Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
Take-Home Messages
- This is the first reported spread of
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in cows, we are still learning
how the virus is transmitted and how this impacts the animal and public
health.
- Dairy farms are segregating cows showing signs of illness, limiting potential viral loads in raw milk.
- If
HPAI virus is present in raw milk it is expected to be inactivated by
milk pasteurization as less heat intensive pasteurization practices used
in other foods have been shown to effectively reduce HPAI viral loads.
- Viral
remnants (e.g., genetic material) from inactivated HPAI virus can still
be detected using PCR in pasteurized milk; however, this presence does
not represent a public health risk because only live, infectious virus
can cause an illness.
For more information, visit
CALS Cornell Institute for Food Safety
CALS Cornell Pro Dairy
Resources for Backyard Flocks
Resources for Famers