A new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, officials from both the state and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have quarantined the affected farm, which houses over three million birds, and will begin depopulating the flock to prevent further spread. Birds from this flock will not make it into the food supply. This is Wisconsin’s first reported H5N1 outbreak in poultry since April of this year, reflecting the persistent threat from the virus to both agriculture and wildlife in the United States.

The H5N1 strain remains highly contagious and often fatal to domestic poultry, with wild birds continuing to serve as a reservoir for the virus. No cases have yet been identified in dairy herds in Wisconsin, but animal health officials continue to monitor for spillovers and urge strict biosecurity measures. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services also reports that the risk to the general public remains low, but exposed farm workers are being watched for symptoms.

Nationally, the pace of H5N1 detections in dairy cattle has slowed after initial rapid spread, according to a recent review by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that while there have been several recent A(H5) cases in the U.S., including some in people exposed to infected birds or livestock, the CDC has not yet been able to isolate the virus from these human cases, and no sustained human-to-human transmission has been found. Across North America, the virus continues to affect both wild and domestic birds, as well as mammals in some isolated events.

Globally, authorities report continued sporadic outbreaks in both wild and domestic birds. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control highlighted 183 detections of avian flu across 15 European countries from June to early September, most involving wild seabirds, and reported rare but serious human infections in Asia. The overall risk to the public worldwide remains low, especially outside of those who have close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.

In terms of food safety, research reported by Science News shows that pasteurization effectively destroys H5N1 in milk, and health agencies emphasize seeing no evidence that the virus can be spread through properly handled food.

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