Well, someone undertook to answer one of my questions. And the answer is disturbing. Aging may not eliminate H5N1 virus in raw-milk cheese. While the FDA has been sampling commercially available raw-milk cheese and has not found any viable virus, Cornell University undertook to make and age cheese with milk deliberately spiked with the virus at different pH levels. Only the most acidic environment deactivated the virus, the other cheeses still had infectious virions at 60 days aging. They also note that the virus can persist under refrigeration for 56 days.
More confirmations in US dairy cows, mammals, and poultry
In outbreak developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed two more H5N1 in dairy cattle, both from Idaho, raising the national total to 985. Idaho has now reported three detections over the past few weeks.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture said three facilities are currently quarantined, all from Gooding County.
Also, APHIS reported nine more detections in mammals, including domestic cats from New Jersey, Idaho, and Kansas. Officials also confirmed H5N1 in a harbor seal from Washington and mice from Missouri’s Newton County.
In poultry developments, APHIS confirmed more detections in backyard poultry from five states, including Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Colorado, and Indiana, along with detections in two more live poultry markets in New York, one in Queens and the other in Kings County.
A study of an affected dairy herd estimated the costs of infection at $950 per clinically affected cow. But they also found some asymptomatic cases, and even in dry cows.
Milk production loss lasted at least 60 days
And only 56% of Americans know that drinking raw milk is dangerous. Deep sigh
The world is being urged to step up efforts against bird flu. And tests in mice and human cells show that the bovine strain now current in the US is more pathogenic than an earlier bird strain isolated in Mongolia 20 years ago. Fair warning
A Mississippi broiler farm has had an outbreak of a different subtype of highly pathogenic avian flu, H7N9, which is North American in origin, and has not been detected in US poultry since 2017. Birds were euthanized.
Measles: it's not just us.
Europe is having its worst measles year in decades. and the numbers are oddly at variance with those from a similar source I cited a few days ago. (??)
And a Mennonite community in Mexico now has measles Thought to have been brought from relatives in Texas.. Don't give me that "immigrants bring diseases into the US" crap. Children in Mexico's public schools get vaccinated.
A study has found that a commercially available probiotic reduced the duration of fever in children with respiratory infections.
Saudi Arabia reported four MERS infections in the last six months, Two of them fatal. MERS is a zoonotic coronavirus which has rarely managed the human-to-human route. It is endemic in camels and occasionally passes from a camel to a human. There were no secondary infections in the contacts of these patients.
The FDA is investigating a new Listeria outbreak. The source has not been identified. A Salmonella outbreak has been declared over with no specific source identified.
Coverage of basic childhood vaccines in low and middle income countries Is still far below goals
Food Recalls
SeaBear Company Smoked Salmon Chowder and Alehouse Clam Chowder, due to possible botulinum contamination. There is a sealing issue that could allow leakage. See UPC and lots numbers here
International Delight coffee creamer Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll and Hazelnut flavors are being recalled after reports of spoilage and illness. See here.
Savage Cat Food chicken, large and small boxes, for possible bird flu contamination. FDA
Multiple kinds of Zesty Paws pet chewables have been recalled due to Possible salmonella contamination.
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Infectious Information is a DK group for collecting diaries on all things infectious, both basic educational material and breaking news updates.
Given the precarious state of public health agencies under the Orange Menace, it is my hope that the information itself can be infectious, spread widely to all your contacts, in the hope of promoting self-defense from disease. Knowledge is the best inoculation against misinformation!
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