USDA Confirms Bird Flu Case in Wisconsin Dairy Herd as New Wildlife Spillover

The United States Department of Agriculture on Friday confirmed that a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a Wisconsin dairy herd marked a new spillover event from wildlife to cattle, separate from previous outbreaks.
The virus, identified as H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b genotype D1.1., was confirmed through whole genome sequencing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories on December 17, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement.
It said most detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in U.S. dairy herds have resulted from movements linked to an original spillover event that occurred in Texas in late 2023, involving the B3.13 strain….