Bird flu found in Illinois, Florida wastewater

A U.S.-based wastewater detection dashboard has identified high levels of influenza A (a subtype of H5N1 bird flu) in Illinois and Florida—two states that have not yet reported positive cases of the disease in dairy herds.

According to a Reuters story yesterday, Nirav Shah of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested the results—in combination with disease particles being found in U.S. milk—may point to the existence of flu-carrying herds that have not yet tested positive for the flu.

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Analysts are unable to use wastewater testing results to identify the virus’ origins, which could be from humans, infected milk or farm runoff.

“At the dairy farm level, thus far we’ve not seen corresponding reports, but those investigations are still underway,” said Shah.

The CDC has not detected increased incidents of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in people, said Shah. However, scientists are closely watching for changes in the virus that could cause it to spread more easily among humans.

The centers are working with local officials to understand why these wastewater sites show higher-than-expected levels of influenza A.

There have been no identified instances of HPAI in Canadian dairy herds or milk to date, and a Canadian Food Inspection Agency report this week said retail milk samples have thus far tested negative for the virus.

—With files from Reuters