A strain of bird flu confirmed in cattle

Experts fear that this variant of the H5N1 virus, named D1.1, may worsen the current epidemic in the country and increase the pandemic risk for humans.

This is the second series of infection in cattle. Indeed, the USDA has confirmed that D1.1 is different from the B3.13 variant, which has been spreading since last year in herds of dairy cows. More than 950 cases of contamination have been reported in 16 states.

Several people working in farms have been infected with B3.13, but they showed benign symptoms.

The D1.1 strain is associated with serious cases in humans. Indeed, among the 67 Americans infected with bird flu, the only death was caused by this strain.

This person, a Louisiana resident over 65 years old, had taken care of sick birds and passed away in early January.

Another critical case was reported in November involving a 13-year-old Canadian girl, who was also infected with the D1.1 strain.

Her main risk factor was obesity, and she was hospitalized for several weeks before recovering.

Before last year, scientists did not know that cows could be affected by this type of virus. “I was kind of under the belief that the bird-to-cow movement was a pretty rare event,” said Richard Webby, influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Since the discovery of H5N1 in January 2022, it has affected more than 153 million commercial, backyard and wild birds.

It has also affected dozens of mammal species, such as cats, raccoons, bears, and seals.

The increase in the number of infected mammals worries experts, who fear that high circulation could facilitate a mutation of the virus that would allow it to pass from one human to another.

Federal authorities have not held a press conference on this subject since President Trump took office.