WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed that four alpacas out of the eighteen at a farm in Jerome County, Idaho tested positive for H5N1 bird flu on May 16, adding to the increasing number of mammals being infected with avian influenza.
The report mentioned that these alpacas had close contact with infected birds that were culled previously.
The USDA noted that the discovery was somewhat expected due to the high virus levels in the environment after infected poultry was culled at the site earlier in the month and the interaction of various animal species.
Genetic sequencing at the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory revealed that the virus found in the alpacas matches the strain circulating among dairy cows and infected poultry at the same farm.
The announcement did not specify if the alpacas exhibited symptoms or succumbed to the virus.
Although the H5N1 virus has primarily affected birds for the past two decades, it has recently been infecting a broader range of mammals. In recent weeks, two workers at dairy farms in Michigan and Texas tested positive for H5N1 bird flu, experiencing only an eye infection and recovering swiftly. Till now there has been no person-to-person transmission during the ongoing US outbreak.
To combat the spread of H5N1 bird flu, the US government has designated nearly $200 million for various initiatives, including assistance for dairy farms, testing, vaccine development, surveillance, and milk safety.
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