One Health: Invasive Species, Fellow Travelers, Zoonoses 2

Study suggests earlier US-licensed H5N1 vaccines prompt antibodies to current strain
Lisa Schnirring | July 17, 2024

Though federal health officials are moving ahead with a plan to produce 4.8 million doses of H5N1 avian influenza vaccine that targets the clade (strain) circulating globally and infecting US dairy herds and some farm workers, older H5N1 vaccines in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) might be useful in a pinch...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/study-suggests-earlier-us-li...
-------------------------------------

Surender Khurana et al. 2024. Licensed H5N1 vaccines generate cross-neutralizing antibodies against highly pathogenic H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b influenza virus (Brief Communication). Nature Medicine, 16 July 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03189-y

Amazing how far domestic cats have expanded their global range -- and how many species and populations they've helped drive to extinction...

Meet the 27 native animals cats have helped send extinct since colonisation
Invasiv Species Council | 30 May, 2022

Australia has a cat problem. After being introduced in 1788, feral cats now number between 2.1 – 6.3 million depending on rainfall conditions, and there are another 3.8 million pet cats in our neighbourhoods.

Together, they kill over 2 billion animals every single year. Most of those are native. And no matter how much we adore them, we can’t escape the fact that our pet cats that are allowed to roam are responsible for over 500 million of those deaths.

The combined impacts of feral and roaming cats have already helped push 27 native animals into extinction, including a long-forgotten mainland parrot...

Photos of extinct Australian critters (https://x.com/ISCAustralia/status/1813387303081152555/photo/1)

https://invasives.org.au/blog/meet-the-27-native-animals-cats-have-helped-send-e...

...USDA has reported 5 new #H5N1 #birdflu infected dairy herds today, 4 in Colorado & 1 in Minnesota. Some of these were reported or at least hinted at by the states previously. They bring the cumulative national total to 168.

https://aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-dete...

Bar graph USDA-confirmed livestock herd (cattle + 1 alpaca herd) H5N1 by state (https://x.com/HelenBranswell/status/1815379241267073299/photo/1)

- Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell | 9:31 AM · Jul 22, 2024 {X}

New study confirms mammal-to-mammal avian flu spread
Krishna Ramanujan, Cornell University | July 25, 2024

...While the virus does have the ability to infect and replicate in people, the efficiency of those infections is low...

https://phys.org/news/2024-07-mammal-avian-flu.html
---------------------------------------

Leonardo C. Caserta et al, 2024. Spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus to dairy cattle. Nature, 25 July 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07849-4

Geez, Type A flu, which H5N1 is, has been detected in several states'wastewater. After reading about NY dairy plant's discharge into tributary of St Lawrence River, I'm especially glad no H5N1 detected (yet) in NY dairy farms. Still, alarming that the state hasn't yet got this plant's discharge under control.

Dairy plant: we’re not convinced we’re polluting river
Thomas Cafarella | Aug. 2, 2024

... the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) citing the plant for violating water quality standards, stating “the permitted discharged is the primary contributor to the growth in the river.”

The pollution in question is a white, filmy substance that’s been floating on the Deer River, and which has been blamed for a nasty smell in the area of the river near North Lawrence...

https://www.wwnytv.com/2024/08/02/dairy-plant-were-not-convinced-were-polluting-...

Swine flu variant A(H3N2)v reported in CO and in MI. The CO patient, but not the MI patient, had exposure to pigs.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/08/michigan-hhs-reports-1-novel-h3n2v-flu.ht...

Marion Koopmans, publications: https://pure.eur.nl @MarionKoopmans | 1:45 PM · Aug 12, 2024 {X}:
Head of Viroscience Department , WHO collaborating centre EID
{The Netherlands}

really interesting preprint: tropism of H5N1 viruses for mammary gland tissue confirmed in experimental infections, both the the virus circulating in Europe (where no infections in cattle had been observed) and in the US. Fascinating.

Questions:
1) how sure is Europe it is NOT present in cattle (sofar studies done found no evidence) and
2) what happened in the US that got it introduced? Bringing back the hypothesis of feeding cattle with offall from poultry farms . Other suggestions welcome
-----------------------------------------

Nico Joel Halwe et al. 2024. Outcome of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus infection in calves and lactating cows. BioRxiv 9 August 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.09.607272
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.09.607272v1

This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review

No Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) yet detected in NY dairy cattle. NY tightens import restrictions from HPAI-affected states.

FluAlert @FluAlert_ 3:54 PM · Aug 13, 2024 {X}:
🆕🇺🇸 New York now requires non-lactating dairy cattle from HPAI-affected states to test negative before entry.

https://agriculture.ny.gov/news/state-department-agriculture-updates-temporary-i...

Image (https://x.com/FluAlert_/status/1823447992390565895/photo/1)

Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people
14 August 2024 | Emergency Situational Updates

https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/updated-joint-fao-who-woah-assessment-of...

Martin A. Nuñez @Martin_A_Nunez | 8:00 AM · Sep 4, 2023 {X}:
Ecologist that studies 🍄🌲🐜🐑🐀🦌🌱🌾🌳🦠⛰, mostly invasives. @uhouston @ Comahue @conicet. Senior Editor @JAppliedEcology. @IPBES.

Invasive Species have HUGE impacts #ipbes10*

✨60% of recorded extinctions are due at least in part to invasive species
✨Known costs are annually in the U$D billions, but likely in the trillions
✨Costs are increasing 4X per decade
✨Invasions have deep impact on quality of life

Infographic (https://x.com/Martin_A_Nunez/status/1698667230114816453/photo/1)
----------------------------------------

* IPBES {Science & Policy for People & Nature} (2023). Summary for Policymakers of the Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Roy, H. E., Pauchard, A., Stoett, P., Renard Truong, T., Bacher, S., Galil, B. S., Hulme, P. E., Ikeda, T., Sankaran, K. V., McGeoch, M. A., Meyerson, L. A., Nuñez, M. A., Ordonez, A., Rahlao, S. J., Schwindt, E., Seebens, H., Sheppard, A. W., and Vandvik, V. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7430692 https://zenodo.org/records/8314303

5 burning questions about Missouri’s mysterious H5 bird flu case
Helen Branswell | Sept. 8, 2024

Could raw milk — or a cat — help explain how a person who had no contact with animals caught the virus?

News that a person in Missouri contracted H5 bird flu despite having no known contact with infected animals or birds — in other words, no evident route of infection — raises pressing questions public health officials are surely scurrying to answer.

The rationale for that urgency is this: An unexplained H5 infection raises the possibility of person-to-person spread of a flu virus that has never before circulated in humans, and to which people would not have immunity. And this with a dangerous flu virus that scientists have long feared could someday trigger a pandemic...

What is being done to investigate the situation?
Is this the same H5 virus that is spreading in cows?
How sick was this individual? Was he or she hospitalized for influenza symptoms, or for other reasons?
Did this person truly have no contact with infected animals or birds? Does this individual have a cat that is allowed outdoors?
Did this person consume raw milk?

https://www.statnews.com/2024/09/08/missouri-h5-bird-flu-case-questions-cat-raw-...

>11 margd: contd.

No clear exposure source in Missouri H5 avian flu {human} case
Lisa Schnirring | September 12, 2024

... At the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) briefing, Nirav Shah, MD, JD, principal deputy director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said state health officials are continuing the investigation, diving deeper into potential exposures.

... it wouldn't be unusual to not find a likely exposure source. For example, he said that, of about 500 human swine flu cases identified since 2010, about 8% had no clear exposure to the virus.

The probe hasn't turned up any evidence of human-to-human spread or any unusual rises in flu activity in Missouri, he added. “Evidence points to a one-off case,” Shah said.

...Though sequencing is still under way, results so far suggest that the virus is closely related to the one circulating in dairy cows, Shah said. "We're throwing everything we've got at this."

The patient had significant underlying medical conditions and was evaluated in the hospital for acute chest pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, he said. A respiratory panel was done during hospitalization, and as part of influenza surveillance the results were batched with other patient samples and sent to Missouri's state lab for subtyping...

Missouri investigators have found no link to consumption of raw milk or other raw dairy products, Shah said...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/no-clear-exposure-source-mis...

Missouri investigates more possible human-to-human H5N1 avian flu spread (News brief)
Stephanie Soucheray | September 27, 2024

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said investigators in Missouri were looking into eight possible human infections of H5N1 avian flu virus after the state reported its first case last month. If confirmed, the cases would mark the first instance of human-to-human H5N1 transmission in the country...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/missouri-investigates-more-p...

Vietnam: Govt. Confirmation Of `Dozens' Of Tiger Deaths (H5N1 Suspected)
Credit VOV.gov.vn

Yesterday we saw numerous Vietnamese media reports of dozens of tigers dying from suspected HPAI H5N1 at two Zoos in Vietnam. While I was unable to find any government confirmation, Vietnamese media is tightly regulated, making these reports highly credible.

Overnight Vietnam's government run Voice of Vietnam website carried the following (translated) report which confirms the earlier media reports.

Dozens of tigers in Dong Nai died from suspected eating infected chicken

VOV.VN - Dong Nai Province Forest Protection Department has just informed about the death of 17 tigers at Vuon Xoai Tourist Area suspected of being infected with A/H5N1 flu.

Mr. Ngo Van Vinh - Head of the Dong Nai Provincial Forest Protection Department said: On the morning of October 2, the Region VI Veterinary Department went to the Mango Garden Tourist Area, Dong Nai Province to inspect and collect samples of the dead tiger to report to the Ministry of Health.

Previously, 17 tigers and 1 leopard at the Mango Garden Tourist Area died, so the relevant unit took samples and sent them to a company with testing functions for testing. The results detected A/H5N1 flu.

Initially, authorities suspected that the tigers and leopards in the tourist area were infected because they were fed chicken. Recently, imported chickens from abroad could also be the source of the disease.

It is known that the 17 dead tigers were Bengal tigers, a rare animal group.
Currently, the Mango Garden Tourist Area is coordinating with the authorities to verify and clarify the cause of the incident.

Thus far, I can find no reporting on the Vietnamese MOH website, and I'm having difficulty connecting to their Ministry of Agriculture website (MDARD), which continually times out. As yet, no report appears to have been filed with WOAH.

We've looked at the susceptibility of felines to avian flu - and to H5N1 in particular - many times (see HPAI H5: Catch As Cats Can). While only rarely reported, we've even seen the transmission of avian (H7N2) influenza from cats to humans (see EID Journal: Avian H7N2 Virus in Human Exposed to Sick Cats).

Since last March, we've seen a steep increase in the number of HPAI infected cats in the United States (see USDA Adds 16 Additional Cats To Mammals with HPAI H5N1 List (n=53)). Due to the risks of exposure, last April the CDC released Guidance for Veterinarians: Evaluating & Handling Cats Potentially Exposed to HPAI H5N1.

The loss of these majestic cats in Vietnam is another reminder that HPAI H5N1 is becoming increasingly entrenched in our environment - and while human infections remain thankfully rare - every spillover into a mammalian host is another opportunity for the virus to evolve and adapt.

We ignore these warning signs at considerable risk to our food supply, our economy, and potentially to our public health.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/10/vietnam-govt-confirmation-of-dozens-of.ht...
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/asia/h5n1-h5n8-h1n08-tracking/vietnam-aa/997...

"California has been the nation's leading dairy state since 1993, when it surpassed Wisconsin in milk production. California is ranked first in the U.S. in the production of milk, butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk. California is second in cheese and yogurt production." https://www.californiadairypressroom.com/

As bird flu outbreaks rise, piles of dead cattle become shocking Central Valley tableau
Susanne Rust | Oct. 20, 2024

On a recent 98-degree afternoon, dead cows and calves were piled up along the roadside. Thick swarms of black flies hummed and knocked against the windows of an idling car, while crows and vultures waited nearby — eyeballing the taut and bloated carcasses roasting in the October heat.

