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Individual working on a U.S. dairy farm reported to have avian influenza

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. has now confirmed a human case of avian influenza with an individual that had contact with dairy cows that were believed to have the virus.

The individual's only symptom seemed to be eye inflammation.

The H5N1 bird flu human health risk for the U.S. is still considered to be low, however they note the risk is higher for anyone exposed to infected birds or animals.

Last week, the USDA confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza had been detected in some dairy herds across several states ...  including Texas, Kansas, Michigan, and most recently in New Mexico and Idaho.

The USDA confirms wild migratory birds are believed to be the source of the infection.

Producers with the affected cows have reported a rapid onset illness in the herd, specifically among older, lactating cows.

Dairy farmers and veterinarians report that most affected cows recover in about two to three weeks.

Even though its only been found in dairy cattle it resulted in some market uncertainty in the US beef market earlier this week, while the hog markets seemed to gain some ground.

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Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes severe disease in pigs, leading to significant economic losses for pork producers across the globe. It’s estimated that PRRS costs the Canadian pork industry $130M annually. Using the CMCF beamline, researchers from the University of Manitoba and the Leiden University Medical Centre (Netherlands) were able to see the structure of the PRRSV protease, a type of protein the pathogen uses to suppress a host’s immune system. The vital information they uncovered can be used to develop new vaccines against PRRSV and also helps inform development of vaccines against emerging human viruses.