Diagnostics

New Study Says Domestic Cats Need To Be Evaluated More For HPAI H5N1 Implications

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:07:11 GMT

Dairy cattle have garnered most of the agriculture industry’s attention in the past year, with regard to outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) H5N1.

Now, some researchers are turning their attention to other animals on the farm impacted by the virus: cats.

A new study published Monday in the journal Emerging Microbes & Infection addresses how domestic cats are affected by the virus and notes concerns such felines could offer the potential for HPAI H5N1 to evolve into a more dangerous version of the virus.

The study – which addresses the deaths of 10 cats in rural South Dakota last April – is not the first time researchers have raised concerns about the virus in cats and the potential for transmission to other mammals.

‘Urgent Need For Surveillance’
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Public Health said in June 2024 that a “20-year review of bird flu in felines suggests urgent need for domestic cat surveillance.”

Kristen Coleman, an assistant professor in the UMD School of Public Health, and an affiliate professor in the University of Maryland Department of Veterinary Medicine, said, “As companion animals, domestic cats provide a potential pathway for avian influenza viruses to spillover into humans.” (Researcher Warns Pet Cats Risk Getting Bird Flu)

“We looked at the global distribution and spread of bird flu infections in feline species between 2004 and 2024 and found a drastic rise in reports of feline infections starting in 2023, with a spike in infections reported among domestic cats, as opposed to wild or zoo-kept animals,” added Coleman, who was not involved in the South Dakota study.

There is no study that shows transmission occurs from HPAI H5N1-infected cats to humans. Furthermore, current research shows HPAI H5N1 does not readily spread among humans, though studies have noted one or two key mutations could change that fact.

The virus often does take a deadly toll on felines. According to the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health , infected domestic cats have a mortality rate of up to 67%.

Last week, the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Health Diagnostic Center published directions online for veterinarians testing cats for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) .

AVMA Weighs In
“Dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus, including barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild (e.g., mountain lions, tigers, leopards, and bobcats),” according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). “Cats were already known to be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with several feline cases linked to poultry or wild bird exposure before the cattle outbreak began,” AVMA said.

See Avian influenza A (H5N1) in cats for the Association’s recommended practices for dealing with any suspected of being infected by the virus.

‘A Possible Link’ To Local Cattle
The study published on Monday said virus-infected birds could have played a role in the South Dakota felines’ demise.

In addition, the report said: “The exact source of infection remains unclear; however, phylogenetic analysis of H5N1 sequences from two of the cats reveals a close genetic relationship to clade 2.3.4.4b strains previously detected in local cattle, suggesting a possible link.

“Additionally, the presence of bird feathers near the deceased cats indicates the likelihood that infection may have occurred through the consumption of virus-infected birds. However, because the disease typically requires several days to manifest post-ingestion, the exact timing of exposure is unclear. This evidence points toward a plausible cattle-to-bird-to-cat transmission pathway, supported by recent studies that identified H5N1 sequences across multiple species on affected farms, including dairy cows, wild birds, domestic cats, and raccoons.”

Many Mammal Species Impacted
According to USDA-APHIS, more than 200 mammal species in the U.S. have been infected by the virus since 2022.

Along with cows and cats, other U.S. mammals infected with the virus include a bottlenose dolphin, foxes, bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, skunks, harbor and grey seals, opossums, squirrels, minks, otters, black bears, brown bears, polar bears, and a single pig on a backyard farm in Oregon, confirmed in late October.

The CDC encourages veterinarians and other individuals working with cats or other mammals that are suspected or confirmed positive for HPAI H5N1 to take precautions to prevent potential unprotected exposures.

The agency offers additional direction here: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Animals: Interim Recommendations for Prevention, Monitoring, and Public Health Investigations .

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E. coli Will Be Added to Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports in Spring 2025

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 19:11:57 GMT

The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) announced renewed funding for the Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report including the addition of Escherichia coli (E. coli) monitoring, through September 2025. Giovani Trevisan and Daniel Linhares of Iowa State University will be leading the project.

The SDRS program, initially funded by SHIC in 2017, continues to focus on the analysis and reporting of collated veterinary diagnostic laboratory data to identify emerging endemic disease trends. Reports provide producers with an early warning system to prompt preventative actions such as increasing monitoring and heightening biosecurity measures.

“SDRS aggregates and reports veterinary diagnostic lab data collected across the U.S. representing more than 96% of all swine samples submitted for testing,” SHIC wrote in its latest newsletter.

The SDRS database is the largest publicly available source of swine health information reporting diagnostic data across all phases of swine production from boar studs to grow finish pigs and includes feed and environmental sample submissions. SDRS reporting maintains a database of PCR-based detection results from participating laboratories while providing monthly Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports to SHIC.

“Initial success of the SDRS program led to expansion of both participating laboratories and monitored pathogens over the eight years of funding by SHIC,” SHIC said.

