Latest news with #H5N1-infected
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
RFK-backed ostrich farm fighting H5N1 cull boasted of turning birds into pet food
An H5N1-infected ostrich farm which has become a cause célèbre among animal rights campaigners and the US health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, once boasted of 'rendering' the birds down in vats so that their oil could be used in cosmetics and pet food. Universal Ostrich Farms, located in British Columbia, made headlines earlier this month after its owners claimed they were being unfairly ordered to cull their flock of around 400 birds by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The cull order came after the CFIA said that several of the animals had contracted H5N1, the deadly avian flu virus that has decimated bird populations worldwide and which experts fear could one day jump to humans. Thousands of similar cull orders have been issued to infected farms around the world as the virus has spread, but the Canadian ostriches appear to have won a brief stay of execution after being swept up in the US-Canadian culture wars. A 'Save our Ostriches' campaign launched by the farm's owners has been jumped on by both animal rights activists and MAGA supporters in the US. Some 69 ostriches have died on the farm since an outbreak began in December last year, when PCR testing came back positive for H5N1. The farm's owners demanded the CFIA carry out further testing but their request was denied, and they are now claiming that the remaining birds have developed 'herd immunity,' catching the eye of RFK Jr, who has petitioned to have the birds relocated to Florida for further testing. Scientists have called the proposal both dangerous and irresponsible, given the serious risks any infected birds pose to public health. The farm's new 'Save Our Ostriches' website certainly pulls at the heartstrings but the contrast with the original website, still available through the internet archive, could not be sharper. While the new site urges readers to donate up to $1,000 or more to save the 398 remaining birds, the original site talked of 'processing and rendering' and selling the 'meat, skin and oil' of ostriches all over the world. 'Full vertical integration improves quality, increases efficiency, and boosts profitability,' the original website reads. 'Help save Anna. She's feisty, confident, and always full of attitude,' says the new, MAGA-friendly site today, beneath a cutesy picture of a fluffy and determined looking bird. Ostrich meat is imported and sold in Britain, including at major supermarkets but it is not clear if burgers and steaks from Universal Ostrich Farms were ever sold here. In British Columbia, Katie Pasitney, the daughter of one of the farm's owners, Karen Espersen, and now acting spokesperson for both her mother and business partner Dave Bilinski, has appeared in several emotional videos in recent weeks appealing for public help and support. The farm says the birds have not been used for meat since 2020, and are now mainly involved in medical research – specifically, the extraction of antibodies from ostrich eggs. However, official court documents from the recent dispute with CFIA contradict this claim. They state that 'some level of ostrich sales, along with sales or planned sales of products derived from ostrich fat and eggshells, continued through to at least December 2024'. The H5N1 avian flu virus was first detected in the late 1990s, but has spread rapidly through animal populations since 2020, killing millions of wild and farmed birds as well as a huge range of mammals – including polar bears, rhinos, whales, foxes, as well as domestic pets including cats and dogs. Thousands of poultry farms around the world – including in Britain – have been forced to cull their flocks, causing the price of eggs to skyrocket to unprecedented levels. Last year, the virus 'jumped' into the US cattle chain and since has become endemic. More than 1,000 dairy herds have been infected with the virus, and a fifth of the country's milk supply now contains detectable traces of H5N1. At least 70 people in the US, mostly poultry and dairy farm workers, have also caught the virus, one of whom has died. The virus's exponential spread comes at a time when the Trump administration has dramatically cut back on the government's response to H5N1. Just last week, the administration announced it had cancelled a $766 million contract with pharmaceutical giant Moderna for the mass-production of mRNA bird flu vaccines. The agreement was intended to strengthen the country's pandemic preparedness by diversifying its emergency H5N1 vaccine stocks. RFK Jr, a long-time vaccine sceptic, has repeatedly expressed concerns over the safety of mRNA vaccines despite them having saved millions of lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. President Trump has also cut funding to several departments at the US Department of Agriculture and Centre for Disease Control responsible for monitoring and containing the spread of H5N1. It makes RFK Jr's intervention into the Canadian ostriches' fate even more baffling. 