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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415711
Research Project: Control Strategies to Prevent and Respond to Diseases Outbreaks Caused by Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: Spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus to dairy cattle

Author
item CASERTA, LEONARDO - Cornell University
item FRYE, ELISHA - Cornell University
item BUTT, SALMAN - Cornell University
item LAVERACK, MELISSA - Cornell University
item NOORUZZAMAN, MOHAMMED - Cornell University
item COVALEDA, LINA - Cornell University
item Suarez, David
item Kapczynski, Darrell
item DIMITROV, KIRIL - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item DIEL, DIEGO - Cornell University
item THOMPSON, ALEXIS - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item KOSCIELNY, MELANIE - Ohio Department Of Agriculture
item CRONK, BRITTANY - Cornell University
item JOHNSON, ASHLEY - Ohio Department Of Agriculture
item KLEINHENZ, KATIE - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item EDWARDS, ERIN - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item GOMEZ, GABRIEL - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item HITCHENER, GAVIN - Cornell University
item MARTINS, MATHIAS - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item MORRIS, ELLEN RUTH - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item HENSLEY, TERRY - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item BEEBY, JOHN - Cornell University
item LEJEUNE, MANIGANDAN - Cornell University
item SWINFORD, AMY - Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
item ELVINGER, FRANCOIS - Cornell University

Submitted to: Nature
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/2024
Publication Date: 7/25/2024
Citation: Caserta, L.C., Frye, E.A., Butt, S.L., Laverack, M., Nooruzzaman, M., Covaleda, L.M., Suarez, D.L., Kapczynski, D.R., Dimitrov, K.M., Diel, D.G., Thompson, A.C., Koscielny, M.P., Cronk, B., Johnson, A., Kleinhenz, K., Edwards, E.E., Gomez, G., Hitchener, G., Martins, M., Morris, E.A., Hensley, T., Beeby, J.S., Lejeune, M., Swinford, A.K., Elvinger, F. 2024. Spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus to dairy cattle. Nature. 634:669–676. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07849-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07849-4

Interpretive Summary: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a major disease of poultry and wild birds, and the U.S. has been dealing with a manor outbreak of this virus since 2022. The virus, also known as H5N1 HPAI, has also infected some mammal species including many meat eating mammals like foxes, cougars, and bears that are thought to have been exposed through eating infected wild birds. In March of 2024, H5N1 HPAI was detected in dairy cattle in the United States, and high levels of virus were found in the milk. This study explores the clinical signs and response of dairy cattle to the infection and maps how the virus likely spread between different dairy farms. The virus did appear to transmit after apparently healthy cows from an infected herd were moved to a new farm. Some of the infected cattle had clinical mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland, and often had discolored milk and reduced milk production. There was high levels of virus in the milk of these affected cows. Closer examination of the mammary gland showed a large number of infected cells which helps explain the mastitis and high viral levels. The cows eventually recover. This outbreak in dairy cattle represents a previously unknown host of infection for H5N1 HPAI.

Technical Abstract: Infections with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus have resulted in the death of millions of domestic birds and thousands of wild birds in the U.S. since January, 2022. Throughout this outbreak, spillovers of the virus to mammals have been frequently documented. Here, we report the detection of HPAI H5N1 virus in dairy cattle herds across several states in the U.S. The affected cows displayed clinical signs encompassing decreased feed intake, altered fecal consistency, respiratory distress, and decreased milk production with abnormal milk. Infectious virus and RNA were consistently detected in milk collected from affected cows. Viral staining in tissues revealed a distinct tropism of the virus for the epithelial cells lining the alveoli of the mammary gland in cows. Analysis of whole genome sequences obtained from dairy cows, birds, domestic cats, and a racoon from affected farms indicated multidirectional interspecies transmissions. Epidemiologic and genomic data revealed efficient cow-to-cow transmission after healthy cows from an affected farm were transported to a premise in a different state. These results demonstrate the transmission of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus at a non-traditional interface and to a new and highly relevant livestock species, underscoring the ability of the virus to cross species barriers.