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A cluster of cats on a Texas Dairy Farm died after drinking raw milk from dairy cows infected with bird flu, according to a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Felines have developed “deadly systemic diseases” flu infection” after drinking unpasteurized colostrum and milk from cows that tested positive for the virus.
Initially, the cats developed signs of illness that included “a depressed mental state, stiff body movements, ataxia (impaired coordination), blindness, circling, and profuse oculonasal discharge,” the report said.
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Felines also showed neurological effects during examinations.
Of the approximately 24 cats that received raw milk from sick cows, about half of them died between March 19 and 20, the report released Monday said.
A group of cats on a Texas dairy farm (not pictured) died after drinking raw milk from dairy cows affected by bird flu, according to a CDC report. (iStock)
Most cats became ill within two or three days of exposure.
Tissue samples from two of the deceased cats tested positive for the HPAI H5N1 virus on March 21, the CDC noted.
During exposure to dead wild birds “cannot be completely ruled out” as a source of the virus, the report says milk and colostrum are a “likely route of exposure.”
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This is based on “the known consumption of unpasteurized milk and colostrum from infected cows”, as well as the high amount of “viral nucleic acid” in the milk.
“The deaths of the cats suggest that avian flu may cause illness through their ingestion,” said Edward Liu, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. in New Jerseyin a statement to Fox News Digital.
The Texas felines (not shown) developed a “deadly systemic flu infection” after drinking unpasteurized colostrum and milk from cows that tested positive for the virus. (iStock)
“It’s interesting, like many respiratory viruses are optimized for infections via mucous membranes, such as the nose and mouth.
The report reinforces the need to ingest pasteurized milk exclusively, Liu said.
“I see no reason to drink raw milk.”
Pasteurization eliminates risks, experts say
Before milk can be sold commercially, government regulations require it to be pasteurized.
During the pasteurization process, raw milk is heated to a certain temperature for a brief period and then cooled again, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) website.
This process kills all pathogens and ensures that the milk is safe to drink.
“I see no reason to drink raw milk.”
“In the United States, trade…
