Using COVID lessons to tackle H5N1 avian flu in livestock and milk supply

Rewritten article: Scientists have been taking cues from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to combat potential hazards of avian influenza H5N1 – also known as bird flu – which is currently spreading among livestock in both the US and its domestic dairy supply. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that samples taken from commercial milk have tested positive for virus particles, with 20% of these tests showing signs of infection. This testing protocol closely mirrors that used during the early stages of COVID-19 when individuals exhibiting symptoms were subjected to rapid PCR tests – which can identify even trace remnants of viral material but do not necessarily indicate live virus particles capable of causing illness in either animals or humans. Professor Andrew Pekosz, an expert on microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained that these tests are highly sensitive, making them useful during crises as they can be rapidly produced and disseminated to affected areas without the need for lengthy confirmatory testing. However, he also noted that such PCR tests do not necessarily indicate live virus particles capable of causing illness in either animals or humans – a point echoed by FDA officials who have insisted that pasteurisation is an effective safeguard against human infection from contaminated milk supplies. The recent detection of the H5N1 strain has, however, raised scientific concerns over its mutations and how far it’s spreading across America since more virulent strains have been circulating in the US for several years now – with a second confirmed case among humans being reported earlier this month. This latest human infection is believed to be the first ever contracted from close contact with sick cows, prompting calls by scientists and health officials alike for greater transparency over genetic sequences of testing samples as they seek to better understand mutations associated with avian flu in its spread across different areas around the US – while emphasising that these changes do not appear to be making the virus more dangerous to humans. Pekosz, meanwhile, has also highlighted a need to test larger numbers of cows beyond those currently displaying symptoms due once again to yet another parallel between H5N1 and COVID-19: “For months we were just testing sick people [during the pandemic] … Eventually you have to know how widespread an outbreak is – regardless of whether it’s humans, dogs or animals.” Pekosz also called for greater coordination among different agencies responsible for reporting on this particular avian flu outbreak as he highlighted that while each organisation has its own responsibilities when it comes to addressing such health hazards, a centralised place where all relevant information is collated and disseminated will be an essential improvement moving forward – not least because effective communication can go some way in helping people understand the scope of any given crisis more quickly.