Another Reason to Avoid Raw Milk

The spread of bird flu in poultry across the US has cost farmers billions of dollars. Now the virus has spread in cattle herds across multiple states which raises the risk of widespread human infection. People who continue to drink raw milk put us even more at risk since unlike nearly all commercial milk, raw milk is not pasteurized. The process heats milk to one 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, which has been shown to kill the H5N1 flu virus.  

There are three types of influenza viruses, A, B and C.  Types A and B cause the flu illness we’re familiar with and get vaccines for. C only causes mild illness. The H5 N1 is Type A. The H and N refer to the type of protein spikes on the virus surface. Birds have many combinations of H and N but only a few have caused widespread human infection.     

Scientists have studied blood samples collected during the past two flu seasons and what’s alarming is they found very low to no population immunity to H5N1 despite our annual vaccines and exposure to the flu virus. This virus is different. 

Federal and state health officials are working with farms to protect and monitor workers to prevent the virus from spreading. So far, a small number have tested positive. It’s essential to keep people from getting H5N1 to stop the virus from mutating and adapting to the point where it could easily infect humans. The goal is to make it hard for the virus to evolve and not allow an epidemic to start.