Suspected H5 Bird Flu Detected in Los Angeles County Cats That Consumed Recalled Raw Milk

AMTV, Los Angeles, Dec 12 – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two possible cases of H5 bird flu in cats that consumed recalled raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC.

The infected indoor cats consumed raw milk linked to a recall of raw milk and cream products prior to the onset of symptoms, which included lack of appetite, fever and neurologic signs. The infected cats died after severe worsening of their illness, and subsequently tested positive for Influenza A, a rare result in cats.

Public Health is considering these suspected H5 bird flu cases and is obtaining confirmatory testing. The nationwide H5 bird flu outbreak has seen other cats infected with the virus after consuming infected raw milk.

People who had direct contact with the cats are monitoring for symptoms and have been offered antiviral prophylaxis. There have been no human cases of bird flu associated with exposure to these cats yet identified. The investigation is ongoing.

Although human cases of bird flu are rare and the risk to residents remains low, this detection of H5 bird flu in cats who consumed raw milk underscores the importance of being proactive about preventing ongoing transmission of the virus.

“The risk of H5 bird flu remains low in Los Angeles County, but this suspected case of the virus in a pet cat that consumed raw milk is a reminder that consuming raw dairy products can lead to severe illness in cats,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “To avoid the spread of disease, including H5 bird flu, we strongly encourage residents and their pets to avoid raw dairy and undercooked meat products, limit contact with sick or dead animals, report sick or dead birds and keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds.”

Cats may be exposed to H5 bird flu by consuming infected birds or other animals, being in environments contaminated with the virus, and consuming unpasteurized milk from infected cows. Cats infected with H5 bird flu may develop severe illness that can include fever and neurologic signs, and that can rapidly progress to death. Transmission of the H5 bird flu virus from mammal to mammal can occur. Cats have transmitted another influenza strain to humans, but there have been no known cases to date of H5 bird flu transmitted from cats to humans as part of this nationwide H5 bird flu outbreak.

Raw milk, which is milk that has not been pasteurized, can carry harmful germs including influenza. These germs can present serious health risks to you, your family, and your pets. Anyone can become sick from drinking raw milk or consuming raw milk products. The people at the highest risk for severe illness include people who are pregnant, adults 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years, and people with weakened immune systems.

Public Health continues to strongly encourage residents to avoid consuming raw milk and to not feed it to their pets; this includes frozen raw milk products since freezing does not eliminate harmful germs that can cause illness. Pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.

Symptoms of H5 bird flu infection in humans include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.

Anyone who has consumed these specific recalled raw milk products and is experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their health care provider or local health department.

Samples from birds, cats, and wild mammals in LA County continue to be tested for H5 bird flu at our Public Health Laboratory. In addition, the Public Health Laboratory routinely tests clinical specimens from humans for H5 bird flu as part of ongoing surveillance.

Best Practices to Reduce Risk for You and Your Pets

While the current risk of transmission of H5 bird flu to LA County residents and pets remains low, Public Health encourages these best practices:

Avoid Raw Dairy and Undercooked Meat Products: Do not drink raw milk or eat raw cheeses and undercooked meat products. Do not feed these to your pets. Raw milk, even from healthy cows, may be contaminated with harmful germs that can make you and your pets very sick. Freezing raw milk does not eliminate the harmful germs that may be in the product.
Limit Contact with Animals: Avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals or birds or any materials contaminated with bird feces. Avoid handling wild birds and observe them only from a distance. If you have to handle wild birds, even if they appear healthy, wear a well-fitting mask and gloves, and practice good hand hygiene, as some birds may carry the virus without showing symptoms.
Report sick or dead birds: Contact your local animal control agency if you see sick or dead birds. Symptoms can vary; infected birds or animals may be unable to fly, have seizures, have difficulty walking or be found dead.
Protect pets or poultry: Keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds. Ensure that wild birds cannot defecate into areas holding or housing pet birds or poultry.
Remove Bird Feeders and Baths: Take down bird feeders and communal bird baths to reduce the risk of the virus spreading from bird-to-bird.
Get a Seasonal Flu Vaccine: People should receive a seasonal flu vaccine. While this vaccine does not prevent avian influenza infection, it can reduce the risk of getting sick with human and bird flu viruses at the same time.

For questions or to find a nearby clinic or doctor, residents can call the Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473. Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.