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THE United States federal and state agencies are planning research into potential respiratory spread of bird flu among dairy cattle, according to a Reuters report which had interviewed several Michigan agriculture and public health officials.
Scientists and government officials hope the research will guide efforts to contain the virus and reduce exposure to humans. Respiratory spread could give the virus more opportunity to evolve, they said. Scientists have so far suspected the virus spreads among animals and humans through contact with infected milk or aerosolized milk droplets, or from exposure to infected birds or poultry.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is working with Michigan State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to plan research on farms to evaluate respiratory spread, Tim Boring, the department’s director, said in an interview.
“This is an area of concern that we’re looking into,” Boring said. The research is a high priority and will be important to guiding the state’s public policy,” he said.
11 states affected
The USDA did not respond to a request for comment. Bird flu has been reported in more than 80 dairy herds across 11 states since late March. The exact mechanics of the spread of the virus are still unclear, though there is evidence of spread to cows from wild birds and other cows.