Since the H5N1 bird flu virus was first reported in California in early August, 124 dairy herds and 13 people — all dairy workers — have been infected.

And according to dairy experts, the spread of the virus has yet to abate...

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-10-20/as-bird-flu-outbreaks-rise-...

The only way this could get worse is if voters brought Trump back to oversee response to what might be the next pandemic... :(

Inside the Bungled Bird Flu Response, Where Profits Collide With Public Health
Katherine Eban | October 21, 2024

When dairy cows in Texas began falling ill with H5N1, alarmed veterinarians expected a fierce response to contain an outbreak with pandemic-sparking potential. Then politics—and, critics say, a key agency’s mandate to protect dairy-industry revenues—intervened.

...The USDA’s inaction, critics say, is attributable to its dual—and sometimes conflicting—mandates. It is responsible for the health and safety of the nation’s food animals, but it’s also in charge of promoting and protecting America’s $174.2 billion agriculture trade. And sick cows, with documented cases of a virus never before seen in cattle herds, could be very bad for business.

... Perhaps the biggest wild card has been the USDA’s other mandate, to serve as the government’s chief dairy lobbyist. The agency’s secretary, Thomas Vilsack, 73, previously served as president and CEO of the US Dairy Export Council.

... It is unclear whether the {H5N1} virus, as it continues to spread and evolve, will ultimately pose a serious threat to human health. But if it does, there could be a battle no less intense than the one still being fought over who should be held responsible for COVID-19. Looking back at the events of 2019, one thing almost everyone agrees on is that China should have been much more transparent about what it knew and when it knew it.

As one White House health official tells Vanity Fair, “Not only have we not learned, we have regressed.”

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/inside-the-bungled-bird-flu-response
Author's tweeted summary https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1848350208201032098.html
---------------------------------

Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry
by Austin Frerick

Is it time to freak out about bird flu?
The answer is not as straightforward as one might like
Helen Branswell | Oct. 16, 2024

... Science currently has no way of knowing all the changes H5N1 would need to undergo to trigger a pandemic, or whether it is capable of making that leap... The truth is, when it comes to this virus, we’re in scientific limbo.

... As best {public health authorities} can tell, the risk now is low. But things could change, and if they do, the time it takes to transition from low risk to high risk may be dizzyingly brief.

... Glen Nowak spent 14 years in communications at the CDC; he was director of media relations for the agency from 2006 to 2012, a period that included the H1N1 pandemic. Nowak, who is now a professor of health and risk communications at the University of Georgia, says communications about anything flu-related should start by leaning into the unknowable nature of flu.

... So how should one talk about the risk H5N1 in cows poses? Nowak, who is on a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine committee reviewing the CDC’s Covid-19 vaccine safety research and communications, said it depends on who you’re communicating to, and what you expect them to do with the information ... right now the answer is probably policymakers facing decisions about how to prepare for the possibility of wider spread, farmworkers who need to be protected against the virus, and local public health officials on the lookout for human cases. It’s probably not people in general ...

https://www.statnews.com/2024/10/16/bird-flu-pandemic-overall-risk-low-continued...

The strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu infecting BC teen (in critical condition) is not the US dairy-cow strain, which so far has caused mostly mild disease in humans so far (conjunctivitis). Looks like the HPAI strain infecting the BC teen "potentially has mutations that increase binding to human receptors".... :( AFAIK, the BC teen had no exposure to infected animals(?)

Danielle Beckman @DaniBeckman | 10:36 AM · Nov 16, 2024:
I like taking photos of weird things happening in the brain 🔬
Neuroscientist studying the brain microbiome. #NeuroCovid is real.
http://daniellebeckman.com

The preliminary sequence from the #H5N1 {highly pathogenic avian flu} human case in British Columbia has been posted, and it is not good news. The virus potentially has mutations that increase binding to human receptors. Analysis by a viral immunologist:

Quote
Hensley Lab @SCOTTeHENSLEY · 3h
The preliminary sequence from the H5N1 human case in British Columbia has been posted and it is not good news. I just posted a thread of my thoughts on this on the blue sky site.
https://x.com/DaniBeckman/status/1857855159185060096/photo/1
https://x.com/DaniBeckman/status/1857855159185060096/photo/2
https://x.com/DaniBeckman/status/1857855159185060096/photo/3

14% of Texas dairy farmworkers tested had elevated levels of neutralizing antibodies against a recombinant H5N1 virus of clade 2.3.4.4b
Oct 20, 2024 | The avian influenza A (H5N1)
https://discovermednews.com/texas-dairy-farmworkers-exposed-to-hpaiv-h5n1/

People (and barn cats drinking raw milk) are asking for trouble, sounds like ... Pasteurization appears to kill the virus, but I'm preferring milk I buy in the US to be ultrapasteurized these days! Ferret kits and elephant seal pups all killed by milk from their H5N1-infected mamas. Breastfed human babies may likewise be at risk if mothers infected, as human mammary tissue expresses receptor required for H5N1 binding. Mouse pups may be safe, however, from infection via milk from their infected mothers(?)

Pari H Baker et al. 2024. Bovine H5N1 influenza virus infection is transmitted by milk causing mortality in suckling {ferret} neonates. BioRxiv, 16 Nov 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.15.623885 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.15.623885v1

Preprint. Not yet peer-reviewed.

Abstract
...Here, we show that mammary gland infection with bovine H5N1 influenza in lactating ferrets transmits virus and disease to suckling kits. Viral RNA titers significantly increased in milk over time and remained high in mammary gland tissue. Suckling kits had significantly increased viral RNA in the oral and nasal cavity, as well as in feces. However, viral detection in the dam nasal cavities was delayed, with only minimal virus present in the oral cavity. Lung viral RNA levels were low in dams but high in a sampled suckling kit. Additionally, we detected the expression of the H5N1 receptor, α2,3 sialic acid, in mammary tissue from both ferrets and humans. These data demonstrate that H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection in lactating dams leads to mastitis-related disease and transmits to suckling pups, resulting in 100% mortality among the neonates.

... Discussion
... A recent report on intramammary infections of bovine H5N1 in lactating mice found no mortality in either dams or
pups13. Interestingly, none of the pups tested positive for the virus throughout the study. This suggests that bovine and ferret mammary tissue is more susceptible to bovine H5N1 infection than those of mice ...

Currently, there are no documented cases of H5N1 infection in lactating women. However, we observed the expression of SAα2,3, the receptor required for H5N1 binding, in human mammary tissue. A limitation of this finding is that our analysis was restricted to non-lactating tissue. Given the expression of the HPAI H5N1 receptor in bovine... and ferret mammary glands, as discussed in our manuscript, it is plausible that lactating human mammary tissue may also be susceptible to H5N1 infection...

In conclusion, our study demonstrates the high susceptibility of lactating ferrets and their offspring t HPAI H5N1 infection following intramammary inoculation and milk transmission to suckling newborns. The observed drop in milk production, elevated milk viral titers, and weight loss in ferret dams closely parallel the effects seen in lactating dairy cows after H5N1 inoculation... The high neonatal mortality in our study also mirrors the near-total mortality observed in suckling pups during a recent H5N1 outbreak among elephant seals..., emphasizing the need to understand maternal-neonatal H5N1 infection dynamics across species. These findings underscore the risks of mammary gland infection and milk transmission of H5N1, offering a valuable model for studying viral transmission dynamics and evaluating emerging vaccines and therapeutics against HPAI H5N1.

California accounts for one-fifth of the United States’ milk production!

Helen Branswell STAT ‪@helenbranswell.bsky.social‬ | November 18, 2024 at 6:09 AM
#USDA confirmed 41 more #H5N1 #birdflu infected dairy herds in California today, bringing the state's total to 335. That's 30% of the state's dairy herds.
The cumulative national total is now 549 herds in 15 states.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-...
https://bsky.app/profile/helenbranswell.bsky.social

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell | 9:53 AM · Nov 22, 2024
I cover infectious diseases @statnews (reporting from the frontiers of health & medicine). 2020 Polk winner. Nieman '11.

BREAKING:
@CDCgov reports it has confirmed that a child in California tested positive for #H5N1. The child had no known exposures to infected animals or poultry. The child had mild illness and is recovering.
I discuss in this video what cases like this mean, and why they are a bit unsettling.

STAT's @HelenBranswell sets the table for where we stand with #H5N1 #birdflu in North America.
1:51 (https://x.com/HelenBranswell/status/1860018772179931357)

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell | 10:06 PM · Nov 24, 2024:
California reports finding #H5 #birdflu virus in raw milk bought in a store.
How risky H5-containing raw milk is to humans isn't clear. Here's hoping we're not about to find out. https://statnews.com/2024/11/24/bird-flu-h5n1-raw-milk-llc-california-virus-test...

Quote
Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell · 16h
@CAPublicHealth reports finding #H5N1 #birdflu virus in raw milk. The producer, Raw Farm LLC of Fresno County, has agreed to recall a batch of a whole milk product called "cream top."
Milk from infected cows contains staggering levels of virus. https://statnews.com/2024/04/29/bird-flu-raw-milk-h5n1-risk-us-cattle/

Infectious Disease Tracker @HmpxvT | 1:30 PM · Dec 13, 2024:

⚠️ BREAKING:
CDC's wastewater surveillance program shows H5N1 bird flu positive wastewater in 11 states.
Map (https://x.com/HmpxvT/status/1867638200002654451/photo/1)

USDA Reported H5N1 Bird Flu Detections in Wild Birds
CDC | Accessed 25 December 2025

The latest H5N1 bird flu detections in wild birds by state and county are provided on this webpage. This webpage will be updated daily after 4 p.m. to reflect any new data.

https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/data-map-wild-birds.html
-------------------------------------------------

Counties affected by H5N1 bird flu in wild birds, according to the CDC.
https://x.com/HmpxvT/status/1872385088429937060/photo/1

Bird flu mutations in BC and Louisiana patients make human transmission easier.

CDC says H5N1 bird flu sample shows mutations that may help the virus bind to cells in the upper airways of people
The mutations likely developed post-infection, the agency said
Helen Branswell | Dec. 26, 2024

Genetic sequences of H5N1 bird flu viruses collected from a person in Louisiana who became severely ill show signs of development of several mutations thought to affect the virus’ ability to attach to cells in the upper airways of humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.

One of the mutations was also seen in a virus sample taken from a teenager in British Columbia who was in critical condition in a Vancouver hospital for weeks after contracting H5N1...

The mutation seen in both viruses is believed to help H5N1 adapt to be able to bind to cell receptors found in the upper respiratory tracts of people. Bird flu viruses normally attach to a type of cell receptor that is rare in human upper airways, which is believed to be one of the reasons why H5N1 doesn’t easily infect people and does not spread from person-to-person when it does...

https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/26/cdc-says-h5n1-bird-flu-sample-shows-mutation...

Bird flu mutations raise fears of a broader outbreak
Experts warn of inadequate testing by the CDC, which maintains the risk to humans “remains low.”
Alice Miranda Ollstein | 12/27/2024

... Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator during the first Trump administration ... "(CDC) monitoring more than 10,000 exposures, but they’ve only tested 530"... her greatest fear is someone getting infected with bird flu during the regular seasonal flu, potentially triggering mutations that make the former far more infectious to humans...

Scott Gottlieb, another health policy veteran from Trump’s first administration, echoed Birx’s warning of inadequate testing in posts on X this week, writing that if H5N1 ultimately develops into a pandemic, “The U.S. will have only itself to blame.”

“Agricultural officials did just about everything wrong over last year, hoping the virus would burn out, and it didn’t,” said Gottlieb, who formerly headed the FDA....

