EFSA Assesses Low Risk of Bird Flu from US Dairy Cattle to Europe

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has assessed the likelihood of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain found in US dairy cattle reaching Europe as very low. Despite this, EFSA highlighted that if the virus were to arrive, it could significantly impact EU countries. Therefore, EFSA recommends raising awareness among farmers and veterinarians and strengthening surveillance for early detection.

In response to a request from the European Commission, EFSA focused on the risks posed by the H5N1 genotype virus currently circulating in US dairy cattle, outlining potential measures to prevent its introduction and spread in Europe. These measures may include trade restrictions from affected regions and thorough cleaning of milking equipment.

EFSA advises coordinated actions in both poultry and dairy cows in the event of an outbreak to minimize overall impact. Restrictions on cattle movement in affected areas, avoiding the exchange of workers, vehicles, and equipment between farms, and enforcing strict biosecurity are recommended. These measures could also help contain other HPAI strains already present in Europe.

The EFSA report also examined the potential for virus transmission through food, noting that the primary consumer exposure route would be through raw milk, colostrum, or milk cream. However, EFSA emphasized that thermal treatments like pasteurization are highly effective in reducing the virus in milk and milk products, and there have been no reported cases of foodborne human infection with this specific genotype to date.