Adaptation and Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Cattle: An Emerging Threat to Humans, Pets, and Peridomestic Animals
Shanta, Rifat Noor, Akther, Mahfuza, Prodhan, M. Asaduzzaman, Akter, Syeda Hasina, Annandale, Henry, Sarker, Subir, Abraham, Sam, and Uddin, Jasim Muhammad (2025) Adaptation and Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Cattle: An Emerging Threat to Humans, Pets, and Peridomestic Animals. Pathogens, 14. 846.
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Abstract
Over the decades, cattle have not been considered primary hosts for influenza A viruses (IAV), and their role in influenza epidemiology has been largely unrecognized. While bovines are known reservoirs for influenza D virus, the recent emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in U.S. dairy cattle marks an alarming shift in influenza ecology. Since March 2024, this virus has affected thousands of dairy cows, causing clinical signs such as fever, reduced feed intake, drastic declines in milk production, and abnormal milk appearance. Evidence suggests that the virus may be replicated within mammary tissue, raising urgent concerns about milk safety, foodborne transmission, and occupational exposure. This review highlights the unprecedented expansion of viruses into bovine populations, exploring the potential for host adaptation, and interconnected roles of pets, peridomestic animals, and human exposure within shared environments. The potential impacts on dairy production, food safety, and zoonotic spillover highlight the urgent need for integrated One Health surveillance to stay ahead of this evolving threat.
| Item ID: | 89112 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 2076-0817 |
| Keywords: | cell tropism,dairy cattle,mammary gland,milk production losses,One Health,zoonosis |
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| Copyright Information: | © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Oct 2025 00:57 |
| FoR Codes: | 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3009 Veterinary sciences > 300914 Veterinary virology @ 100% |
| SEO Codes: | 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280101 Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences @ 100% |
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