Kansas Dairy Herds Remain Free from New H5N1 Cases Amid Increased Testing

Kansas dairy herds have shown resilience against the H5N1 avian influenza, with recent tests revealing no new positive cases, according to local veterinary authorities.

The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) has ramped up testing of raw milk across the state, and Associate Director Gregg Hanzlicek shares a sense of cautious optimism. "We’re doing multiple tests every week across the state, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed," he remarks, highlighting the lab's proactive approach.

This development comes as a relief amid a year where the virus has proved particularly troublesome, crossing species barriers and impacting various dairy herds nationwide. "This is the first instance of detecting the virus in different species apart from birds," Hanzlicek notes, mentioning last year’s surge with four herds testing positive in Kansas alone.

In response, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service introduced a new federal order in December, seeking to enhance milk testing frequency and improve the traceability of the H5N1 virus. KSVDL has since expanded its testing capabilities, extending assistance to neighboring states like Colorado and California.

Additionally, Kansas, along with 14 other states such as Alabama, Arizona, and Iowa, among others, recently joined the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy. This expansion brings the program’s participation to 28 states, fortifying national efforts to monitor the virus's spread.

Dr. Hanzlicek’s team now processes a substantial number of milk and nasal swab samples, underscoring the collaborative approach needed to safeguard dairy herds across the United States from the persistent threat of H5N1.