Monitoring of avian influenza in cattle: no cases detected in Russia, but epidemiological situation in the US is worrying

As of January 31 of this year, the disease has been reported on 951 dairy farms in 16 states in the United States. This situation is of great concern as the bird flu virus begins to cross species barriers, which could increase the risk of a future pandemic.

In 2024 , the Federal State Budgetary Institution "ARRIAH" conducted a study on the spread of the H5 subtype virus among cattle in Russia. During the monitoring of 165 farms from 40 regions of the country, not a single positive case was detected, which confirms the absence of the virus in the cattle population .

Similar studies are planned for 2025. The importance of a rapid response to potential infectious threats is becoming increasingly evident. The All-Russian Research Institute of Animal Health has developed temporary recommendations for collecting influenza samples from atypical animals.

The World Organization for Animal Health calls on veterinary services to pay special attention to the spread of the H5N1 virus among mammals and to monitor it for rapid response. It should be noted that cattle are not typical carriers of bird flu, and the mechanisms of transmission of the virus have not yet been sufficiently studied. The disease can manifest itself in a decrease in milk volumes and a change in its consistency, as well as respiratory symptoms. At the moment, cases of the disease are recorded only in the United States .