Bird flu reached Washington state’s dairies earlier this fall and now it is here to stay. While there is no evidence to suggest the illness have ever been transmitted from person to person, farmworkers are at high risk of exposure to the illness while working with infected livestock or raw milk.
According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), there have been 43 cases of H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), as of Nov. 5, with all but two of those cases occurring on Yakima County dairies. Reports also suggest there are at least three known cases of farmworkers contracting bird flu while working with livestock. One farmworker with underlying health conditions recently passed away from complications brought on by bird flu.
It is extremely important for consumers to understand that properly pasteurized dairy products pose no health risk and can be consumed as usual. Bird flu is primarily transferred through raw milk being consumed or splashed into eyes, nose, or mouth; by touching surfaces contaminated by raw milk and then touching eyes, nose, or mouth; or by inhaling raw milk or mucous particles from infected cattle during handling.
Similarly, when poultry have contracted bird flu, there is no risk of contracting the virus from consumption of properly cooked meat and eggs. Follow proper food preparation standards – keep kitchen surfaces clean, disinfect any areas that may have come in contact with raw chicken or eggs, cook chicken to 165 degrees internally, fully cook eggs before eating them, store raw chicken and eggs from commercial sources in the refrigerator or freezer – and wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 30 seconds after each contact with raw poultry and/or eggs.
Washington state already has some of the most stringent safety protocols in the country when it comes to personal protective equipment (PPE), work breaks, and cleanliness requirements. The WSDA has provided additional resources to farmworkers and livestock operations to curb farmworker exposure to HPAI.
The WSDA is offering one-time PPE orders to farms and ranches around the state free of charge. The items available to order include disposable gloves, face masks (N95), safety goggles, safety glasses, and face shields. The state also recommends farms and ranches have workers wear disposable coveralls, boots that can be disinfected, and disposable hair/head coverings. The items offered by the state are meant to be a stopgap while farms and ranches set up regular ordering via their preferred suppliers, as HPAI is likely to be an ongoing animal health concern.
The WSDA also maintains an interactive map of areas around the state with active HPAI surveillance zones. In identified surveillance areas, livestock owners should look for symptoms of HPAI in their poultry and cattle. Symptoms in dairy cattle include changes in milk appearance like thicker milk that may be yellow- or brown-tinged, decreased milk production, decreased appetite, fever, respiratory symptoms, changes in manure, and a steep decrease in rumination or rumen motility. Symptoms in birds include decreased egg production, discharge from eyes or nasal openings, ruffled feathers, decreased appetite or water consumption, swollen combs or wattles, bluish combs, wattles, or legs, tilting of the head, lack of coordination, and in severe cases sudden death.
Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccination or cure for HPAI in either poultry or cattle. Most cattle that are healthy before contracting the virus will recover after six weeks in quarantine with supportive care. For poultry that become infected with bird flu, the only way to stop the spread of the illness is to humanely euthanize the entire flock. Because HPAI is highly contagious among wild and domestic birds and has no cure, outbreaks must be quickly contained to prevent spread to neighboring flocks.
According to WSDA, the first case of HPAI in Washington state was detected in 2014. It is likely HPAI will continue to be an ongoing concern within the ag community. It will certainly require continued attention to farmworker and animal health and safety. The most likely culprit for initial infections is migratory wild bird droppings contaminating water or range areas in which cage-free birds are housed.
Health and safety are always a focus for our farm community. Farmworkers are often the frontline of any farm operation and providing proper PPE for working in dairies and poultry operations during the current outbreak of HPAI is critical. The next steps include keeping PPE front of mind for every farmer and rancher in the state while saving the lives of poultry and livestock, too.
