2024-06-22 18:09:48
There at the moment are milk warnings within the USA as a result of cows are contaminated with the hen flu virus. This might additionally occur in Germany.
The variant of the hen flu virus H5N1 circulating in Germany can even infect cows. This was proven by an preliminary check on the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) on the island of Riems close to Greifswald. The animals had been contaminated with the pathogen, which got here from a wild hen, by way of their teats, the Federal Analysis Institute for Animal Well being introduced on Friday. The virus had multiplied within the udder and the dairy cows had proven clear signs of sickness equivalent to a pointy drop in milk manufacturing, a change in milk consistency and fever.
The experiment, which started in Could, was prompted by infections amongst cows within the USA. Learn extra about it right here. The hen flu virus an infection reported within the USA for the reason that finish of March impacts dozens of farms in a number of states. Excessive viral hundreds had been detected in some milk samples from sick animals. In accordance with an FLI spokeswoman, it’s nonetheless unclear precisely how the cows develop into contaminated.
The World Well being Group (WHO) presently considers the danger to people posed by hen flu in cows to be low, however urges all nations to pay elevated consideration to attainable infections. Scientists concern that the virus might proceed to vary and finally be transmitted to people.
The FLI’s threat evaluation shouldn’t be modified by the interim outcomes of the experiment, it says. Each the danger of the US H5N1 pressure (B3.13) getting into German cattle herds and the danger of cattle being contaminated with H5 viruses present in Europe are thought of to be very low for Germany. Nonetheless, the FLI recommends elevated vigilance.
In accordance with the data, the FLI additionally examined round 1,400 serum samples from cows in areas in Germany notably affected by avian influenza for antibodies and round 350 tank milk samples from numerous areas as a precautionary measure – with damaging ends in all instances, it stated. A complete of round 1,500 tank milk samples are deliberate.