California agriculture officials are investigating the possibility that H5N1 avian flu has infected cattle in three Central Valley dairy herds, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said Thursday.
If the virus is confirmed, it would be the first cases of H5N1 in dairy cows in California. Thousands of birds in the state have been infected since the current strain began circulating in 2022, but the virus has yet to be detected in dairy cows here.
California would be the 14th state with confirmed cases in dairy cows, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases in livestock have been in Michigan, Colorado and Texas.
The virus’s presence in dairy cattle is considered significant and concerning because previous avian flu strains had not jumped from birds to cows, and because humans interact so closely with cows, heightening the risk that it could spread to people.
The state did not specify the locations of the three Central Valley dairy herds, or what led officials to investigate. They have sent samples from the three sites to the state lab. If they turn up positive, they would be considered presumptive and sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for confirmation. The process typically takes a few days.
Pasteurization inactivates the virus, so consumers should not be concerned about consuming milk or other dairy products, the department said.
It’s not entirely clear how cows spread the virus to each other, but early research suggests it may be through milking equipment that is used on multiple cows. Most cows typically recover within a few weeks, though a small number have died.
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