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Texas Veterinarian Helped Crack Mystery of Bird Flu in Cows
The first calls that Dr. Barb Petersen received in early March were from dairy owners worried about crows, pigeons and other birds dying on their Texas farms. Then came word that barn cats -- half of them on one farm -- had died suddenly.
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Gal_Tuesday
Joined 2003/07/01Visited 2024/05/16
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Within days, the Amarillo veterinarian was hearing about sick cows with unusual symptoms: high fevers, reluctance to eat and much less milk. Tests for typical illnesses came back negative. Petersen, who monitors more than 40,000 cattle on a dozen farms in the Texas Panhandle, collected samples from cats and cows and sent them to Dr. Drew Magstadt, a friend from college who now works at the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Iowa State University. The samples tested positive for a bird flu virus never before seen in cattle. It was the first proof that the bird flu, known as Type A H5N1, could infect cows. As of Wednesday, 36 U.S. herds had confirmed infections, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. "It was just a surprise," recalled Petersen. "It was just a little bit of disbelief." At the same time, on almost every farm with sick animals, Petersen said she saw sick people, too.
Petersen, who monitors more than 40,000 cattle on a dozen farms in the Texas Panhandle, collected samples from cats and cows and sent them to Dr. Drew Magstadt, a friend from college who now works at the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Iowa State University.
The samples tested positive for a bird flu virus never before seen in cattle. It was the first proof that the bird flu, known as Type A H5N1, could infect cows. As of Wednesday, 36 U.S. herds had confirmed infections, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.
"It was just a surprise," recalled Petersen. "It was just a little bit of disbelief."
At the same time, on almost every farm with sick animals, Petersen said she saw sick people, too.
#1 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-05-01 08:53 PM | Reply
"The samples tested positive for a bird flu virus never before seen in cattle. It was the first proof that the bird flu, known as Type A H5N1, could infect cows."
Oh look it's the mutating flu virus that everyone has just assumed would be the next global pandemic, since we already had a global flu pandemic in the 60s and after WWI.
#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-01 08:56 PM | Reply
@#2 ... everyone has just assumed would be the next global pandemic ...
Maybe, maybe not.
Too soon to tell.
The problem is that infections spread across species. So, maybe it is good to be aware?
For example...
Alarming superbug from deadly eyedrop outbreak has spread to dogs arstechnica.com
... Two separately owned dogs in New Jersey tested positive last year for a dreaded, extensively drug resistant bacterial strain spread in the US by contaminated artificial eye drops manufactured in India. Those drops caused a deadly multi-state outbreak in humans over many months last year, with at least 81 people ultimately infected across 18 states. Fourteen people lost their vision, an additional four had eyeballs surgically removed, and four people died. The preliminary data on the dogs -- presented recently at a conference of disease detectives hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- highlights that now that the deadly outbreak strain has been introduced around the US, it has the potential to lurk in unexpected places, spread its drug resistance to fellow bacteria, and cause new infections in people and animals who may have never used the drops. ...
The preliminary data on the dogs -- presented recently at a conference of disease detectives hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- highlights that now that the deadly outbreak strain has been introduced around the US, it has the potential to lurk in unexpected places, spread its drug resistance to fellow bacteria, and cause new infections in people and animals who may have never used the drops. ...
#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-01 09:25 PM | Reply
"spread in the US by contaminated artificial eye drops manufactured in India"
We shouldn't be outsourcing this kind of thing to that kind of place.
#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-01 09:58 PM | Reply
@#4 ... We shouldn't be outsourcing this kind of thing to that kind of place. ...
But we do.
And now we have to deal with the ramifications of those decisions.
#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-01 10:10 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
Next up... Rand Paul and his hair hat will be accusing this veterinarian of created this virus in their secret bio lab under a Starbucks in Hoboken.
#6 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-05-02 07:23 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
Don't worry guys, Trump is going to close the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy to make sure we wont have any more pandemics. /s
#7 | Posted by qcp at 2024-05-02 09:54 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 4
Trump is going to close the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy
I can't believe that almost 50% of Americans think this is a good thing, but then again Sporkfoot.
#8 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-05-02 11:03 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2
#3 | Posted by LampLighter
Yes they do spread across species but we are taught they mostly don't. This really isn't the truth of it. For example the current remaining Flu virus that is running through people is believed to be of Avian flu origination. We have been having all the warnings for quite some time about this current Avian flu virus that is wiping out birds globally. As far as warm blooded creatures go, humans don't get much different than to birds and it has jumped to humans many times already - just like COVID was recorded jumping to other animals like our pets, mink, etc. I think it is just nutty or researchers are in denial to think most infectious disease has limited hosts. The fact is you just don't know what will happen when it jumps hosts too. For some hosts it may not even result in symptoms but others it may be life threatening.
All that to say our current mega farming practices are one of the worst things we could be doing. They are breeding pools for pathogens.
#9 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-05-02 11:53 AM | Reply
Article says they tested and found chopped up bits of flu virus in 20% of milk, killed by pasteurization.
Industrial farming practices effectively guarantee this kind of thing will happen sooner or later.
#10 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-02 12:09 PM | Reply
And that, kids, is why you don't drink raw milk.
#11 | Posted by qcp at 2024-05-02 01:57 PM | Reply
Article says they tested and found chopped up bits of flu virus in 20% of milk, killed by pasteurization. And that, kids, is why you don't drink raw milk. #11 | Posted by qcp at 2024-05-02 01:57 PM
Sure, you are what you eat. Pasteurization and homogenization modify the existing, perfect food.
Sources and practices MATTER.
#12 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2024-05-02 05:00 PM | Reply | Funny: 1
Cooking does that too, moron.
#13 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-05-02 07:55 PM | Reply
Cooking does that too, moron. #13 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-05-02 07:55 PM
My point is that there should be no virus present and processing infected animal secretions doesn't address this source issue.
Sourced raw milk is fine and is a healthier food.
#14 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2024-05-02 08:19 PM | Reply | Funny: 1
To someone who thinks listeria is hilarious.
#15 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-05-03 12:23 AM | Reply
#12 | POSTED BY REDLIGHTROBOT
It's not a "perfect" food if it can contain a deadly virus and you are advertising it as safe. Sounds more like a perfect crime to me.
#16 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-03 02:46 PM | Reply
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