Potential Bird Flu Risks From Domestic Cats Prompt New Surveillance Measures

Experts are urging enhanced surveillance for H5N1 bird flu in domestic cats following a study that suggests they could alter the virus's behavior, potentially posing a risk to human health.

Recent research has raised alarms regarding the potential role of domestic cats in the spread and evolution of the H5N1 bird flu virus. The study, published on Monday, indicates that these felines may become an unintended vector for the virus to acquire mutations necessary to infect humans. The concern arises from the backdrop of H5N1 infections that have impacted dairy cattle and several cats on farms with infected herds, leading to significant fatalities among the latter.

Although the current evidence suggests that H5N1 does not easily transmit between humans, researchers stress that it could take only one or two critical mutations for this to change. Notably, at least 60 people have reported illnesses connected to H5N1 outbreaks, primarily those who had close interactions with infected dairy livestock or poultry.

Experts like Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi from the University of Pittsburgh emphasize the urgent need for public health officials to expand their surveillance programs to include domestic cats. Cats often interact with wildlife and human populations, which could facilitate the exchange of viruses.

Currently, testing for H5N1 in dairy cattle and people has been sporadic. In response to growing concerns, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced it would start testing the national milk supply to identify infected herds more effectively. The study advocates for proactive measures to monitor potential outbreaks in feline populations to prevent further transmission risks to humans, suggesting that cats could hold the key to understanding and controlling the spread of this virus.