Cats died after drinking raw milk from bird flu-infected cows

More than half of cats astir nan first Texas dairy workplace to trial affirmative for vertebrate flu this outpouring died aft drinking earthy beverage from nan infected cows, scientists reported this week, offering a model into a toll nan microorganism has taken during its unprecedented dispersed done nan cattle industry.

The report, published Tuesday successful nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, chronicles nan early investigation by veterinarians and world laboratories into a illness that started spreading done cows crossed nan region earlier this year.

Cats astatine nan Texas workplace had been fed raw milk from cows that turned retired to beryllium infected with  highly pathogenic avian influenza, aliases HPAI H5N1. A time aft nan workplace first started noticing cows were getting sick, nan cats started getting sick too. By nan end, much than half of nan cats had died.

"The cats were recovered dormant pinch nary evident signs of wounded and were from a resident organization of [approximately] 24 home cats that had been fed beverage from sick cows," nan scientists wrote.

Tests of nan samples collected from nan brains and lungs of dormant cats yielded results suggesting "high amounts of virus." Autopsies of nan cats besides revealed "microscopic lesions accordant pinch terrible systemic microorganism infection," they said, including to nan oculus and brain.

Around 1 successful 5 samples of beverage nan Food and Drug Administration checked from U.S. retailers tested affirmative for H5N1, though nan agency said past week that studies truthful acold show that pasteurization is moving to termination disconnected nan microorganism successful milk; only harmless fragments remained. Officials person many times urged Americans not to portion earthy milk.

While nan dispersed of nan microorganism from cows to cats done earthy beverage is new, cats person agelong been known to scientists arsenic 1 of nan type particularly susceptible to terrible illness from H5N1. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said that deaths and neurological illness successful cats person been "widely reported" astir farms pinch outbreaks of nan virus.

By contrast, only a fraction of cows — up to 15% —developed signs of unwellness successful herds pinch nan infection, nan scientists said. Officials person said that cows mostly retrieve wrong a period aft their infections. The microorganism has been devastating for poultry flocks that faced wide deaths aliases had to beryllium culled aft contracting nan microorganism from chaotic birds. 

Previous investigation has linked deaths and neurological disorders successful home cats to H5N1 infections. An earlier study published by nan CDC diary from Thailand back successful 2006 suspected a feline had contracted nan microorganism aft eating an infected pigeon. 

But nan caller infections prompted nan CDC this month to rumor caller guidance for veterinarians treating fishy H5N1 cases successful cats, urging stepped up measures for illustration donning respirators and goggles to debar contracting nan virus.

"While it's improbable that group would go infected pinch vertebrate flu viruses done interaction pinch an infected wild, stray, feral, aliases home cat, it is imaginable — particularly if location is prolonged and unprotected vulnerability to nan animal," nan agency said successful its guidance.

Some cases successful humans person besides been suspected to person been caused by depletion of infected birds, for illustration in Cambodia earlier this year. 

Meanwhile, authorities person been racing to curb further dispersed of nan microorganism successful dairy cattle, which is believed to person been spreading from cow-to-cow since a azygous first spillover from chaotic birds earlier this year. 

"Ingestion of provender contaminated pinch feces from chaotic birds infected pinch HPAI microorganism is presumed to beryllium nan astir apt first root of infection successful nan dairy farms," nan scientists wrote.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it would trial crushed beef sold astatine retailers for H5N1 and would study really cooking beef could curb imaginable consequence posed by nan virus, successful nan aftermath of an earlier bid ramping up testing on dairy cattle being shipped complete authorities lines.

It is unclear whether immoderate crushed beef samples person truthful acold tested affirmative for nan virus. Results "are forthcoming" and will beryllium shared erstwhile available, nan spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, complete 2,000 tests person been tally by nan section truthful acold this period from cattle.

"As of April 30, 34 dairy herds person been impacted by H5N1. For context, location are much than 26,000 dairy herds nationwide," nan spokesperson said successful a statement.

In:
• Bird Flu
• Avian Influenza