Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of dairy farms in the United States and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on the north side of the border.
“We should be actively looking for it,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious diseases specialist at Toronto’s University Health Network.
Bogoch says the number and diversity of mammals that have been affected by H5N1 this year has jumped dramatically.
“If more mammals are infected, the virus can obviously change and be more readily transmitted between mammals,” warns Bogoch.
Matthew Miller, from the McMaster Immunology Research Centre in Hamilton, says the mechanism that kept bird flu mainly in birds has suddenly made the transition to spread more readily in mammals, ranging from dogs and cats, cows, goats and sea lions.
But does that mean it will inevitably become widespread in humans?
“No, It’s not inevitable” says Miller. “But the risk, I would say, is profound.”
Miller points out no illness has caused more pandemics in recent history than influenza, citing the so-called Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, and flu pandemics in 1959, 1968, 1977 and most recently, swine flu in 2009.
The recent dairy farm outbreaks in the U.S. have prompted food inspections in ground beef and grocery store milk, with the Food and Drug Administration finding that one in five dairy samples tested was positive for H5N1 particles.
Bogoch points out the virus fragments are not able to cause illness in humans.
But in cats, fed raw milk at U.S. dairy farms, there was a high mortality rate, with upwards of 50 per cent of the cats who tested positive for H5N1 dying of the virus.
U.S. and Canadian dairy officials say pasteurization destroys the pathogens in milk and they urge consumers not to drink raw milk.
“Canadian dairy producers already adhere to some of the highest biosecurity standards in the world. It should be noted that only milk from heathy animals is authorized for distribution and for human consumption," Dairy Farmers of Canada added.
Miller says surveillance in Canadian poultry farms is already well established, but he wants active surveillance brought in for dairy operations, before we start seeing human cases of avian flu.
“I think systematic surveillance in cattle in Canada is warranted at this time, given what we know the risks are in the U.S.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING NEWS 'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Diddy admits beating ex-girlfriend Cassie, says he's sorry, calls his actions 'inexcusable'
Sean "Diddy" Combs admitted Sunday that he beat his ex-girlfriend in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released video of the attack, saying in a video apology he was "truly sorry" and his actions were "inexcusable."
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
Residents evacuated after threats made to residence in Fall River, N.S.
Nova Scotia RCMP are warning the public to avoid the area around Canterbury Lane in Fall River after a threat was made at a residence.
French security forces work to regain control of airport highway in violence-scorched New Caledonia
Using armoured vehicles and backhoes to shove aside charred barricades, French security forces worked Sunday to retake control of the highway to the international airport in violence-scorched New Caledonia, shuttered because of deadly unrest wracking the French Pacific archipelago where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
The secret Italian lakes that most tourists don't know about
Italy has dozens of secret smaller lakes that boast superb scenery, unknown to mass tourism, where locals get together on day trips and enjoy picnics.
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Ottawa driver who appeared to be racing another vehicle on Highway 416 facing charges
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says an Ottawa driver is facing charges after being caught going 187 km/h on Highway 416.
Canadian immigration asks medical worker fleeing Gaza if he treated Hamas fighters
Lawyers are questioning Canada’s approach to screening visa applications for people in Gaza with extended family in Canada after one applicant, a medical worker, was asked whether he had treated members of Hamas.