Avian Influenza and Human Health: Protecting Dairy Workers from Unseen Risks

In the midst of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus epidemic in dairy cows across several American states, a study by Valerie Le Sage and colleagues from the Vaccine Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh has shed light on the potential risks faced by workers on these farms. The study, published in the journal ‘Emerging Infectious Disease’ by the CDC, found that both avian influenza A(H5N1) and human influenza A(H1N1) viruses remain infectious on milking equipment materials for several hours. This highlights the possibility of transmission to humans from contaminated surfaces during milking.

The concern is not only about the symptoms of the virus, which have been mild in the few confirmed human cases linked to the avian flu epidemic in cattle, but also about the possibility of the viruses adapting to humans and evolving to be transmitted between people. As a precaution, the scientists recommend implementing personal protective equipment such as masks, visors, and eye protection for workers during milking to reduce the spread of the H5N1 virus from dairy cows to humans.

Another concern raised in the study is