The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared on Wednesday that dairy products such as cottage cheese and sour cream remain safe for use despite the continuing bird flu epidemic among dairy cows.
No Traces of Avian Flu Virus Found in Diary Products
Following last week's finding of viral particles in the commercial milk supply, the FDA initiated tests on 297 pasteurized retail dairy products. The results disclosed that the products did not consist of any live virus capable of causing diseases, as verified by the FDA on Wednesday.
Don Prater, the acting director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, highlighted during the briefing that these initial findings verified the protection of the U.S. commercial milk supply. Samples were collected from 38 states.
Additionally, the FDA examined powdered infant and toddler formulas, finding no evidence of the bird flu virus, although the number of samples tested was not specified.
Prater highlighted that the pasteurization process effectively deactivates the virus, rendering it incapable of infecting humans. While the FDA continues to test raw milk for live virus, it strongly advises against consuming unpasteurized milk.
The bird flu has been detected in 36 dairy herds across nine states: Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, Ohio, and Texas. These cases are believed to have originated in Texas and subsequently spread as cattle were transported across state lines.
CDC Assures Public Safety from Bird Flu Virus
In affected herds, approximately 10% of cows exhibit symptoms, according to Dr. Rosemary Sifford, chief veterinary officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most cows recover within two weeks without medical intervention.
Sifford suggested that the virus likely spreads among cows through contaminated raw milk, which contains high viral levels.
Currently, there is no evidence indicating easy person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain of bird flu. However, concerns persist regarding potential mutations that could facilitate such spread. At present, there are no indications of significant viral changes, as stated by Sifford.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, reassured the public that the overall danger remains low.
Only one person, a dairy worker in Texas, has been diagnosed with the virus, showing mild manifestations such as conjunctivitis.
The CDC has advised over 100 individuals who had contact with infected animals to monitor themselves for symptoms for ten days, with around 25 individuals tested for the virus. Daskalakis noted no unusual flu activity in people, including avian influenza.
Despite reports of multiple sick dairy workers in Texas, there have been no hospitalizations or fatalities associated with the outbreak.
The CDC is conducting laboratory experiments to understand the virus's behavior in humans and cows. The USDA identified a single spillover event from wild birds to dairy cattle in Texas as the likely origin of the outbreak, with subsequent spread to other herds and poultry flocks across nine states.
Most affected cows have recovered with palliative treatment, and testing efforts are ongoing. The USDA requires herds moving animals interstate to test up to 30 animals to determine their status.