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/27/bird-flu-mutations-outbreak-00196069

Infectious Disease Tracker @HmpxvT | 1:05 PM · Dec 28, 2024

H5N1 bird flu in wild mammals, according to the CDC {USDA?}
US Map (https://x.com/HmpxvT/status/1873067793614336302/photo/1)

I’m an Emergency Physician Keeping an Eye on Bird Flu. It’s Getting Dicey.
Jeremy Samuel Faust | Dec 31, 2024
(public health researcher and emergency physician, Brigham and Women’s Hospital)

There’s no evidence that it’s spreading between humans, but a severe case is bad news.

... The variant that caused the severe Louisiana case is called D1.1, and the one that caused most of the other 65 other cases is called B3.13. Whether D1.1 will by and large be more severe isn’t certain, but it seems plausible. A D1.1 case in Canada {BC} caused life-threatening disease in an otherwise healthy teenager. (It remains unknown how the girl caught the disease.) Two people is a small sample size, and they could be flukes...

Regardless, we have not seen evidence of the virus hopping to and spreading among humans adequate to drive sustained transmission or high case counts—the second key ingredient needed to fuel an important novel epidemic in humans.

Unfortunately, we are headed into the season in which that could easily change ... Due to the way flu replicates inside the body, coinfection {with seasonal and avian flu} could lead to what’s called a reassortment event, wherein the two kinds of flu genomes get mixed together in a host ... many prior influenza pandemics have originated: in a hellish marriage of two kinds of flu.

...With peak flu season approaching, the message seems clear: This is the moment to act. Individuals who have not received a seasonal flu shot should get one now...

https://slate.com/technology/2024/12/bird-flu-emergency-physician-worried-transm...

With lactose intolerant family members, we usually drink Lactaid or equivalent, which is ultrapasteurized. Judging by how much longer it stays fresh in fridge, I'm thinking the more intense process inactivates more microbes.

Tamiru N. Alkie et al. 2025. Effectiveness of pasteurization for the inactivation of H5N1 influenza virus in raw whole milk. Food Microbiology Volume 125, January 2025, 104653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2024.104653 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740002024001916 .

Highlights
• H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus was spiked into raw whole cow milk. Pasteurization of whole raw milk at 63°C for 30 min led to complete inactivation (greater than 6 log) of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b.
• Pasteurization of whole raw milk at 72°C for 15s led to complete inactivation (greater than 6 log) in 7 replicates and 4.44 log reduction in one replicate.

Abstract
... viral inactivation was observed in seven of eight experimental replicates when treated at 72°C for 15s. In one of the replicates, a 4.44 log10 virus reduction was achieved, which is about 1 log higher than the average viral quantities detected in bulk milk in affected areas. Therefore, we conclude that pasteurization of milk is an effective strategy for mitigation of the risk of human exposure to milk contaminated with H5N1 virus.

"California is the largest milk producer in the U.S., accounting for one-fifth of the nation's milk production. It is also the leading producer of butter, ice cream, and nonfat dry milk, and the second-largest cheese and yogurt producer." (California Dairy Press Room)

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 STAT @HelenBranswell | 8:56 AM · Jan 6, 2025:
California's tally of dairy herds infected with #H5N1 #birdflu tops 700, with 2 more added today.
Cumulative national total is 917 herds in 16 states.
https://aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-dete...

Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH @ashishkjha | 2:10 PM · Jan 5, 2025
‘It is now time for new actions’ on bird flu

My comments today on @ThisWeekABC with George Stephanopoulos, abcnews.go.com

Video ‘It is now time for new actions’ from the White House on bird flu: Dr. Ashish Jha
3:15 (https://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/now-time-new-actions-white-house-bird-flu-117343286)
-------------------------------------------------

The US only has between 5 -10 million bird flu vaccine doses in the national stockpile—"obviously not going to be enough...just to cover healthcare workers & dairy workers...We need new investments in a new generation of vaccines so that if it gets to human-to-human transmission—if it starts causing more serious illness we are ready & we can protect people. "

·

Not now, Avian Flu ... RFK, Jr ...

SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) ‪@covid19disease.bsky.social‬ | February 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM:

JUST IN: New York health officials are instructing hospitals to subtype all influenza A-positive samples from hospitalized patients within 24 hours in order to detect any potential human cases of H5N1 bird flu.

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/han/advisory/2025/han-advisory-1-ra...

Justin Ling ‪@justinling.ca‬ | February 5, 2025 at 10:32 PM:
Freelance journalist. I put words in @thestar.com, @wired.com, @foreignpolicy.com, some other places.

The policy lead for CDC's H5N1 response {Erin Abramsohn} has abruptly resigned.

Sources tell me CDC's response to the bird flu pandemic has been severely hobbled by the chaos of the past two weeks.

LinkedIn post, Erin Abramsohn: https://bsky.app/profile/justinling.ca/post/3lhi5mmvzw22v

Race to sell chickens after New York City live poultry markets ordered shut due to avian flu
JAKE OFFENHARTZ | February 7, 2025

... The state order came after birds infected with the virus were found during routine inspections of live bird markets in the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Those markets have to dispose of all poultry in a sanitary manner, according to the state’s order.

Other bird markets that do not have cases will have to sell off remaining poultry within three days, clean and disinfect and then remain closed for at least five days and be inspected by state officials before reopening.

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-bird-flu-poultry-94186c5c964d1a620858068142a...

Dr. Lucky Tran ‪@luckytran.com‬ | February 6, 2025 at 3:22 PM: {bsky.app}

After an unprecedented pause of three weeks, the CDC has resumed publishing its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

However, three studies about bird flu that were supposed to appear in this edition, remain on hold even as the outbreak spreads...

{https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index.html}

‪suntiger745‬ ‪@suntiger745.bsky.social‬:
Trump learned from the COVID pandemic, eventually.
If you don't report or underreport how many cases there are, the stats look less bad.
How many cases there are in reality is irrelevant, it's all about the appearance.

C.D.C. Posts, Then Deletes, Data on Bird Flu Spread Between Cats and People
Apoorva Mandavilli and Emily Anthes | Feb. 6, 2025

The data, which appeared fleetingly online on Wednesday, confirmed transmission in two households. Scientists called on the agency to release the full report...

... “If there is new evidence about H5N1 that is been held up for political purposes, that is just completely at odds with what government’s responsibility is, which is to protect the American people,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health.

... Scientists have long known that cats are highly susceptible to the virus. At least 85 domestic cats have been infected since late 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But there had not previously been any documented cases of cats passing the virus to people ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/health/cdc-bird-flu-cats-people.html

New bird flu variant found in Nevada dairy cows has experts sounding alarms: ‘We have never been closer to a pandemic from this virus’
Carolyn Barber | February 8, 2025

The disclosure that dairy herds in Nevada have been infected by a version of the H5N1 bird flu not previously seen in cows, has put virologists and researchers on high alert. Among other things, the news from the Nevada Department of Agriculture, suggests that driving the virus out of the U.S. cattle population won’t be nearly as simple as federal officials once suggested—or perhaps hoped.

On Friday came a second and potentially more serious blow: A technical brief by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the genotype, known as D1.1, contains a genetic mutation that may help the virus more easily copy itself in mammals—including humans ...

https://fortune.com/well/2025/02/08/bird-flu-variant-nevada-pandemic-closer/
---------------------------------------------

The Occurrence of Another Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Spillover
from Wild Birds into Dairy Cattle
USDA APHIS (4 p)

... While genotype D1.1 has been the dominant strain circulating in migratory wild birds across all four North American flyways during the winter of 2024-2025, these Nevada cases represent the first detection of a genotype other than B3.13 in U.S. dairy cattle and the second known spillover from wild birds into lactating dairy cattle.

... a change of PB2 D701N commonly associated with mammalian adaptation of HPAI virus was identified in viruses sequenced from four separate dairy cattle. To date, this change has not been observed in D1.1 viruses found in wild birds or poultry and is not found in B3.13 genotype viruses detected in dairy cattle. PB2 D701N has previously been associated with mammalian adaptation because it improves RNA polymerase activity and replication efficiency in mammalian cells and has the potential to impact pathogenesis in infected mammals ... The change has previously been identified in human cases of HPAI H5 but with no evidence of onward transmission among humans ...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dairy-cattle-hpai-tech-brief.pdf

Avian flu strikes more poultry flocks in 7 states and more cats
Lisa Schnirring | February 11, 2025

... Virus strikes more domestic cats in 3 states
APHIS today confirmed three more H5N1 detections in domestic cats, which includes an infected stray cat in California’s San Mateo County announced by county officials on February 6. The cat was taken in for medical care by a family in Half Moon Bay when it developed symptoms. It’s not known how the cat was infected, and the animal was euthanized due to its condition.

The other confirmations involve a cat from Montana’s Flathead County that was sampled on December 5, 2024, and a cat from Oregon’s Multnomah County that was sampled on February 3.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/avian-flu-strikes-more-poult...

CDC: 3 veterinarians had recent H5N1 infections but didn't know they had been exposed
Mary Van Beusekom | February 13, 2025

... The CDC's analysis of blood samples from 150 bovine veterinarians in 46 US states and Canada during the current H5N1outbreak in dairy cows and poultry revealed that three asymptomatic US practitioners (2%) had antibodies to H5N1 in September, suggesting recent infection.

Two of them reported no exposures to infected animals, and one practiced in Georgia and South Carolina, which have had no known cases in cattle.

"These findings suggest there could be U.S. states with A(H5)-positive people and animals that have not yet been identified," the study authors wrote, adding that the risk to the general public remains low.

While the infected veterinarians reported wearing gloves or clothing covers when caring for cattle, none wore respiratory or eye protection, which are recommended when working with uninfected animals in regions with confirmed cases ...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/cdc-3-veterinarians-had-rece...
--------------------------------------------------------

Leonard J, Harker EJ, Szablewski CM, et al. Notes from the Field: Seroprevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5) Virus Infections Among Bovine Veterinary Practitioners — United States, September 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:50–52. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7404a2 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7404a2.htm

Henry L Niman PhD ‪@hlniman.bsky.social‬ | February 16, 2025 at 9:02 AM

"Laboratories in a national network of 58 facilities responding to the spread of bird flu were notified Friday that 25 percent of the staff in a central program office coordinating their work were fired"

Emerging 4th world country in North America!

Trump administration firings hit key office handling bird flu response
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/16/trump-administration-firings-bird-flu-r...
--------------------------------------------

‪Henry L Niman PhD‬ ‪@hlniman.bsky.social‬ |

Kevin Hassett, Trump’s director of the national economic council...
there is not a need to kill chickens within range of a chicken that tested positive for bird flu... because “chickens don’t really fly"

Economist playing scientist is NEVER a good thing

Trump Firings Impact 'Front Line of Surveillance' for Bird Flu Outbreak
The Trump administration has fired 25 percent of the employees in a small federal office that coordinates bird flu testing across the country.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-firings-bird-flu-surve...

>41 margd:
"Kevin Hassett, Trump’s director of the national economic council...
there is not a need to kill chickens within range of a chicken that tested positive for bird flu... because “chickens don’t really fly""

He's never actually watched chickens, has he?

It's like 'dead birds flying': How bird flu is spreading in the wild
Gabrielle Emanuel | February 7, 2025

... Then came 2020 and 2021, when the version that's driving the current outbreak emerged.

The virus evolved so some wild birds are able to migrate just far enough to reach another bird community or mammal population to pass the virus on before dying.

... "We've gone from this concept of dead birds don't fly to this new virus that seems to be a bit more like dead bird flying," explains Erik Karlsson, head of the Virology Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Cambodia and the director of the National Influenza Center of Cambodia.

