Can drinking raw milk cause bird flu? US health officials probing a child’s case to find link – Firstpost

Health officials in California are trying to find out if consumption of raw milk can cause bird flu in a human after a child was infected with the disease earlier this week.

The Marin County Public Health has, in the meanwhile, urged residents to avoid drinking raw milk after the infected child developed symptoms after consuming it.

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses that primarily infect birds.

What happened to the child?

Marin County reported that the child tested positive for influenza A, which encompasses a variety of viruses, including seasonal and avian flu. The statement, however, did not confirm whether subtyping is in progress but noted that the case is being actively investigated in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The child, on the other hand, has recovered and no member of his family was infected.

Earlier this month, a raw milk manufacturer recalled batches of raw milk after they tested positive for the virus. The milk farm was put under quarantine which in turn stopped the distribution of the milk.

On December 6, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) alerted healthcare providers about a recently confirmed H5 infection in a California child with no known contact with infected animals. In an update yesterday, the CDC reported that while the child’s sample could not be fully sequenced or assigned a definitive genotype, it most closely resembles a strain commonly found in dairy cattle.

Dept of Agri calls for milk testing

Last week, the US Department of Agriculture ordered the testing of national milk supply for bird flu viruses.

Milk transporters or dairy processors who handle the supply of milk throughout the country have been asked to provide samples of the product with USDA on request.

“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

The popularity of drinking raw, untreated milk has grown, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that it could potentially transmit bird flu. Research has demonstrated that commercial pasteurisation, which involves heating milk, effectively inactivates the virus, ensuring the milk is safe to drink.