Data is incorporated from six VDLs, including Iowa State University VDL, University of Minnesota VDL, South Dakota State University Animal Disease and Research Diagnostic Laboratory, Kansas StateVDL, Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Data on nine domestic disease pathogens are being monitored through the monthly report, including PRRSV (PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2), PEDV, PDCoV, TGEV, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, PCV2, PCV3, and IAV.

“Since inception, SDRS has provided valuable information to the U.S. swine industry, including seasonal trends of pathogen detection, predominant PRRSV strains by location, real-time information on emerging diseases, identification of re-emerging threats like PEDV, monitoring of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae control efforts, and increased biosecurity awareness in finishing phases,” SHIC wrote. “The addition of E. coli PCR genotyping to the Domestic Disease Monitoring Reports will allow for continuous reporting of genotype, virotype, and detection data.”

E. coli is a frequently identified bacterium in pigs that can create significant enteric disease challenges in all ages of pigs but most commonly impacts neonatal and weaned pigs.

“Infection can lead to significant economic losses through increased morbidity, mortality and costs for supportive care and treatment of sick pigs. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern, making treatment difficult. While mitigation and management strategies are available, such as nutritional and vaccine use options, they are not always effective against the disease,” SHIC said.

E. coli infections have been increasing in the U.S., particularly post-weaning colibacillosis. Current methods for identifying E. coli strains are PCR-based assays, but there is no national-level reporting system for E. coli genotypes and virotypes.

“Expanding the SHIC Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports to include E. coli genotyping and virotyping data will provide valuable insights into the trends and geographic distribution of this pathogen,” SHIC wrote. “This information can be used to identify regional trends in virulence genes, inform disease control strategies and reduce the impact of E. coli on U.S. swine.”

The SDRS program is a vital resource for the swine industry. Renewal of the program allows SDRS to continue to enhance disease monitoring, inform pathogen elimination programs, support informed decision-making, and protect the health and productivity of the U.S. swine herd.

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AABP Decides to Reference Cattle Disease as Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV)

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:58:48 GMT

On Sunday evening, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), released a letter to its media partners to update them on how the organization will reference the emerging cattle disease, currently confirmed in dairy herds in six states, moving forward.

“Because this infection in cattle is not the same as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), after thoughtful consideration and discussion with many experts, the AABP will now refer to this as Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV), which more accurately depicts it,” wrote Geni Wren, director of marketing and communications for the organization, in an email accompanying the letter.

The letter was developed and signed by AABP executive director, Fred Gingrich, DVM, and president Michael Capel, DVM.

Gingrich and Capel are asking other organizations, state animal health officials, diagnostic labs, and state and federal agencies to use Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV) “so we can be consistent with our messaging and better distinguish the disease syndrome in cattle from the pathogenesis in birds. We believe it is important for the public to understand the difference to maintain confidence in the safety and accessibility of beef and dairy products for consumers,” they wrote.

The letter is available in its entirety for review here:

North Carolina Reports First Case of HPAI in Dairy Herd

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:56:35 GMT

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) has detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxle, said in a press release he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the NVSL and will work collaboratively with federal partners and dairy farmers in the state.

“We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation,” he said. “It is important to note the FDA has no concern about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide.”

North Carolina is the seventh state to officially confirm the presence of HPAI in a dairy herd.

The other six states with NVSL-confirmed reports of HPAI in dairy are:

Idaho: 1 case
Kansas: 3 cases
Michigan: 2 cases
New Mexico: 4 cases
Ohio: 1 case
Texas: 9 cases

In addition, the National Milk Producers Federation reports that eight states now have dairy cattle importation requirements or restrictions:

The Federation adds that there is “no concern about the safety of the milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health because products are pasteurized before entering the market, per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Only milk from heathy animals is authorized for distribution into interstate commerce for human consumption. Additionally, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, including influenza, in milk.”

More information and HPAI dairy-specific resources are available at the Federation’s website, www.nmpf.org

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U.S. Researchers Develop New Japanese Encephalitis Virus Diagnostic Test for Swine

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:12:54 GMT

Is the U.S. pork industry prepared for a Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) outbreak? A recent economic assessment shows this transboundary emerging disease risk for the U.S. could result in potential economic implications greater than $500 million . That’s why the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) says it’s critical to establish a reliable way to detect JEV in swine samples prior to an introduction or outbreak.

JEV is transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitos and can cause severe disease in pigs, horses and humans. Although it’s historically endemic to Asian and western Pacific regions, the 2022 JEV outbreak in Australia raised concerns of a renewed threat to the U.S. pig industry and public health.

In a SHIC-funded project , principal investigator Rahul Nelli and co-investigator Phil Gauger of Iowa State University, established RT-rtPCR assays for JEV and its five genotypes, comparing the newly established test with a previously published assay in the process.