This means that the virus doesn't just stick around on poultry farms and periodically jump over into wildlife, but can sustain itself in wild birds, moving from one flock to the next without burning itself out.

Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how the virus spreads between animals. One theory is that scavenger birds feast on mammal carcasses "that are loaded with virus, then they get infected, obviously, and can spread it easily on their feet or beaks," says {Marcela} Uhart {veterinarian and director of the Latin America Program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at University of California, Davis.}. Another theory, she says: "It could be that (animals) poop in the water and the other animals drink (that water)."

... Traveling in infected wild birds, the virus took off and jumped over to North America in late 2021. From there, it went to South America leaving, destruction in its wake.

"In South America, it traveled the 6,000 kilometer spine in about six months," says Michelle Wille, senior research fellow at the Center for Pathogen Genomics at the University of Melbourne.

... Globally, nobody knows how many wild animals the virus has killed.

... Each animal that is infected — particularly mammals — is another chance for the virus to evolve and become better suited to infecting people.

... when the first U.S. person — from Louisiana — died of bird flu ... scientists sequenced the virus from different organs from the body, they found "the virus was changing within," says Uhart.

... The virus is able to mix and match its genes with local influenza viruses if one animal is infected with multiple flu viruses.

... with each genetic change, there is the chance the virus could become more severe.

... At the moment, the virus can infect humans but has not yet evolved to jump readily from one human to another. That could change...

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/07/g-s1-46402/bird-flu-wild-...

Not now, bird flu... Not just drugs, but
"Up to 10% of complete rations for lactating dairy cows can be composed of dried poultry waste (even if high in ash) with little or no reduction in feed intake or milk production." https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002203027684489X

FDA staff handling drug safety for pets and livestock lost jobs in Trump firings
February 19, 20256:00 AM ET
Will Stone, Sydney Lupkin | 19 February 2025

... {staff} cuts hit the Center for Veterinary Medicine, an arm of the Food and Drug Administration that regulates the safety and efficacy of drugs, food and medical devices for animals ...

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/19/nx-s1-5301216/federal-...

>44 margd: Abysmally stupid.

Do you want your cats and dogs dying because that flea medication isn't safe? Or even effective?

Farmers are already hurting due to the freezing of grants and loans. They rely on people who know what they are doing to keep their animals safe.

I really don't understand what these people think they will accomplish in the end. No country will trust the United States ever again to do the right thing. And even if the Democrats regain control in 2026 (assuming there's an election), there's still no way for other countries to assume that the next conservative regime won't immediately cancel out any Democratic progress.

-

>45 MsMixte: "no way for other countries to assume that the next conservative regime won't immediately cancel out any Democratic progress." ..

or international treaties. This is worse than Brexit was. And there was a missed chance of locking him up four years ago. That's where the autogolpe started (or maybe before that. I don't really care about the exact date.)

‘Beware of the bat’: how a mine in Kigali became the focus of Marburg virus research
Kat Lay | 20 Feb 2025

The fatality rate for the disease is usually 88%, but during a recent outbreak in Rwanda, deaths were kept to 23%. A new approach based on studying miners may be the reason why

... Marburg virus disease killed 15 Rwandans in September and October 2024, infecting 51 more, and prompting international alerts.

... A team of clinicians and epidemiologists went back over more than 120 medical charts.

“They ended up identifying one suspicious case, a 25-year-old female, who was admitted (to an intensive care unit) during the end of August, and who presented with symptoms that are similar to Marburg virus,” says Dr Edson Rwagasore, head of public health surveillance and emergency preparedness and response at the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC).

That patient had died – but further investigations revealed that her husband, a 27-year-old miner at the Gamico Mining Ltd site on the western outskirts of Kigali, had been ill at around the same time.

“We later identified that tunnel 12, where he actually worked, had {Egyptian fruit bats} roosting within that tunnel,” says Rwagasore. Further testing identified 14 people who worked in the tunnel with antibodies to Marburg – suggesting previous infection with the virus...

... “should we close the mining site? But closing the mining site means people will move to other sites. And then by doing that, we’ll be missing cases, we’ll be missing people who have already been exposed. And then you find yourself spreading beyond just one site,” he says.

Instead, miners were allowed to continue work and were screened for Marburg symptoms, while the RBC’s efforts to ensure no further “spillover” began.

Tunnel 12 has been all but closed – entry is only allowed for officials carrying out research and surveillance. But the rest of the site is a hive of activity.

In a bid to prevent fresh outbreaks, Rwanda’s health watchdog has established a new onsite clinic for any miners and their families developing certain symptoms, including fever, at the Kigali mine.

... But the key intervention is establishing buffer zones “so the human activities are in different places compared to where bats are seen”. The same action is being taken in six other mines with similar risk profiles across the country.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/20/beware-of-the-bat-how...

Hoo boy... Government fish hatcheries dealing with "emergency" viruses kill all, landfill the bodies with lime, "secure the perimeter", disinfect the facility, monitoring constantly. They might try managing more selectively if and only if the fish are incredibly precious, e.g., a unique broodstock needed for a restoration program. Private fish hatcheries, however ...

Trump Admin Plans New Strategy to Fight Bird Flu as Egg Prices Soar
— Government will seek to contain situation with "biosecurity and medication"
Associated Press | February 19, 2025

With egg prices soaring, the Trump administration is planning a new strategy for fighting bird flu that stresses vaccinations and tighter biosecurity instead of killing off millions of chickens when the disease strikes a flock ... "with biosecurity and medication and so on"

... Normally when chickens or turkeys start dying from the disease, officials will "depopulate," or destroy all the birds on the farm to prevent it from spreading.

But the resulting culling of millions of chickens per month has caused egg prices to skyrocket, with shortages that have led some retailers to ration sales. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities hit $4.95 in January, and the USDA predicts it will soar another 20% this year.

{Kevin Hassett, PhD, director of the National Economic Council,} didn't provide many details of how the Trump administration's new approach would work. But he said it would involve a "better, smarter perimeter" around poultry farms. He said it doesn't make sense to kill all the chickens inside that perimeter when the disease is being spread by wild ducks and geese.

... The poultry industry has long resisted vaccinating flocks against bird flu because of the potential impacts on export markets, as well as the expense. Most U.S. trading partners won't accept exports from countries that allow vaccinations due to concerns that vaccines can mask the presence of the virus.

... According to USDA figures, 77.5% of the nearly 159 million commercial birds lost to avian influenza since February 2022 have been layers, or over 123 million. That compares to 13.7 million broilers, or 8.6%, and 18.7 million turkeys, or 11.8%.

... Carol Cardona, DVM, PhD, a bird flu expert at the University of Minnesota, said tighter biosecurity to prevent cross-contamination and limit outbreaks to one barn "requires an incredible amount of work on the ground."

For "precision depopulation" to work, she said, there must be effective barriers to transmission between barns, such as ensuring that farm workers don't carry the virus on their boots or clothes. And workers need to be alert for the earliest signs of abnormal deaths...

Another barrier is the logistical difficulty in giving shots to up to 3 million birds or more at a single egg farm. Current vaccines are all injectables. Farms might opt to limit them to new pullets coming onto a farm...

Vaccines that could be economically administered through a farm's water supply would require new innovations, Cardona said. But until there's a market for vaccines, she said, there won't be an incentive to develop them...

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/birdflu/114272

H5N1 Safety Guidelines for Individuals
World Health Network

H5N1 avian influenza is a highly infectious virus that affects wild birds, chickens, and other farm birds. In some cases, it has also been found in mammals, including humans. The virus has spread globally, but in the United States, cattle have been infected, and high levels of H5N1 have been detected in milk collected from farms in certain regions. Farmworkers, veterinarians, and other individuals have also been infected. This guidance is designed to help individuals reduce their risk of infection. While most recommendations apply globally, dairy-specific precautions are tailored to the U.S. ...

https://whn.global/guidelines/h5n1-safety-guidelines-for-individuals/

People Can Spread Bird Flu to Their Cats, Study Suggests
— CDC researchers call for further investigation of the risk of fomite transmission of H5N1
Kristina Fiore | February 20, 2025

Two indoor cats in the same county in Michigan were infected with H5N1 avian flu last May, likely via their owners who worked on dairy farms.

Both cats had severe respiratory and neurologic illness and died...

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/birdflu/114308
------------------------------------------

Naraharisetti R, Weinberg M, Stoddard B, et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection of Indoor Domestic Cats Within Dairy Industry Worker Households — Michigan, May 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:61–65. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7405a2 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7405a2.htm

Think of the plague of rats in big cities like NYC... :(

Bird flu confirmed in rats for first time, USDA reports
Sara Moniuszko. Edited by Paula Cohen | February 20, 2025

Bird flu has been detected in rats for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed Wednesday.

Four black rats were confirmed to have H5N1 avian flu in late January in Riverside County, California, where two recent poultry outbreaks were reported, the agency said.

Officials have previously confirmed the virus in mice found on affected farms...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bird-flu-in-rats/
-------------------------------------------------------

Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Mammals
APHIS. Last Modified: February 19, 2025

{Map. Table}

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-...

Google AI: "California is the country's leading producer of butter, ice cream, and nonfat dry milk. California is the second largest cheese and yogurt producer."

--------------------------------------------
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) ‪@covid19disease.bsky.social‬ | February 22, 2025 at 7:46 AM:

BREAKING: The USDA has confirmed five additional dairy herds in California have tested positive for the virus, raising the total to 732.
Currently, 74% of the state's dairy herds are infected with H5N1.
---------------------------------------------

margd: Meanwhile, "The APHIS website is experiencing sitewide issues with dropdowns not functioning properly. We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience." Thank Trump and the DOGEbags for decimating government ability to monitor, inform, and control what's looking more and more like the next pandemic, HPAI. Our money!!

HPAI Confirmed Cases in Livestock
{{{{Last Modified: January 16, 2025}}}}
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-...

Alarm as bird flu now ‘endemic in cows’ while Trump cuts staff and funding
Melody Schreiber | 22 Feb 2025

Experts say current US outbreak is unlikely to end without intervention with further mutation of virus likely...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/22/bird-flu-virus-trump

The Atlantic

The World’s Deadliest Infectious Disease Is About to Get Worse

By retracting foreign aid, President Trump could make tuberculosis untreatable again.

Don Moynihan (U Michigan) ‪@donmoyn.bsky.social‬ | March 17, 2025 at 9:25 AM:
Wow, this seems like something the USDA Inspector General should be reporting on...oh
headline: USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after defying White House
https://bsky.app/profile/donmoyn.bsky.social/post/3lklavmbfxk2r

‪DOGE’s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread
Kate Knibbs | 17 March 2025
Thousands of US Department of Agriculture employees, including food inspectors and disease-sniffing dog trainers, remain out of work, leaving food to rot in ports and pests to proliferate...
https://www.wired.com/story/usda-food-supply-chains/

Not now, Bird Flu...

Bird Flu Hospitalizes 2 More Patients as Outbreaks Increase {OH, WY}
Brian Nowosielski | April 3, 2025
https://www.drugtopics.com/view/bird-flu-hospitalizes-2-more-patients-as-outbrea...
____________________________________

FDA suspends program to improve bird flu testing due to staff cuts
Leah Douglas | April 3, 2025
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/fda-suspends-program...

A Federal Lab That Tracked Rising S.T.I.s Has Been Shuttered

The United States can no longer keep tabs on drug-resistant gonorrhea, among other infections, scientists said.

"The clap came back, the very next day..."

And an 80% die-off of US honeybees this season

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHykgyqxosI/?igsh=OGdiNWRvZjZ1ODM3

H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and People
— However, CDC researchers recommend continued surveillance
Kristina Fiore | May 6, 2025

... {CDC's} clinician outreach and communication activity (COCA) call ... In dairy cattle, cases surged over the fall and early winter but eased in January, while cases in poultry flocks fell after February, and came down last month in backyard flocks

... "Most of our human cases are known to be associated with animal exposures, so fewer infections in the animals leads to fewer infections in people" ...

