Bird flu detected in cows in several states but not Oregon

The bird flu is not just for the birds anymore.

On Monday, March 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had confirmed that a mysterious illness affecting dairy cows in Texas and Kansas was caused by a highly infectious strain of bird flu.

By Friday, March 29, federal agriculture officials said dairy cows in Idaho and Michigan, which had received cows from Texas, also were infected. The USDA said the strain of the virus, highly pathogenic avian influenza, in Texas, Kansas and Michigan was similar and probably was introduced by wild birds.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture indicated that the virus has not been detected in cows in Oregon, and it said in a news release that there is no concern for people catching the virus.

Oregon has seen successive waves of bird flu outbreaks in backyard poultry, resulting in flocks being culled. The virus is transmitted by migrating wild birds like geese and pelicans.

Following the Texas infections, the USDA said in a statement, “Initial testing has not found changes to the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans…. While cases among humans in direct contact with infected animals are possible, this indicates that the current risk to the public remains low.”

The bovine cases may indicate that the virus can spread among cows, the USDA said. It also has infected dairy cows in Idaho, and a man in Texas who was in contact with infected cows also contracted the virus, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Monday . It said he developed eye redness similar with conjunctivitis and was recovering. He is only the second man in the United States, after a 2022 case in Colorado, to be confirmed to have caught the virus.

Federal officials are monitoring people who have been close to infected herds for any symptoms.

The USDA has advised dairy farm owners to monitor their animals and isolate any cows that become sick. Officials said affected animals have recovered after being put in isolation.

Federal officials say they are not worried about the virus getting into the milk supply and infecting humans because commercial milk is pasteurized, a process that inactivates bacteria and viruses. Raw milk, however, can pose a risk. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that raw milk is not sold for consumption or for making cheese and other dairy products.

For more information about the safety of raw milk, check the FDA’s website .

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X , formerly known as Twitter.