Avian flu detected in alpacas in the US for the first time May 29, 2024

Alpacas

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Avian flu detected in alpacas in the US for the first time

Authorities said Tuesday that cases of bird flu have been detected in alpacas on a US farm as the disease spreads among dairy cows and has infected two people.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed that a highly pathogenic variant of the bird flu virus, known as H5N1, was detected on an Idaho farm from which infected poultry was removed this month, the Agriculture Department said.

The discovery was not surprising for several reasons, including previous infection on the farm, the department said. Still, it is the first time the virus has been found in alpacas - members of the camel family native to the Andes and bred primarily for their fleece.

In recent weeks, the H5N1 variant has been detected in more than 50 animal species in the United States, including dairy cows.

Two people working on farms have been diagnosed with avian flu, albeit with only mild symptoms.

Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that they still consider the risk to the general public to be low, but expect more cases.

Experts expressed concern about the growing number of mammals infected with avian influenza, although human cases remain rare.

There is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission, but health authorities fear that if the virus continues to spread, it could mutate into a form that would be transmissible from person to person.

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