... any seasonality noted in other countries "primarily corresponds to migratory bird patterns. ... so we expect to see more circulation of H5N1 in wild birds in the fall and early winter as birds are migrating south"... That's when poultry flocks and dairy cattle are most at risk of exposure ...

However, that picture may be different in the U.S. ... Transmission among dairy cows was "primarily due to cow-to-cow transmission and not reintroduction from wild birds," so migration patterns are unlikely to be the main reason for the recent decline in cases. On the other hand, "migration and wild bird mixing likely does drive emergence of new subtypes" ...

... the overall risk to the public remains low, and those at the greatest risk are those with close, prolonged exposure to infected animals.

... while some reporting challenges remain, and that the U.S. still "has limited visibility into the true scope," there does appear to be a lull in H5N1 transmission. "The real question ... is what happens next?" ...

"I assume we will see a resurgence, perhaps of a new subtype," {James Lawler, MD, MPH, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Global Center for Health Security in Omaha, who was not involved in the CDC call} said. "2.3.4.4b has been unique among H5 clades, and I think it likely has more surprises left for us."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/birdflu/115454

Bird flu study points to risk of another pandemic
U of Maryland | May 07, 2025

... First major global review of bird flu in cats shows an emerging threat of a human pandemic ... “The virus has evolved, and the way that it jumps between species – from birds to cats, and now between cows and cats, cats and humans – is very concerning. As summer approaches, we are anticipating cases on farms and in the wild to rise again,” says lead and senior author Dr. Kristen Coleman, assistant professor in UMD School of Public Health’s Department of Global, Environmental and Occupational Health and affiliate professor in UMD’s Department of Veterinary Medicine. ...

https://sph.umd.edu/news/bird-flu-study-points-risk-another-pandemic
------------------------------------------------------

Kristen K Coleman & Ian G Bemis 2025. Avian Influenza Virus Infections in Felines: A Systematic Review of Two Decades of Literature. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 7 May 2025. Accepted Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf261 https://academic.oup.com/ofid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ofid/ofaf261/8123920

... We estimate that {Avian Influenza Virus infection} is underreported in the scientific literature and argue that increased surveillance among domestic cats is urgently needed...

Bird Flu May Be Airborne on Dairy Farms, Scientists Report
Apoorva Mandavilli & Emily Anthes | 4 August 2025

In unpublished research, researchers found live virus on equipment, in wastewater and in the air in so-called milking parlors...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/health/bird-flu-airborne.html?unlocked_articl...
---------------------------------------------------

A.J. Campbell et al. 2025. Surveillance on California dairy farms reveals multiple sources of H5N1 transmission. bioRxiv preprint (31 p), 1 Aug 2025. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.31.666798 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.31.666798v1.full.pdf

... Discussion
... Taken together, our data confirm the presence of infectious H5N1 virus in the air and reclaimed farm wastewater sites. In addition, we observed high viral loads in the milk of cows, including those without clinical signs, and heterogenous patterns of H5N1 positivity by quarter, suggesting that multiple modes of H5N1 transmission likely exist on farms. These transmission routes could include contaminated milking equipment from an infected cow, aerosols generated within the milking parlor, and/or contact of teats with contaminated water used to clean housing pens. Multiple mitigation strategies should therefore be implemented to reduce the risk of H5N1 spread within a herd and to humans. Respiratory and ocular personal protective equipment (PPE) for farm workers to prevent deposition of virus-laden aerosols on these sites, especially in the milking parlor. Disinfection of milking equipment between each milking of each cow, such as with consistent use of backflush system, could also reduce spread of H5N1 between cows. Treatment of milk from sick cows to inactivate H5N1 prior to disposal as well as treatment of waste streams prior to their use on fields or on farms should also be considered. Finally, identification of infected cows, regardless of clinical signs, for isolation will help reduce the transmission of H5N1 on farms.

Where Did Bird Flu Go?
Meghan Bartels edited by Lauren J. Young | July 15, 2025

Bird flu was nearly everywhere in the U.S.—in chickens, cows, pet cats and even humans. Cases have gone down, but experts warn that it hasn’t disappeared ... {seasonal, reduced testing}

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bird-flu-is-out-of-the-news-but-still...

Until now culling has been the main strategy for responding to bir flu in captive birds in US as well as Canada. However, RFK Jr says: "Culling infected flocks should be a judicious decision, one that considers both scientific evidence and the long-term impact on both animal welfare and agricultural sustainability." Any US reluctance to cull, in addition to avoidance of poultry vaccines, could affect US export markets? (Some feral Mute Swans in US, at least, have antibodies to bird flu, if Kennedy and Oz truly wanted study subjects.)

Canadian court allows cull of 400 ostriches that RFK Jr. hoped to save
Vivian Ho | August 22, 2025

... A federal appeals court in Canada has upheld an order to cull about 400 ostriches at a British Columbia farm where dozens of birds died amid an avian flu outbreak last year — ostriches that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz have asked Canadian authorities to spare.

The three-judge panel ruled on Thursday to dismiss the appeal of Universal Ostrich Farms, a 65-acre, family-owned operation located about 55 miles north of the U.S. border. The farm’s owners, Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski, have been fighting to keep their ostriches alive since December, when several ostriches started falling ill and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a cull order for the remaining flock.

A total of 69 ostriches died over the course of 36 days, according to the owners, about 15 percent of the original flock. Tests were conducted on two of the dead ostriches, with positive results for avian influenza.

Espersen and Bilinski have argued that their ostriches are special, with the couple halting their production of ostrich meat in 2020 to shift their focus to studying the antibodies found in the ostriches’ eggs. According to court documents, the owners said their flock suffered from a significant illness in February 2020 that led to the deaths of 10 birds. While laboratory tests determined the cause as bacterial infections, the owners speculated that avian flu may have contributed to the illness and that the surviving birds may have developed a natural immunity from future outbreaks, the court documents state.

...{In May} Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a letter to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s president, and had his team meet with agency officials. He asked that the agency reconsider the cull order, noting that “we believe there is significant value in studying this population.”

“Culling infected flocks should be a judicious decision, one that considers both scientific evidence and the long-term impact on both animal welfare and agricultural sustainability,” Kennedy wrote. “The indiscriminate destruction of entire flocks without up-to-date testing and evaluation can have significant consequences, including the loss of valuable genetic stock that may help explain risk factors for H5N1 mortality.”

Mehmet Oz, who oversees the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, backed Kennedy’s support of the birds, offering his 900-acre Florida ranch as a place to relocate the ostriches.

Mass slaughter has long been the chief strategy for containing bird flu, a highly contagious disease caused by influenza A viruses spread among wild birds, aquatic birds, birds of prey and waterfowl, as well as domestic birds such as poultry. An outbreak this year resulted in more than 120 million hens being slaughtered and egg prices rising to record levels. ...

Gift article in exchange for email address
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/22/ostrich-bird-flu-canada-cull-rfk...

Bird flu is spreading to Pacific Northwest wild mammal populations
K.C. Mehaffey | September 26, 2025

"Wild birds have long carried low pathogenic strains of avian influenza. When it spread to domestic birds, the virus sometimes mutated into more severe strains, called high pathogenic avian influenza—or HPAI ... the strain started spreading back to wild bird populations in 2002.

Now, the latest strain of HPAI H5N1—emerging in 2021—is proving to be especially worrisome to wild birds, and potentially to other wildlife...

... One of the most well documented die-offs occurred in 2023 on Rat Island, off the Washington coast near Port Townsend.... 56% of the Caspian tern colony on the island died from the 2023 outbreak. Since then, no birds have successfully bred there.

Because it was such a large colony, that die-off is estimated to have wiped out 10-14% of the entire Caspian tern population in the Pacific Flyway.

It’s catastrophic—especially since older birds that should have had some immunity died along with chicks that had never been exposed...

... State and federal agencies rely on the public to report wildlife fatalities. ..."

https://www.salemreporter.com/2025/09/26/bird-flu-is-spreading-to-pacific-northw...

US poll shows West Nile anxiety low, as is insect repellent knowledge
Stephanie Soucheray | 29 Sept 2025

"... West Nile is the leading mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tracked 1,137 cases so far in 2025 in 42 states. Of those cases, 742 involve neuroinvasive disease cases, which typically involve inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes (meningoencephalitis), meningitis, or polio-like flaccid paralysis. Activity this year is up by about 40% from last year, largely because a warmer climate extends the season for mosquitoes...

Only 15% worried about virus ...

Only 14% knew not to put insect repellent under clothing, and 33% knew to first apply sunscreen, then repellent on top once the sunscreen has dried..."

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/us-poll-shows-west-nile-anxiety-low-insect-repellent-...
-------------------------------------------------

Despite Increase in U.S. Cases, Worry About West Nile Virus Remains Low
Annenberg Policy Center, U of PA | September 26, 2025

https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/despite-increase-in-u-s-cases-worry-...

Researchers: Live H5N1 avian flu can survive in raw-milk cheese for up to 6 months
Mary Van Beusekom | October 9, 2025

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/researchers-live-h5n1-avian-...
--------------------------------------------

Nooruzzaman, M., de Oliveira, P.S.B., Butt, S.L. et al. H5N1 influenza virus stability and transmission risk in raw milk and cheese. Nat Med (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04010-0 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04010-0
OPEN ACCESS

Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses have recently spread to dairy cattle, with high levels of virus detected in milk from affected animals, raising concern about the risk posed by unpasteurized dairy products consumed by humans. ... We observed pH-dependent virus survival, with infectious virus persisting through the cheese-making process and up to 120 days of aging in cheeses made with raw milk at pH levels of 6.6 and 5.8, whereas at pH 5.0, the virus did not survive the cheese-making process. Notably, while ferrets (Mustela furo) fed H5N1 virus-contaminated raw milk ... became infected, those fed raw-milk cheese ... or cheese suspension ... did not. These results demonstrate that the H5N1 virus can remain infectious for extended periods in raw-milk cheeses under specific conditions, underscoring the potential public health risks associated with consuming raw-milk cheese produced from contaminated milk and highlighting the need for additional mitigation measures in cheese production to prevent human exposure to the virus.

Flurry of H5N1 activity noted in commercial poultry, wild birds
Stephanie Soucheray | October 9, 2025

"The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has noted several new H5N1 outbreaks and detections in commercial poultry flocks, backyard flocks, and wild migrating birds.

The uptick in H5N1 activity signals that the avian influenza season is fully under way, with states in the Midwest and the South mostly affected in the new reports.

Over the last 30 days, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in 38 flocks, including 24 commercial flocks and 14 in backyard locations. Over that period, more than 4.4 million birds were affected. In the past week, 5 commercial and 6 backyard locations were identified.

Two large commercial turkey farms in Minnesota have new outbreaks. In Becker County, 72,500 birds have been affected, and in Kandiyohi County, a flock of 32,900 birds was affected. Outbreaks among backyard poultry in Montana, Arkansas, Idaho, and Oregon were also reported, with flock sizes ranging from 30 to 70 animals.
Detections spike in migratory birds

Wild-bird detections have also spiked, especially in migratory blue-winged teal. In Kansas, 20 hunter-harvested blue-wing teal had H5N1. Five blue-wing teal collected in Cameron County, Louisiana, were also infected.

Wyoming, Ohio, Colorado, Kentucky, Virginia, and New York each reported single H5 detections in black and turkey vultures. In Michigan, four Canada geese and a trumpeter swan were found to have HPAI.

