March 1, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that more animals have been diagnosed with H5N1 avian influenza.
The Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which has a List of evidence of bird flu In mammals, ten recent cases have recently been added from 4 states and five species.
To date, 208 million birds worldwide are affected by a large outbreak of bird flu, which is now also spreading to mammals.
According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, human infections are rare and have occurred in individuals who have had close contact with poultry. Of the few cases reported, some were severe or fatal, and others were considered as a consequence of environmental contamination fairly than true infections.
In Colorado, inspectors found the virus in three mountain lions, a bobcat, two red foxes and a black bear.
Elsewhere, striped skunks have been spotted in Kansas and Oregon, and a black bear has been reported in North Carolina.
“There are many species potentially susceptible to HPAI. In addition to birds and poultry, H5N1 viruses have also been detected in some mammals (see list below),” the federal government statement said. “Infection can cause illness, in some cases severe disease and death.”
According to the federal government, 131 known cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been reported in animals.
“Health officials are closely monitoring ongoing reports of H5N1 attacks on mammals reported in the Americas and Europe,” the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported. “The Eurasian H5N1 strain currently affecting birds and poultry in several regions of the world has a mutation that makes it more easily detectable by the respiratory cells of mammals, including humans.”
The center says human infections are rare and have occurred in individuals who have had close contact with poultry. “Of the few cases reported, some have been serious or fatal, while others are thought to be related to environmental contamination rather than true infections.”