HPAI News: Feb 27 2025
New evidence suggests that cats can contract H5N1 from infected humans
New USDA strategy for bird flu and egg prices
Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined a $1B plan to enhance biosecurity, accelerate research, and reimburse farmers for their losses. The proposal stopped short of recommending vaccination for susceptible poultry.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/agriculture-secretary-brooke-rollins-my-plan-to-lower-egg-prices-6be0f881 (original announcement; paywall protected)
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/health/egg-prices-bird-flu-usda-rollins/index.html
Elanco Enters Agreement with Medgene to Commercialize Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Vaccine in Dairy Cattle
The vaccine is in the final stages of review for conditional license approval. Once approved, manufacturing and commercial deployment could begin immediately.
Dairy workers may have transmitted virus to cats
The CDC published results suggesting that two indoor cats contracted H5N1 from their owners.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7405a2.htm?s_cid=mm7405a2_w
Bovine vets show antibodies to H5N1
In a serological survey of 150 bovine veterinarians, 3 tested positive for antibodies to H5N1. None reported exposure to dairy cattle with known infections.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7404a2.htm
Two people hospitalized with bird flu
An Ohio man was admitted to the hospital after exposure to the virus while depopulating a local poultry farm. He has since been released. A woman in Wyoming is still hospitalized after coming into contact with an infected backyard flock.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/24/bird-flu-hospitalizations-wyoming-ohio
Zoetis receives conditional approval for H5N2 vaccine
Zoetis announced it had received conditional approval from the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics for its H5N2 avian influenza vaccine. The company was granted a similar conditional license for an H5H1 vaccine in 2016.
Turkey to export eggs to the US
Turkey announced it has begun exporting 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. to relieve shortages caused by the bird flu. The initiative to reduce egg prices was applauded by Chad Gregory, CEO of United Egg Producers.
Bird flu workers fired by mistake; USDA working to reinstate them
NBC News reported that “several” USDA employees who were actively working on the avian influenza outbreak were terminated over the weekend. USDA officials are working to reverse those terminations, although no information is available on whether or not those efforts have been successful.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/usda-accidentally-fired-officials-bird-flu-rehire-rcna192716
Previous H1N1 flu infection could protect against H5N1
The CDC published a study indicating that previous infection with H1N1 influenza reduced disease severity and inhibited direct contact transmission when animals were subsequently infected with H5N1. This suggests that exposure to H1N1 might confer partial immunity to H5N1 in humans, which could lessen the impact of a pandemic.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/3/24-1489_article
Antiviral drug resistant H5N1 found in Canda
Researchers at the Canada Food Inspection Agency have sequenced viral samples collected in October 2024 and discovered that they represent a reassorted H5N1 viral strain. In these samples, the neuraminidase (“N1”) was derived from a low-pathogenic influenza variant and contained the H275Y mutation, which confers resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu).