The bird flu It is a virus that has been worrying the international community for more than 20 years. The most recent outbreak originated in 2022 in USAand affected more than 1,100 flocks of birds in 48 states of the country. Now, the virus continues to grow, and in addition to its advance in the American continent being worrying, it also causes concern in EuropeScientists have set to work and developed a new experiment that sheds light on the matter: they have discovered what is the practice which may be causing its increased proliferation.
Since May of this year, avian flu – also known as H5N1– has not only spread among poultry, but also among dairy cows. Its appearance in these mammals It was first detected last Marchand has caused a great alarm and a serious challenge for the workers who deal with these animals on a daily basis. Some of them have been infected, although until now the easiest way to contract the virus was not known and, above all, How to stop the spread of the virus among animals.
This is how bird flu is spread
As revealed by scientists from the United States and Germany – authors of the new experiment – the H5N1 virus accumulates in the udders and milk of these cows. So far, these are the data that are being handled: there are already 231 animals infected on farms in 14 different states. Since the virus was found in these areas of the animal, experts believe that it is most likely that bird flu is being transmitted through industrial milking systems.
In addition to revealing how the number of infections with the virus is increasing, the experiment has also revealed its possible origin. It is not ruled out that it was produced by a single jump of H5N1 from a wild bird to a cow at the end of 2023 or beginning of 2024. Likewise, the rapid spread may have been benefited by the livestock transfer between states. In this way, the virus has spread throughout almost all of the states in the United States.
Contagion in humans
“It is worrying that H5N1 continues to be transmitted between dairy cows, because it may allow it to adapt even further,” he said. one of the researchers of the study. The team talks about individual testing, quarantines and isolation of infected animals in order to identify affected farms. Meanwhile, other experts They describe the situation as “worrying”and highlights the importance of surveillance, since just one infected bird can cause a whole wave of infections.
The experiment has been published after being notified a second case of a health worker at the Center for Disease Control in the United States. He contracted the symptoms after treating a patient who was already infected with bird flu. However, the way in which he contracted the virus is unknown: had no contact with animals or raw cow’s milk.
Nevertheless, a call for calm is needed. So far, cases of human infection are rare, and no transmission between people has been detected, but it has always been through infection with birds or mammals that already have the virus.
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