'We believe significant scientific knowledge may be garnered from following the ostriches in a controlled environment,' Mr Kennedy wrote in a letter to the head of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Experts say the scientific value of the ostriches is minimal, as similar studies have already been conducted in other parts of the world, and transporting any sickened birds would put people and other farms at risk. In a statement published over the weekend, the CFAI said: '[Our] response to highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic poultry is based on an approach known as 'stamping-out', as defined by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). 'Stamping-out is the internationally recognised standard and is a primary tool to manage the spread of [H5N1] and mitigate risks to animal and human health as well as enable international trade.' 'Given that the flock has had multiple laboratory-confirmed cases of H5N1 and the ongoing serious risks for animal and human health, and trade, the CFIA continues planning for depopulation at the infected premises'. The Telegraph contacted Universal Ostrich Farms for comment. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Scientific American
22-05-2025
- Health
- Scientific American
Bird Flu Vaccine for Cows Passes Early Test
As bird flu sweeps across US poultry and cattle farms, researchers are racing to find ways to contain the outbreaks before they ignite a human pandemic. Now, a team of scientists has developed a fresh approach: the first mRNA bird-flu vaccine for cattle. Early findings, posted this month on the preprint server bioRxiv, reveal that the experimental vaccine triggers a strong immune response to the virus, and protects against infection in calves. The results have not yet been peer-reviewed. This development could mark a crucial step towards creating flu vaccines for livestock and reducing the risk of animal-to-human transmission of a virus that poses a 'real pandemic threat', says Scott Hensley, a virologist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and a co-author of the work. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Fears of a bird-flu pandemic have been rising since the first confirmed outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in dairy cattle was reported in March 2024. Since then, the virus has affected more than 1,000 dairy herds across 17 US states. Health officials have linked 64 human infections and one death to the outbreak. A fresh approach To create a cattle vaccine, Hensley and his team built on more than a decade of work on seasonal bird-flu mRNA vaccines. The researchers took one such vaccine candidate and swapped out its viral haemagglutinin gene — which encodes a protein known to elicit an immune response — with the corresponding gene from the new H5N1 virus found on dairy farms. 'It's so easy to switch,' says Hensley. 'That's really the value of using mRNA-based vaccines.' Last year, Hensley's team showed that their vaccine protects against avian flu in ferrets, a commonly used laboratory model for testing flu vaccines. For the latest work, they inoculated 10 calves and, 49 days later, fed them milk from H5N1-infected cows — a suspected route of transmission among cattle. After that exposure, the vaccinated calves had significantly lower levels of viral RNA than the unvaccinated calves did, indicating that the vaccine helped to curb infection. The study tested only vaccine responses in calves; much of the avian-flu transmission on dairy farms occurs among lactating adult cattle, says virologist Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds in Memphis, Tennessee. Hensley's team is already working on extra trials in lactating cows. Even without that data, the current results are a strong first step towards developing a vaccine: 'It's good news,' Webby says. Uncertain future Other livestock vaccines could be on the way. The US Department of Agriculture has approved at least seven candidates for field trials this year. In mid-February, the agency also conditionally approved a bird flu vaccine for chickens. But political headwinds against mRNA vaccines could threaten Hensley's effort. Republican lawmakers in South Carolina, Texas and Montana have introduced bills to ban mRNA vaccines in livestock, arguing that they pose risks to human health. And some scientists worry that vaccine scepticism in US President Donald Trump's administration will lead to cuts in funding for mRNA-vaccine development. 'I'm optimistic that they will continue to support the development of these vaccines,' Hensley says. 'It would be a crime right now to stop it.' Other scientists question whether vaccines for cattle will be economically viable for farmers. That will depend on how many doses are needed and its price, says microbiologist Shollie Falkenberg at Auburn University in Alabama. 'The livestock industry is in the business of making money,' she says. 'At the end of the day, people want to see the economics behind it.' Still, vaccinating cattle might soon become necessary to prevent further infections, potential deaths and mounting economic losses, says Webby. 'I don't think that cattle vaccines on their own are sort of a silver bullet,' he says. 'But we have to do something different because what we're doing now is clearly not working.'
