently impossible to identify products from infected animals. Vaccinating flocks would be time consuming and expensive, since there are tens of millions of chickens and turkeys. By contrast, there were8.9 million dairy cowsat latest count.

While HPAI is often lethal to poultry, its symptoms in dairy cattle are much milder: a loss of appetite, a sharp reduction in milk output, lethargy, dehydration, and fever, most often in older cows. Little or no mortality has been reported, and the animals are reportedly recovering, said APHIS. The USDA advises farmers to test their dairy stock for the H5N1 virus before transporting them.

HPAI can be spread directly through the droppings of wild birds, through a contaminated water source, or indirectly by clothing, footwear, and equipment that has been exposed to the virus.

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USDA assesses vaccine to protect cattle from bird flu virus - Successful Farming