Avian influenza A(H5N1) and human influenza A(H1N1) viruses have been found to remain infectious on milking equipment materials for several hours, highlighting the potential risk of transmission to humans from contaminated surfaces during milking. This is according to a study by Valerie Le Sage and colleagues from the Vaccine Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh in the USA, published in the journal ‘Emerging Infectious Disease’ by the CDC.
In response to the H5N1 virus epidemic in dairy cows in several American states, the authors conducted laboratory experiments to test the persistence of avian influenza A(H5N1) and human influenza A(H1N1) viruses on milking equipment materials. The study found that both viruses remain infectious on these materials for several hours, emphasizing the importance of taking preventive measures to protect workers on dairy farms from avian influenza transmission.
The concern is not only about the symptoms of the virus, which have been mild in the few confirmed human cases linked to the avian flu epidemic in cattle, but also about the possibility of these viruses adapting to humans and evolving to be transmitted between people. As a precautionary measure, scientists recommend implementing personal protective equipment such as masks, visors, and eye protection for workers during milking to reduce spreading of H5N1 virus from dairy cows to humans.
Another concern raised by this study is that contaminated rubber liners used in milk processing could spread avian influenza among animals. Sanitizing these liners after each cow is milked could help reduce infection rates among animals and potentially curb this current epidemic. Overall, this research underscores how important it is for dairy farmers and workers take preventative measures against avian influenza transmission.