European health officials are liaising with authorities from Poland to investigate an outbreak of bird flu within the country that has killed scores of cats.
At least 24 sick or dead cats have tested positive for H5N1 in Poland, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
In a report issued over the weekend, the ECDC said there were “several uncertainties … regarding the source of infection” and that it was “monitoring this event,” having contacted public health authorities in Poland for further information.
However, reports have linked the outbreak to contaminated meat. Out of the 24 cats which positive for H5N1, 13 were found to have been fed raw poultry meat.
Local media said that a woman living in Chełmek, southern Poland, fed her cat raw chicken purchased from a large supermarket chain before its death.
Within days of eating the meat, the cat became drowsy and was taken to the vet by her owner, who suspected a cold.
The day after the visit the cat “began to lose her balance, fell off the chair, her hind legs were paralysed, she stopped walking and eating completely,” the vet told the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza.
Antibiotics and steroids were unable to help and the cat died just seven days after eating the raw meat.
Deaths of 70 cats investigated
The World Organisation for Animal Health said that the wide geographical distribution of cases suggests that the primary mode of spread in these cases is not cat-to-cat transmission but instead linked to a common source.
However, experts have also highlighted that the virus extracted from the cats in Poland exhibits two mutations that facilitate better transmission in mammals.
Media reports from Poland cite the director of the National Veterinary Institute in Puławy stating that, “they have detected two mutations that indicate that the A(H5N1) virus is evolving to multiply more easily in mammals”.
Although ECDC assessments show the current risk to the general public is low, it is considered moderate in persons exposed to infected cats, particularly if they belong to a vulnerable population group.
In total, the deaths of around 70 domestic cats since June 23 are being investigated, according to media reports.
It follows reports of five dogs and one cat testing positive for H5N1 at a poultry farm in Brescia, Italy, on July 7. The farm is experiencing an outbreak of avian flu, the ECDC said in its latest report on communicable disease threats in Europe.
Chile also last week reported the deaths of 13,000 sea lions as a result of bird flu, up from previous estimates of 9,000.
Over the past two years, a new strain of H5N1 avian influenza, which transmits easily among birds, has caused devastation in wild and domestic flocks across the globe.
There have been concerns that the increased spread offers more opportunities for the virus to jump to people, especially as more and more mammals have been infected.
In April, the virus was found to “efficiently” spread between ferrets in a laboratory, the first study confirming that the virus can spread from mammal to mammal.
Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
"bird" - Google News
July 10, 2023 at 11:13PM
https://ift.tt/FKpyRl6
European officials investigate bird flu outbreak among cats in Poland - The Telegraph
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/XYTkaAt
https://ift.tt/2maJbCy
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "European officials investigate bird flu outbreak among cats in Poland - The Telegraph"
Post a Comment