(Primghar)– Iowa now has its first detected case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cows. Officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Health Inspection Service say it was detected in a herd in O’Brien county. They add that additional response measures will be announced soon.
HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic birds as well as lactating dairy cattle. Symptoms in dairy cattle include a decrease in food consumption and rumination; clear nasal discharge; a drop in milk production; tacky or loose feces; lethargy; dehydration; fever and thicker, concentrated colostrum-like milk.
Officials add it remains safe to consume poultry and dairy products. They add that only milk from healthy animals is allowed into the food supply and that the pasteurization process inactivates bacteria and viruses.
The Centers for Disease Control continues to believe the threat to the general public is low, even though cases of HPAI were confirmed recently in dairy workers in Texas and Michigan. Officials say there are no known human cases in Iowa.
