Milking practices linked to bovine flu spread

Kansas state study reveals risk in dairy farms

A recent Kansas State University study has unveiled a significant connection between milking practices and the transmission of the bovine H5N1 influenza virus in dairy cattle. The research, led by Juergen Richt and published in the journal Nature, emphasizes the urgency of revising milking protocols to prevent the virus's spread.

Focusing on the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus, the study demonstrated how the virus spreads through milking equipment, rather than by respiratory transmission as previously believed. Infected dairy cows showed severe symptoms, including mastitis and a drastic reduction in milk production, with high viral loads detected in their milk.

The implications of these findings are profound. The U.S., home to nearly 10 million dairy cows, faces a potential economic crisis in its agricultural sector if these biosecurity threats are not addressed. Moreover, the zoonotic risk posed by such outbreaks underscores the need for strict health safeguards.

This study was conducted at K-State's Biosecurity Research Institute, in collaboration with Germany's Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, and funded by the State of Kansas National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Transition Fund. It calls for stringent sanitation and biosecurity measures to mitigate the risks associated with bovine H5N1 influenza, thereby protecting both the economy and public health.