In related scientific news, a replicating RNA vaccine based on older, historical H5N1 avian flu antigens can protect macaques from lethal infections with the latest strains of the H5N1 avian flu virus, according to a study in Science Translational Medicine.

Existing stockpiles may offer some protection to humans.
“These data support continued development of HPAI A H5N1 vaccines and suggest that existing stockpiles may offer some protection to humans,” the authors wrote.

And in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, a letter from Canadian researchers describes highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu detected in 41 species at risk (SAR) in Canada.* Detections were found in 20 species on Canada’s endangered or threatened list. Eight mammal species also had detections, but none met the criteria for SAR."

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/flurry-h5n1-activity-noted-c...
--------------------------------------------------

* Damien O. Joly et al. 2025. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detected in 41 Species at Risk in Canada. J Wildl Dis (6 Oct 2025) https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048 https://meridian.allenpress.com/.../JWD-D-25-00048/507938 Open Access

Xiang Li et al. 2025. Zoonotic threat: Emergence of mammalian-adapted H5N1 virus in migratory birds at Qinghai Lake. Journal of Infection, Volume 91, Issue 5, November 2025, 106623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2025.106623. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163445325002233

"... The detection of a mammalian-adaptation marker in wild birds at such a site suggests that H5N1 is continuing to acquire traits that could expand its host range. PB2-627K is of particular concern because it has repeatedly emerged in mammalian infections worldwide, from wild carnivores in Europe to dairy cattle in the United States. The independent appearance of this substitution in migratory birds adds a new dimension, implying that adaptive variants may circulate undetected in natural reservoirs before spilling over into domestic animals or humans. This raises the possibility that Qinghai Lake and similar high-risk wetlands function not only as mixing vessels for avian viruses but also as staging points for mutations with pandemic potential ..."

"JUST IN: USDA Confirms 6 House Mice Infected with H5 Bird Flu in Grant, Washington State Officials Investigating Potential Spread"

{Table HPAI detected in mammals} https://bsky.app/profile/covid19disease.bsky.social/post/3m5xagdypl22k

- SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) ‪@covid19disease.bsky.social‬ | November 18, 2025 at 9:47 PM:

Google AI: "Lone star ticks can cause a meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), where a person becomes allergic to a sugar molecule called alpha-gal found in the meat of mammals like beef, pork, and lamb. The allergy is triggered by the tick's bite, and symptoms, which can be delayed by 2 to 6 hours, include hives, nausea, and swelling. Treatment for severe cases involves avoiding mammalian meat and products containing alpha-gal, and carrying an epinephrine auto-injector for anaphylaxis"

Can invasive plants increase tick exposure risk? Scientists reveal a surprising link to human health
Lourdes Mederos | November 12, 2025

"Researchers at UF’s Invasion Science Institute (ISI) found that lone star ticks, a species common in the Southeast and known to bite humans, survive more than 50% longer in areas dominated by invasive cogongrass than in native plant communities ... the densely growing invasive grass altered the local environment, making it cooler and more humid, which provided conditions that help ticks avoid drying out and dying... Adult ticks survived over 100 days longer in invaded plant communities compared to native plant-dominated areas, due to changes in the microclimate caused by the invasion,” said author Drew Hiatt... Cogongrass, native to Southeast Asia, was introduced to the U.S. nearly a century ago and has since spread across millions of acres in the Southeast. Known for its ability to form dense stands that outcompete native vegetation and increase wildfire risk, cogongrass now appears to have public health implications as well..."

https://news.ufl.edu/2025/11/tick-longevity-/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hiatt, Drew, Whalen W. Dillon, Allison Gardner, Steven Cabrera, Michael Dietze, Brian F. Allan, and S. Luke Flory. 2025. “ Mechanistic Pathways of Tick Exposure Risk in Native and Invaded Plant Communities.” Ecology 106(10): e70233.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70233 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecy.70233

While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists
Mary Van Beusekom | 21 Nov 2025

"... for well over a month during the recent US government shutdown, no one was watching the human disease landscape for CWD {Chronic Wasting Disease}, a highly infectious disease with no treatment or cure. If cases slip by, it will be too late

Nine days after the government shutdown began, all four staff members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Prion and Public Health Office were sent home after receiving reduction-in-force (RIF) notices. While the end of the shutdown led all four to be reinstated through at least January, layoffs after that time are possible.

Within the past few months, two other researchers who had been part of the team also had to be let go after their fellowship contracts weren't renewed, per the administration's policy of blocking contract renewals.

The prion unit, which monitors the nation for human prion diseases, is part of the Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. It launched in the mid-1990s in response to the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease") in UK cattle. BSE prions were inadvertently consumed by people who ate contaminated beef, causing the human form of BSE, variant CJD (vCJD, {Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease}). All infected people—more than 230—died.

The initial goal of the Prion and Public Health Office was to watch for any cases of vCJD in the US population. Since then, its focus has expanded to include advising hospitals on how to prevent and respond to prion contamination of instruments used in neurosurgery (prions are resistant to many usual sterilization methods), as well as working with state health departments on disease surveillance. Unit members also answer questions from the public.

Today, as CWD continues its inexorable march across the landscape, exposing more and more people, the prion unit's priority is conducting surveillance for signs of a CWD species jump into high-risk people such as hunters. Without this expertise, no one will be able to evaluate whether a suspected case of CWD prion transmission to humans is likely from an animal.

The prion unit has launched several epidemiologic studies in collaboration with multiple states to look at whether more hunters are dying of prion diseases than would be expected..." {Marg: Macaques, a stand-in for humans, have been experimentally infected in the lab.}

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/chronic-wasting-disease/while-no-one-was-watching-ten...

Rahul K. Nell et al. 2025. Exploring influenza A virus receptor distribution in the lactating mammary gland of domesticated livestock and in human breast tissue. Journal of Dairy Science, November 27, 2025. https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(25)00971-3/fulltext Open access

CONCLUSIONS
Based on these findings, we suggest that IAV {influenzaA viruses} have the potential to bind to the mammary glands of cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs, and humans. Further investigation is needed into the possible sustained IAV replication in the mammary glands of these species, both in experimental and natural environments. Meanwhile, routine milk or milk product testing from these species, together with continued surveillance of the human agricultural interface, will aid in containing the virus spread, establishing mitigation strategies, and understanding evolutionary changes in IAV and their interactions with different species.

Argentina: 23 hantavirus cases have been confirmed nationwide
Robert Herriman | Dec 09, 2025

"According to the Argentina Ministry of Health, so far in the 2025-2026 period (EW25/2025 to EW44/2025), 23 cases of hantavirus have been confirmed nationwide.

... Sixty-two percent reported having had contact with rodents, urine, or feces; 46% lived in rural areas; and 31% reported having hiked in a rural or wilderness area... none were identified as having been transmitted from person to person.

... The case fatality rate for the period analyzed is 39%, marking an increase compared to previous years. This increase could be related to the underreporting of mild cases..."

https://outbreaknewstoday.substack.com/p/argentina-23-hantavirus-cases-have

USDA says H5 detection in Wisconsin dairy herd is new spillover event
Chris Dall, MA | 22 Dec 2025

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed last week that the recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a Wisconsin dairy herd represents a new spillover event from wildlife...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/usda-says-h5-detection-wisco...

Simulation Shows That Bird Flu Could Become a Public Health Crisis After Only Two Days
Stephanie Edwards | Dec 18, 2025

"... H5N1 remains largely confined to birds, with only sporadic human-to-human transmission recorded to date. But those cases are severe, with the virus carrying a fatality rate of 30 percent in the small number of people known to have been infected. Recent detections in cows and other mammals worldwide have intensified concerns that the virus may be edging closer to broader human transmission.

To explore how much a spillover could unfold, researchers modelled a poultry-farming village of nearly 10,000 people in India’s Namakkal district, one of the country’s largest egg-producing regions. In the simulation, infected birds caused an outbreak at a single workplace, with the virus spreading outward through farms, households, schools, and community interactions.

The results of the simulation were both promising and alarming. Culling infected birds within 10 days of detecting an outbreak dramatically reduced the risk of the virus jumping from animals to humans. Waiting until day 20, however, usually meant the virus had already reached farmers.

Once two human cases were confirmed, quarantining was often enough to halt the outbreak. Waiting until 10 human cases — a threshold sometimes treated as routine — proved nearly indistinguishable from taking no action at all.

The model also showed that once infections rise beyond roughly 2 to 10 cases, the virus is likely to escape primary and secondary contacts and spread more broadly through the community. At that point, the only answer will be lockdowns and mass vaccinations..."

https://www.discovermagazine.com/simulation-shows-that-bird-flu-could-become-a-p...
----------------------------------------------------

Cherian, P., Menon, G.I. Modelling a potential zoonotic spillover event of H5N1 influenza. BMC Public Health 25, 3983 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-25358-5 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-25358-5#Abs1

Abstract
Background
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a prominent candidate for a future human pandemic arising from a zoonotic spillover event. Its best-known subtype is H5N1, with South- or South-East Asia a likely location for an initial outbreak. Such an outbreak would be initiated through a primary event of bird-to-human infection, followed by sustained human-to-human transmission. Early interventions require the extraction, integration and interpretation of epidemiological information from the limited and noisy case data available at outbreak onset.

Methods
We studied the implications of a potential zoonotic spillover of H5N1 influenza into humans. Our simulations used BharatSim, an agent-based model framework designed primarily for the population of India, but which can be tuned easily for others. We considered a synthetic population representing primary contacts in an outbreak site with infected birds. These primary contacts transfer infections to secondary (household) contacts, from where the infection spreads further. We simulate outbreak scenarios in farm as well as wet-market settings, accounting for the network structure of human contacts and the stochasticity of the infection process. We further simulated multiple interventions, including bird-culling, quarantines, and vaccinations.

Results
We show how limited, noisy data for primary and secondary infections can be used to estimate epidemiological transmission parameters, such as the basic reproductive ratio
from other metrics like the secondary attack risk, in realistic social interaction settings. We describe the impact of early interventions (bird-culling, quarantines, and vaccination), taken together or separately, in slowing or terminating the outbreak.

Conclusions
An individual-based model allows for the most granular description of the bird-human spillover and subsequent human-to-human transmission for the case of H5N1. Such models can be contextualised to individual communities across varied geographies, given representative contact networks. We show how such models allow for the systematic real-time exploration of policy measures that could constrain disease-spread, as well as guide a better understanding of disease epidemiology for an emerging infectious disease.

Kitty potential as carriers of avian flu. Viral shifts from respiratory to nervous systems seen in cats...

Shubhada K. Chothe et al. 2025. Marked neurotropism and potential adaptation of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4.b virus in naturally infected domestic cats. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2024.2440498 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22221751.2024.2440498

... Discussion
Increasing evidence suggests recent shifts in the patterns of mammalian infections with the HPAI H5N1 viruses worldwide, indicating ongoing adaptation to infect mammalian hosts ... In addition, the host range of the HPAIV H5N1 virus has been expanding, with clade 2.3.4.4b spillovers now detected in various mammalian species. These include both domestic and wild carnivores, such as domestic cats ..., red foxes ..., multiple bear species ..., and seals ... among others. This growing list of susceptible mammalian hosts highlights the virus's ability to cross species barriers, raising concerns about its potential impact on wildlife and domestic animal populations.

In this study, we report a natural H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus infection resulting in the deaths of ten cats in rural South Dakota... evidence points toward a plausible cattle-to-bird-to-cat transmission pathway...

... There is a notable shift in the neurotropism of HPAI H5N1 viruses, particularly with the emergence of clade 2.3.4.4b in cats and wild carnivores like foxes...

We identified several key mutations in the H5N1 sequence from infected cats that may suggest adaptation to cats...