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bird flu mutation associated with increased disease severity found in two cats
A genetic mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus — a mutation associated with increased infectiousness and disease severity — has been found in two cats, in what scientists say is another indication of the risks posed by the virus. The fact that the cats have the mutation "is a continued example of how this virus is evolving in nature and should concern everyone," said Seema Lakdawala, a microbiologist at Emory University in Atlanta. Henry Niman, founder of vaccine research firm Recombinomics Inc., reviewed the sequence data and reported the results to The Times. The gene that Niman identified in the sequence data, known as PB2 E627K, has been associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity in laboratory animals. It is a similar mutation to the one found in San Bernardino dairy cows earlier this week, but has a slightly different origin. The cows were infected with the B3.13 strain of H5N1 — which has been circulating widely in dairy cows since last March. The cats were infected with the newer D1.1 strain, which is widespread in wild birds — and has also now appeared in a few cattle herds in Nevada and Arizona. Niman said he believed the two cats were based in New Jersey and infected last month based on the scientific nomenclature used to label the genetic sequences. The New Jersey Department of Public Health and Raritan Township, which reported a cluster of infected cats last month in Hunterdon County, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Since the beginning of 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported 51 H5N1-infected cats. They include both household pets and feral felines, and have been found in 13 states since the beginning of the year, including California, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and New Jersey. There have been more than 100 reported since last March, when the outbreak was first reported in dairy cows. According to the New Jersey Department of Public Health, the infected cats all lived on the same property. One was feral, another was an indoor/outdoor cat. The living situation of the remaining four cats is unclear. On Thursday, the genetic sequences of H5N1 virus taken from two infected cats were added to GISAID — the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data — a publicly-accessible gene data bank. Richard Webby, an infectious disease expert at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., said the discovery of the mutation wasn't alarming in and of itself. "This mutation has sporadically popped up in other mammal infections over the past few years," he said. "It's an easy change for the H5 viruses to make and it does so relatively frequently." It'll become concerning, he said, if it spreads more widely. There have been no reports of infected humans in New Jersey, and a press release from the state said the people who interacted with the infected cats were asymptomatic. That Feb. 28 release said that the infected cats had no known reported exposures to infected poultry, livestock, or consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk or meat, "but did roam freely outdoors, so exposure to wild birds or other animals is unknown." Since the outbreak started last March, 70 people in the U.S. have been infected with H5N1; one person has died. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
15-03-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Bird flu mutation associated with increased disease severity found in two cats
A genetic mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus — a mutation associated with increased infectiousness and disease severity — has been found in two cats, in what scientists say is another indication of the risks posed by the virus. The fact that the cats have the mutation 'is a continued example of how this virus is evolving in nature and should concern everyone,' said Seema Lakdawala, a microbiologist at Emory University in Atlanta. Henry Niman, founder of vaccine research firm Recombinomics Inc., reviewed the sequence data and reported the results to The Times. The gene that Niman identified in the sequence data, known as PB2 E627K, has been associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity in laboratory animals. It is a similar mutation to the one found in San Bernardino dairy cows earlier this week, but has a slightly different origin. The cows were infected with the B3.13 strain of H5N1 — which has been circulating widely in dairy cows since last March. The cats were infected with the newer D1.1 strain, which is widespread in wild birds — and has also now appeared in a few cattle herds in Nevada and Arizona. Niman said he believed the two cats were based in New Jersey and infected last month based on the scientific nomenclature used to label the genetic sequences. The New Jersey Department of Public Health and Raritan Township, which reported a cluster of infected cats last month in Hunterdon County, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Since the beginning of 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported 51 H5N1-infected cats. They include both household pets and feral felines, and have been found in 13 states since the beginning of the year, including California, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and New Jersey. There have been more than 100 reported since last March, when the outbreak was first reported in dairy cows. According to the New Jersey Department of Public Health, the infected cats all lived on the same property. One was feral, another was an indoor/outdoor cat. The living situation of the remaining four cats is unclear. On Thursday, the genetic sequences of H5N1 virus taken from two infected cats were added to GISAID — the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data — a publicly-accessible gene data bank. Richard Webby, an infectious disease expert at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., said the discovery of the mutation wasn't alarming in and of itself. 'This mutation has sporadically popped up in other mammal infections over the past few years,' he said. 'It's an easy change for the H5 viruses to make and it does so relatively frequently.' It'll become concerning, he said, if it spreads more widely. There have been no reports of infected humans in New Jersey, and a press release from the state said the people who interacted with the infected cats were asymptomatic. That Feb. 28 release said that the infected cats had no known reported exposures to infected poultry, livestock, or consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk or meat, 'but did roam freely outdoors, so exposure to wild birds or other animals is unknown.' Since the outbreak started last March, 70 people in the U.S. have been infected with H5N1; one person has died.