“Development of a JEV test for U.S. veterinary diagnostic labs that can accurately and efficiently detect multiple JEV genotypes will help the U.S. pig industry monitor and respond rapidly to a potential JEV incursion,” SHIC says. “A potential outbreak of JEV in the U.S. pig population can have detrimental economic and public health impacts. It is crucial to be vigilant and establish a screening method to detect the virus early when clinical signs suggest that JEV could be a differential diagnosis.”

Findings from this project suggest

The newly developed novel RT-rtPCR assay is more specific than previously published assays and can detect all five JEV genotypes (G-1, -2, -3, -4, -5) accurately and efficiently.
The new assay also has a low detection limit, meaning it can detect very small amounts of the virus.
The project confirmed that the novel JEV PCR assay does not cross-react with other viruses endemic to the U.S. swine herd.
Validation of genotype-specific RT-rtPCR assays and evaluation of assay performance on known status clinical samples in collaboration with Australian swine industry stakeholders is ongoing.

SHIC points out that before the assay developed can be used for routine diagnostics, it must be further validated for diagnostic specificity and sensitivity utilizing the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and National Animal Health Laboratory guidelines. A collaborative effort will be undertaken with known status JEV samples from the Australian outbreak.

“This collaborative research aims to ensure that the assay is accurate and reliable in detecting JEV in various conditions and across different clinical samples. By validating the assay using these methods, greater confidence is achieved in its ability to help identify and prevent the spread of JEV in pigs. Early and accurate diagnosis of JEV is crucial for rapid response efforts to reduce the potential disease impact on humans and the production impacts for pork producers,” SHIC says.

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

What’s the Potential Production Impact of a JEV Outbreak in U.S. Swine?

New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

On Nov. 25, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) held a meeting to discuss the U.S. response to the news of a single case of New World Screwworm (NWS) found in a cow in Chiapas, Mexico. U.S. and Mexican officials are working closely together, but the border has been temporarily closed to live cattle imports.

“Our priority is to ensure there is no risk to our domestic industry, followed by the goal of reopening the border as soon as possible,” says Dr. Michael Watson, administrator of USDA’s APHIS.

In September, work had already begun on protocols in the event NWS was found in Mexico. Those protocols have been reviewed with Mexico for their understanding and will be made public once finalized.

Points of Protocol
Dr. Burke Healey, senior leader for policy and operations for APHIS, shared protocol will likely include pre-export inspections by Mexican veterinarians overseen by SENASICA, the equivalent to APHIS, before allowing cattle imports to resume. The inspections will make sure:

appropriate logs accompany animals coming into and leaving the facility
cattle are treated with ivermectin
there’s a seven-day quarantine period

Upon passing inspection, cattle will again be inspected by U.S. officials, along with additional inspections for tuberculosis and ticks. The cattle will be dipped, and then presented to cross the border. Healey says federal inspection sites will focus on ports in Chihuahua and Sonora.

“Those five ports are on the Mexican side, so those inspections and all of that protocol are taking place in Mexico and not on U.S. soil,” he explains.

The ports in Texas will be considered for reopening once the protocol details have been finalized and are working as expected, he adds.

Cristobal Zepeda, regional manager for North America for APHIS, says U.S. and Mexican officials maintain a close working relationship and that communication is key in this situation. Mexico had previously instituted three federal inspection points at strategic locations where cattle come into the country near the border with Guatemala and other areas.

“All animals are downloaded and inspected for wounds visually and through detector dogs,” Zepeda says. “They’re sprayed with an insecticide and receive ivermectin. The system works. That’s how it was picked up.”

Mexico has not completed its investigation but acknowledges the infested cow might have been imported from Guatemala.

While the timeline for reopening trade is tentatively estimated to be at least three weeks, it quite possibly could extend into January as Mexico typically closes ports for two weeks during Christmas and New Year’s, Healey says.

Control the Spread
The discussion also covered the potential impact on the livestock industry, which could be in the billions if NWS reaches the U.S., and the importance of sterile fly production.

The U.S. imports 1 million to 1.1 million cattle from Mexico annually. All Mexican cattle are required to have a Mexican origin ear tag and documentation of the herd of origin, TB test of that herd of origin and a TB test of the specific animals being presented for export. These requirements will remain in place.

Sterile flies from a Panama facility will be sent to Mexico to help control the spread of NWS further south and into Central America. Capacity from that facility is around 95 million per week. Mexico is also looking at retrofitting fruit fly plants to produce about 60 million sterile files a week.

The APHIS website will provide NWS updates .

Be On the Lookout
Adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly (or slightly larger). They have orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs.

If you see mammals and birds with the following signs, report them to your state veterinarian:

Irritated behavior
Head shaking
Smell of decay
Evidence of fly strike
Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds

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