Consistent with our findings, a 2023 study reported H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection in cats in Poland with multi-organ lesions and higher viral load in the brain compared to the respiratory tract ...

The co-expression of avian and mammalian SA receptors in cats identified in this study, combined with their potential exposure to various influenza viruses, poses a significant risk for genetic reassortment of different influenza strains, leading to the emergence of novel viral variants. ...

In many rural households, as was the case with the infected cats in rural South Dakota reported in this study, cats are often housed outdoors, used for pest control, and considered family pets. This unique role exposes them to diverse environments and interactions, including terrestrial, aquatic, wild birds, and other livestock animals and humans. This exposure puts cats at a higher risk of encountering a broad spectrum of avian and mammalian influenza viruses. Notably, a recent study found that stray cats in the Netherlands were frequently exposed to HPAI H5, with a seropositivity rate of 11.8% among clinically healthy individuals ... The presence of asymptomatic infections in cats with H5N1 is a significant threat as these cats could serve as silent carriers, transmitting the virus to humans without showing any clinical signs of illness.

The continued exposure, viral circulation, and adaptation of the H5N1 virus in cats raise significant concerns for transmission and public health. Cats, common companion animals that frequently interact with humans and other species, could serve as a bridge for cross-species transmission of H5N1 viruses. Infected cats develop systemic infections and shed the virus through both respiratory and digestive tracts ..., potentially creating multiple routes of exposure to humans. Furthermore, the ability of the virus to persist and adapt in mammalian hosts heightens the risk of evolving into strains with increased transmissibility, posing an emerging zoonotic threat with profound public health implications. As H5N1 viruses continue to infect a wide range of avian and mammalian hosts, including an increasing number of human cases, there is an urgent need for coordinated One Health surveillance to monitor the spread of H5N1 among domestic and wild birds, animals, and humans.

Oh, great. Avian flu virus is less vulnerable to mammalian fevers than co-adapted mammalian viruses. (Bird body temperatures are higher than mammals'.)

Matthew L. Turnbull et al. 2025. Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals. 27 November 2025, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adq4691 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq4691

Editor’s summary
Birds operate at body temperatures several degrees higher than those of mammals, and, like mammals, birds are infected by influenza viruses. Influenza viruses can move between animal hosts, often reassorting their gene segments as they transition. Knowing that the body temperature of humans often elevates when sick, Turnbull et al. investigated whether virus gene segments originating from hot-blooded birds may give the virus an advantage in feverish mammals. They found that a viral polymerase containing an avian origin PB1 subunit indeed allowed the virus to replicate at higher temperatures in vitro and in a hyperthermic mouse model. —Caroline Ash

Cross-posted in SARS-CoV2 thread:

SARS-CoV-2 is on the decline in animals, study finds
Meg Dalton | Jan 9, 2026
https://news.yale.edu/2026/01/09/sars-cov-2-decline-animals-study-finds
--------------------------------------------

Sylvester Ibemgbo et al. 2025. The coronaviral landscape across diverse mammalian species in the Northeastern United States. Sci Rep (20 Dec 2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-32849-3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-32849-3 Open Access

Ye, RZ., Li, YY., Wang, XY. et al. Tick-borne viruses: discovery, clinical aspects, influencing factors and control. Nat Rev Microbiol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-026-01277-z https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-026-01277-z

"Abstract... This Review summarizes tick virome diversity, outlines the growing threat of TBVs {tick-borne viruses} to humans and animals, and describes the clinical features of TBV infections in humans. In addition, we review the factors contributing to the increasing tick density and expanding geographic distribution, and their role as vectors in further facilitating the spread of TBVs, and we highlight the need for integrated One Health strategies to control ticks and TBVs..."

Avian flu continues spread in Pennsylvania egg, turkey facilities
Stephanie Soucheray | February 19, 2026

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed more H5N1 avian flu outbreaks in Pennsylvania poultry facilities this week, including six detections in Lancaster County, which has seen a dramatic uptick in H5N1 activity in the past several weeks. The largest outbreaks are in commercial egg-layer sites ...

In the past 30 days, 51 US flocks have been confirmed to have avian flu, including 23 commercial flocks and 28 backyard flocks. ... Pennsylvania is the epicenter of activity, with 11 affected commercial flocks, six affected backyard flocks, and 7,165,500 birds affected in this outbreak.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/avian-flu-continues-spread-p...

How a common brain parasite disrupts neural communication
Iqbal Pittalwala | June 18, 2025

"... Toxoplasma gondii can infect nearly any warm-blooded animal and prefers to live inside brain cells, forming cysts in neurons that can persist for life. The researchers report that they found infected neurons release fewer extracellular vesicles (EVs) — tiny, membrane-bound packets used by cells to exchange information.

“We found this disruption in EV signaling can interfere with how neurons and glial cells, especially astrocytes, maintain a healthy brain environment,” said Emma H. Wilson, a professor of biomedical sciences in the UC Riverside School of Medicine who led the research team. “Even a handful of infected neurons can shift the brain’s neurochemical balance. This suggests that communication between neurons and supporting glial cells is not only critical, but also vulnerable to hijacking by parasites.”

Approximately 10–30% of people in the United States are infected with Toxoplasma gondii, often without knowing it. The parasite is typically contracted through undercooked meat or exposure to cat feces....

Wilson explained that in healthy mouse brains astrocytes regulate neurotransmitters like glutamate, ensuring that neurons do not become overexcited. But when neurons infected with Toxoplasma gondii stop sending the right EV signals, this regulation breaks down. The result is elevated glutamate levels, which can lead to seizures, neural damage, or altered brain connectivity.

... “Pregnant individuals should be cautious as the parasite can cause serious birth defects if contracted for the first time during pregnancy. The most effective prevention is proper food handling and hygiene. Cook meat thoroughly, wash vegetables, and always wash your hands after handling cat litter, especially from young cats, which are more likely to shed the parasite.” ...

https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2025/06/18/how-common-brain-parasite-disrupts-neur...
-----------------------------------------

Emily Z. Tabaie et al. 2025. Toxoplasma gondii infection of neurons alters the production and content of extracellular vesicles directing astrocyte phenotype and contributing to the loss of GLT-1 in the infected brain. PLoS, Version 2. Published: June 16, 2025
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012733 https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1012733 Open Access

First Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Northern Elephant Seals Confirmed in California
UC Davis News and Media Relations | February 25, 2026

"...Seven weaned elephant seal pups in California’s Año Nuevo State Park tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed Tuesday evening.

The outbreak marks the first cases of HPAI H5N1 in marine mammals in California and the first detection in northern elephant seals. The disease decimated populations of a related species, southern elephant seals, in Argentina in 2023.

... On Feb. 19 and 20, Beltran’s team noticed seals at Año Nuevo Reserve with abnormal respiratory and neurological signs, including weakness and tremors. They collected samples from sick and dead elephant seals and took them to UC Davis for testing at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System. Initial screening revealed the samples were positive for avian influenza, which the USDA’s NVSL lab now confirms is HPAI H5N1 ..."

https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/first-cases-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenz...

Spring bird migrations underway ...

March 8, 2026
"Bird flu spreads to six Bihar districts as fresh cases reported in crows from Bhagalpur, Purnia {India} ..."
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/india/h5n1-tracking-ah/india-tracking-by-sta...
___________________________________

Avian Flu Strikes California’s Northern Elephant Seals; Area Quarantined – Analysis
Christine Heinrichs | March 9, 2026
https://www.eurasiareview.com/09032026-avian-flu-strikes-californias-northern-el...
___________________________________

Westchester County - Village of Croton-on-Hudson {NY}
POSTED ON: MARCH 8, 2026 - 10:00AM​

"... Over the past few weeks, a number of dead birds have been found by residents on private property or within Village parks. While it is unknown if these birds had avian influenza, the Westchester County Dept. of Health has reported that avian influenza has previously been detected within the county..."

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/united-states/h5n1-tracking-af/new-york/9849...
___________________________________

Hundreds of rare manatees gather in winter for Blue Springs warmth ... At least they don't loll on beaches as elephant seals do!

101 vultures found dead at Blue Spring State Park, likely from bird flu
Marian Summerall | February 26, 2026
https://www.cfpublic.org/environment/2026-02-26/101-vultures-found-dead-at-blue-...

Anthony I. M. Smith et al. 2026. Risk communication on avian flu biosecurity: social research, audience segmentation, and communication strategy for an EU awareness-raising campaign. EFSA {European Food Safety Authority} Supporting Publications Volume 23, Issue 3. Mar 2026 Technical report (40 p) https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/sp.efsa.2026.EN-10003

Abstract
... Findings indicate that while general awareness of AI is high, knowledge of transmission pathways, symptoms and the effectiveness of specific biosecurity measures is uneven, particularly among small-scale farmers and backyard keepers. Behavioural, psychological and structural barriers—rather than lack of awareness—limit consistent implementation across segments. Five distinct audience segments—four farmer segments and one operational workforce segment—were identified. A sixth group composed of trusted intermediaries, especially veterinarians, emerge as pivotal for communication credibility and behavioural influence. The report proposes a phased, three-year communication strategy progressing from legitimacy-building to facilitated adoption and long-term reinforcement, supported by a coherent channel architecture and a robust evaluation framework. Overall, the report provides an integrated, evidence-driven foundation for an EU-level biosecurity communication campaign capable of enhancing awareness and resilience, strengthening behavioural uptake and contributing to reduced AI transmission risk across the poultry sector.
----------------------------------------------

EFSA: Risk communication on Avian Flu Biosecurity
Today {}19 March 2026} , 06:27 AM

"Last August, in 'H5Nx: Reassort & Repeat', we looked at worrying signs - in both Europe and North America - that this fall's avian flu season might be unusually robust.

Again, in November (see 'A Robust Start To Avian Flu Season In Europe & North America'), we saw additional indications that the recent trend in declining European HPAI outbreaks might be over, and that we could be on the verge of seeing a significant uptick in bird flu activity.

The above graphic from last week's EFSA quarterly report on avian flu {European reports of flu in domestic/wild birds 2019-2025} confirms those fears, as the number of detections in wild and migratory birds dwarfs anything we've seen before, and the number of affected poultry farms is the highest we've seen in 4 years.

Europe's avian flu season is far from over, and whatever respite they get over the summer could be short-lived.

While it is possible that avian flu activity could decline next year, the reality is the virus is now solidly endemic in wild and migratory birds, and the threat is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Because of this open-ended threat, the European Commission has asked the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) to produce a risk communications strategy ... "{above}

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/internet-communication/avian-flu-diary/10317...

Mysterious Seafood Virus May Be Behind Emerging Eye Disease, Scientists Warn
Ed Cara | April 8, 2026

"... Scientists in China have linked the covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV) to cases of a condition known as persistent ocular hypertension viral anterior uveitis, or POH-VAU {can cause permanent blindness}. They found evidence of the virus in the eye tissues of people with POH-VAU, many of whom reported recent exposure to raw seafood or marine animals; they also found that CMNV could cause similar eye symptoms in infected mice. If confirmed, CMNV would appear to be the first virus native to aquatic life tied to an eye disease in people—one that could become a growing health concern, the researchers warn.

... POH-VAU is an emerging eye disease characterized by high intraocular pressure and inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. Chronic or recurrent cases of viral anterior uveitis (anterior refers to the frontmost part of the uvea) are typically caused by certain herpesviruses, including the herpes simplex virus (the cause of herpes). But the study researchers have been documenting a rise of POH-VAU cases in China not linked to any of these common culprits.

