Los Angeles County health officials are investigating two suspected cases of bird flu in cats who fell ill and died after consuming raw milk from a batch that had been recalled after the H5N1 virus was detected in them, the latest instance of an unpasteurized dairy product being linked to a potential bird flu infection in California.
Some batches of Raw Farm's raw milk products were recalled last month after traces of the bird flu ... [+]
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the two “infected indoor cats” had consumed raw milk sold by Fresno-based Raw Farm from a batch that was recalled last month.
The symptoms displayed by the cats after they fell ill included “lack of appetite, fever and neurologic signs,” and they later died after “severe worsening of their illness,” the statement added.
The dead animals tested positive for Influenza A—a group of viruses that includes most most types of seasonal flu among humans and along with several bird flu variants—which the authorities said is a “rare result in cats.”
Although there have been no recorded instances of bird flu transmission from cats to humans, the people who were in direct contact with the cats are being monitored and have been offered antiviral prophylaxis.
The agency notes that cats can contract the H5N1 virus from various sources, including consuming the meat of infected birds or animals, exposure to contaminated environments, or consumption of raw milk from infected cattle.
The health authorities once again warned people about the risks of consuming raw milk, noting that it “can carry harmful germs, including influenza.”
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There are no confirmed cases of humans contracting bird flu from consuming infected raw milk, but public health officials in Marin County, California are investigating a suspected bird flu case in a child who experienced “fever and vomiting” after drinking raw milk. The child, who has since recovered from his illness, also tested positive for Influenza A and the viral sample is undergoing serotype testing to determine if it was H5N1. Other family members of the child have not reported any illnesses, which likely indicates there was no human-to-human transmission. The other family members had consumed smaller amounts of the same raw milk with their coffee.