Researchers found that the H5N1 avian influenza virus can persist in unpasteurized milk on milking equipment, posing an infection risk to dairy workers. They recommend protective gear and sanitization to prevent virus transmission.
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Jul 4 2024 In a recent study published in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, researchers investigated the persistence of the highly pathogenic hemagglutinin 5 neuraminidase 1 avian influenza A virus from cattle and the H1N1 human influenza pdm09 pandemic virus strain in unpasteurized milk and on the surfaces of milking equipment.
Furthermore, an increase in the number of human infections of H5N1 could also give the virus opportunities to evolve and adapt to the human host, increasing the potential human-to-human transmission rates. Although the milking process in the dairy industry is largely automated, there are some stages where human inputs are required, which could increase the workers’ risk of exposure to the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus.
Milk splattering or spraying could also happen during other stages of the milking process. Furthermore, the workspace in which the dairy workers interact with the cows puts the human eye level closer to the cows' lower regions, allowing droplets of potentially infectious milk to come in contact with the mucus membranes of the humans.
Related StoriesIllustration of milking unit surfaces tested in a study of persistence of influenza H5N1 and H1N1 viruses in unpasteurized milk. Before attaching the milking unit , a dairy worker disinfects the teat ends, performs forestripping of each teat to detect abnormal milk, and then wipes each teat with a clean dry towel. Workers then attach the milking unit to the cow teats.
Longer observational experiments indicated that the H1N1 pdm09 strain persisted on the rubber surface of the inflation liner used in the milking process for over three hours, while on the stainless-steel surfaces, it persisted in droplets of unpasteurized milk for at least an hour.
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