... The researchers also looked at data showing that CMNV has been detected in 49 aquatic species so far. These species live in waters throughout the world, including the Americas and Europe ..."

https://gizmodo.com/mysterious-seafood-virus-may-be-behind-emerging-eye-disease-...
---------------------------------------------------

Shuang Liu et al. 2026. An emerging human eye disease is associated with aquatic virus zoonotic infection. Nature Microbiology. Published online: 26 March 2026. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-026-02266-x

"ABSTRACT ... Epidemiological data indicate that frequent unprotected processing of aquatic animals and consumption of raw aquatic animals were commonly reported exposure events, collectively accounting for 71.4% of investigated cases ..."

{Gift Article https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-026-02266-x.epdf?sharing_token=BcTYuRehIJ...

WHO Webinar: Ultra-processed foods: a One Health agenda for action and accountability
Date & Time: Apr 10, 2026 07:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada), 90 minutes

Description
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly dominant in global food markets and supply chains, reshaping food environments and dietary patterns worldwide. While often discussed in relation to diet-related noncommunicable diseases, UPFs are embedded in broader industrial food systems that intersect with agriculture, food safety, environmental sustainability and trade. As such, they influence not only dietary exposures but also production systems, environmental pressures and the management of foodborne hazards.

At the same time, health threats at the human–animal–environment interface — including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety incidents and environmental degradation — are increasing in scale and complexity. These interconnected risks cannot be addressed through isolated approaches.

This side event will examine ultra-processed foods through a One Health lens, exploring how modern food systems contribute to these interconnected risks and how more integrated responses can be advanced. Through expert inputs and discussion, the session will highlight emerging evidence on dietary, environmental and exposure pathways linked to UPFs, and identify practical entry points for action within existing regulatory functions.

The discussion will focus on strengthening policy coherence and accountability across sectors, and identifying concrete opportunities to operationalize One Health in food system governance.

Webinar Registration ...

https://who.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BgSY033HTmSzOiz2fDSSgw#/registration

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2026/04/10/default-calendar/ultra-pr...

Vampire bats in Mexico may feed on CWD-positive deer, spreading disease and posing species-jump threat
Mary Van Beusekom | April 9, 2026

"... chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids such as deer, elk, and moose ... has been spreading in North America for decades and has now been found as far south as New Mexico and Texas, with a prevalence as high as 11% in mule deer in one area. At the same time, climate change is driving vampire bats northward, and they are predicted to arrive in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the next 10 to 50 years ..."

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/chronic-wasting-disease/vampire-bats-mexico-may-feed-...
-----------------------------------------

Lexi E Frank et al. 2026. Emerging risks at the vampire bat–prion interface: implications for wildlife, livestock, and public health. Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 107, Issue 2, April 2026, Pages 400–406, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyag004 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/107/2/400/8516565

Juliette Blais-Savoie et al. 2026. Examining the Threat of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza to Human Health (Review). CHEST Volume 169, Issue 4, April 2026, Pages 947-957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2025.10.030 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012369225056582

Topic Importance
The clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 is the etiologic agent for an ongoing panzootic with a rapidly increasing number of human infections. Although morbidity and mortality in humans with this clade seems to be limited to date, previous HPAI H5N1 viruses have been associated with mortality rates of approximately 50% in humans. Not all cases of clade 2.3.4.4b influenza A(H5N1) HPAI in humans have been associated with known exposure to infected animals. Therefore, clinicians must be aware of the changing viral ecology, human risk factors, and clinical presentations associated with H5N1 viruses to facilitate early case recognition and management of clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) HPAI infection in humans...

Parasitic tapeworm — a risk to domestic dogs and humans — found in Washington {state} coyotes
Gillian Dohrn, UW News | April 6, 2026

"... When E. multilocularis infects an animal or person, it causes cancer-like cysts to form in the liver and sometimes other organs. If untreated, infection can be fatal {alveolar echinococcosis}.

However, not all carriers become sick. E. multilocularis has a complex life cycle that involves multiple hosts. Canids, which host adult parasites, can support thousands of worms in their intestines without becoming sick. The worms shed eggs that are then passed in their feces.

Rodents — another host — become infected by eating food contaminated with coyote feces. Once consumed, the parasite eggs migrate to the liver and form cysts, ultimately weakening or killing the rodents. The parasite’s life cycle begins again when coyotes prey upon infected rodents.

Humans and domestic dogs are categorized as accidental hosts. Humans may pick up the parasite by consuming tapeworm eggs — in food that is contaminated with coyote or dog feces, for example — and can develop a disease called alveolar echinococcosis, characterized by slow-growing metastatic cysts. Symptoms may not appear for five to 15 years after exposure, which complicates diagnosis and treatment.

Alveolar echinococcosis is considered the third most important food-borne illness globally, and one of the top 20 neglected tropical diseases by the World Health Organization. Many countries have developed robust protocols for tracking it.

Domestic dogs that are exposed to E. multilocularis may or may not become sick, depending on where the parasite is in its life cycle at exposure. It is more common for dogs to carry the parasite and shed eggs without developing disease, but dogs that are exposed to parasite eggs may develop the same cancer-like cysts as other infected animals.

“To minimize the risk of dogs getting infected with E. multilocularis, owners should not let them prey on rodents or scavenge their carcasses,” said co-author Guilherme Verocai, an associate professor and director of the Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Owners can also give dogs preventative medication for worms and ticks and ensure routine veterinary care, which should include diagnostic tests for parasites, Verocai said..."

https://www.washington.edu/news/2026/04/06/parasitic-tapeworm-a-risk-to-domestic...
---------------------------------------------------

Yasmine Hentati et al. 2026. Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in coyotes in Washington State, USA highlights need for increased wildlife surveillance. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Published: March 24, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013502 https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0013502 OPEN ACCESS

"Abstract
Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic cestode {disease-causing tapeworm} that uses canids as definitive hosts and rodents as intermediate hosts. In humans, this parasite is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Recently, its range has been expanding across the Northern Hemisphere, and it is increasingly detected in wild canids, domestic dogs, and humans across Canada and the United States. While this expansion has been documented in isolated studies across the continent, a lack of routine sampling in wildlife hinders our ability to anticipate and mitigate further spread of E. multilocularis. We confirmed the presence of E. multilocularis in Washington State, USA, using a combination of morphological and molecular techniques across carcasses and field-collected scats {feces} of coyotes (Canis latrans), this region’s most common wild canid. Morphological identification of adult worms was confirmed by next-generation sequencing. Over a third of all samples tested positive for E. multilocularis when all methodologies were combined. Sequencing revealed a haplotype of E. multilocularis matching a documented haplotype originally of European origin in British Columbia, Canada. Our study provides the first confirmation of E. multilocularis in a wild host on the west coast of the contiguous United States and provides additional haplotype information crucial to tracking the geographical expansion of the parasite. ... fecal sampling using DNA metabarcoding - a popular method of helminth surveillance - may lead to underestimation of prevalence, hindering control measures. The global significance of these findings extends beyond North America; E. multilocularis is a major public health concern in Europe and Asia, where alveolar echinococcosis is increasingly diagnosed in humans. Our study highlights the urgent need for increased surveillance and improved diagnostic strategies worldwide, particularly in regions with significant human-wildlife contact."

Fig 1. A map of the United States and Canada depicting the expansion of E. multilocularis over the last several decades. https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0013502 https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0013502
_____________________________________

"Cats can become infected with echinococcosis by eating an infected rodent (e.g., mice and squirrels), although infection is more common in dogs ... Infected cats are usually asymptomatic (show no symptoms). This disease typically has little impact on cats, because it remains confined to the gastrointestinal tract in most cases. It is primarily a concern because of its potential effects on human health." https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/echinococcosis-in-cats

>89 margd: Sadly, I doubt that the US has a 'robust protocol'.

This is far more serious than one would think. For instance, I have horses, which eat baled hay. Those hay bales sit out in the fields until they are gathered for storage. Those same hay bales will usually have mice underneath them. The farmers almost invariably have dogs following them and when those bales get picked up, the dogs gleefully snap up all the rodents.

I live in a very rural community. It is not uncommon for people in this community to neglect basic health care for their animals because they can't afford to purchase flex/tick medications.

All in all, this is a quite unpleasant disease, and we have an idiot running the country.

>91 margd: At least in US, flea/tick/worm/mange meds don't require an Rx... Rx is required in Ontario (if not Canada), and veterinarian services there are EXPENSIVE! (Apparently private practices are being bought up by investors?)

>91 margd: the best flea/tick/HEARTWORM medications are prescription meds in the US.

Hookworm, roundworm, whipworms, and flea tapeworms are difficult to spot using a standard fecal float test. They can detected by the use of an antigen test, but that is expensive and requires a veterinarian to do the testing.

Most people aren't going to go to the expense of the antigen test, and the areas where this particular tapeworm has been found are areas which are also likely to be like my county--rural, and poor.

Sounds like a disaster in the making, honestly.

>92 MsMixte: Our oldest son was adopted from a rural area in Asia. Poor kid had distended stomach, pain, and diarrhea - bloody according to orphanage infirmary records... Once in US, it took MDs a month to find and treat all four species parasites. I remember rushing poop to the lab so it would be fresh enough for diagnosis. I remember marvelling that they could run an orphanage if all the kids were suffering so, but nothing much different in his exposure history as far as I could tell. WE escaped infection. Made me wonder if some individuals are simply more susceptible?

>93 margd: the young and the old, always more susceptible. Your poor son, at least he got sorted!

Uh oh? Hantah Virus's Andes strain appears to have presymptomatic transmission.

Lazarus Long @LazarusLong13 | 6:07 PM · May 9, 2026:
Clean Air Advocate

Andes Virus is now confirmed to have presymptomatic transmission.
48 hours before start of symptoms.

Dr. Gustavo Palacios, a microbiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, did the 2018 outbreak study

(CBC - 0:23) https://x.com/LazarusLong13/status/2053235311757435110

Toxoplasma Made Me Do It: How Parasites Influence Behavior
Madeline Barron | May 15, 2026

"... T. gondii infection has been linked to cognition, personality traits and disorders like schizophrenia in humans. Research suggests there is an association between infection by the parasite and increased aggression and impulsivity, a heightened risk for motor vehicle accidents and a reduced response to monetary rewards after completing challenging cognitive tasks. One study of over 16,000 Danish women showed that T. gondii infection was associated with an increased probability of becoming an entrepreneur—a decidedly risky move.

... how does T. gondii know it’s in a cat and not a person, mouse or wolf? “Cats have really interesting, weird metabolism,” Knoll said. “They evolved as carnivores in desert or low-nutrient situations and have several aspects of their metabolism that are very different {from} other mammals.” Her lab determined that, unlike all other mammals, cats do not express an enzyme in their guts that metabolizes the fatty acid linoleic acid, likely to avoid wasting calories on costly lipid mediators. “So, the linoleic acid in the guts is a signal {to the parasites} that says, ‘Oh, I'm in a cat. This is where we have sexual reproduction.’

... Even if a host isn’t gulped down by a cat, but a different animal instead, the parasite is passed on—and that is a net positive overall. That said, it’s rare for humans to be eaten by cats, or anything for that matter. Why does the parasite affect us at all? It’s possible that parasite-associated behavioral modifications in people evolved when feline predation was a significant threat to humans. They may also have evolved in other, more frequently consumed hosts and are just a side effect of infection in people.

Webster noted that some of the more severe T. gondii-associated pathologies, like schizophrenia, may arise because people and other animals live longer than rodents ...

How Does T. gondii Manipulate Its Host?
- The Role of Dopamine
- Extracellular Vesicles and miRNAs
- Hormones, the Microbiome and Co-Infections

Studying One to Understand Many ... "

https://asm.org/articles/2026/may/toxoplasma-made-me-do-it-how-parasites-influen...

Tick season is getting worse. Can managing deer help?
Pien Huang | June 19, 2026
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/19/nx-s1-5856461/tick-deer-alpha-gal-lonestar