OmniVira

Spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus to dairy cattle.

Leonardo C Caserta1 Elisha A Frye1 Salman L Butt1 Melissa Laverack1 Mohammed Nooruzzaman1 Lina M Covaleda1 Alexis C Thompson2 Melanie Prarat Koscielny3 Brittany Cronk1 Ashley Johnson3 Katie Kleinhenz2 Erin E Edwards4 Gabriel Gomez4 Gavin Hitchener1 Mathias Martins4 Darrell R Kapczynski5 David L Suarez5 Ellen Ruth Alexander Morris4 Terry Hensley4 John S Beeby1 Manigandan Lejeune1 Amy K Swinford4 François Elvinger1 Kiril M Dimitrov6 Diego G Diel7
Affiliations 7 institutions
  1. Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
  2. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Canyon, TX, USA.
  3. Ohio Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Reynoldsburg, OH, USA.
  4. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, TX, USA.
  5. Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, GA, USA.
  6. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, TX, USA. [email protected].
  7. Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. [email protected].
PMID39053575 DOI10.1038/s41586-024-07849-4 Year2024 Journal Nature Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus clade 2.3.4.4b has caused the death of millions of domestic birds and thousands of wild birds in the USA since January 2022 (refs. 1-4). Throughout this outbreak, spillovers to mammals have been frequently documented5-12. Here we report spillover of the HPAI H5N1 virus to dairy cattle across several states in the USA. The affected cows displayed clinical signs encompassing decreased feed intake, altered faecal consistency, respiratory distress and decreased milk production with abnormal milk. Infectious virus and viral RNA were consistently detected in milk from affected cows. Viral distribution in tissues via immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization revealed a distinct tropism of the virus for the epithelial cells lining the alveoli of the mammary gland in cows. Whole viral genome sequences recovered from dairy cows, birds, domestic cats and a raccoon from affected farms indicated multidirectional interspecies transmissions. Epidemiological and genomic data revealed efficient cow-to-cow transmission after apparently healthy cows from an affected farm were transported to a premise in a different state. These results demonstrate the transmission of the HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus at a non-traditional interface, underscoring the ability of the virus to cross species barriers.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
Cattle Diseases 47 Dairying 5 Host Specificity 132 Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype 300 Orthomyxoviridae Infections 228 Animals 1948 Birds 212 Cats 120 Cattle 126 Disease Outbreaks 170 Farms 30 Female 289 Genome, Viral 317 Immunohistochemistry 8 In Situ Hybridization 1 Influenza in Birds 341 Mammary Glands, Animal 4 Milk 14 Raccoons 12 RNA, Viral 193 United States 46

Evidence records

5 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Virus Isolation
1 records
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE8245 Viral Detection
Key finding

Viral RNA of HPAI H5N1 was detected in milk from affected cows in the USA, confirming viral material in bovine samples during spillover surveillance.

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
domestic cattle Bos taurus Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

Here we report spillover of the HPAI H5N1 virus to dairy cattle across several states in the USA. Infectious virus and viral RNA were consistently detected in milk from affected cows.

Method
viral RNA detection
Sample type
milk
Geographic raw
USA
Country inferred
USA
Transmission Evidence
3 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Outbreak Investigation
1 records
OVE8248 Outbreak Investigation
Key finding

Epidemiological and genomic data supported cow-to-cow transmission of the HPAI H5N1 virus after movement of apparently healthy cows between farms in different states.

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
domestic cattle Bos taurus Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

Epidemiological and genomic data revealed efficient cow-to-cow transmission after apparently healthy cows from an affected farm were transported to a premise in a different state.

Method
genomic sequencing | epidemiological tracing
Geographic raw
USA
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
2 records
OVE8243 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus spilled over from avian hosts to dairy cattle in multiple U.S. states.

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
domestic cattle Bos taurus Natural host birds Aves Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

Here we report spillover of the HPAI H5N1 virus to dairy cattle across several states in the USA.

Method
virus isolation | viral RNA detection | genomic sequencing
Study design
field outbreak investigation and genomic surveillance
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
USA
OVE8247 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

Whole viral genome sequences indicated multidirectional cross-species transmission of HPAI H5N1 virus among dairy cows, birds, domestic cats, and a raccoon on affected farms.

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
domestic cattle Bos taurus Natural host birds Aves Natural host domestic cat Felis catus Natural host raccoon Procyon lotor Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Whole viral genome sequences recovered from dairy cows, birds, domestic cats and a raccoon from affected farms indicated multidirectional interspecies transmissions.

Method
whole genome sequencing
Study design
genomic surveillance and comparative phylogenetic analysis
Transmission direction
cross-species transmission