Genetic traces of HPAI found in one in five milk samples across the USA
The FDA has received preliminary results from its nationally representative commercial milk sampling study. The initial findings indicate that approximately 1 in 5 of the retail samples tested are positive for HPAI viral fragments through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), with a higher proportion of positive results observed in areas with infected herds. It's important to note that qPCR-positive results do not necessarily indicate the presence of actual virus that poses a risk to consumers. Further testing is required to determine whether intact pathogens are still present and if they remain infectious. This additional information would help in assessing any potential risk of illness associated with consuming the product. The FDA is conducting further evaluation of any positive findings through egg inoculation tests, which are considered the gold standard for detecting the presence of infectious virus. Early findings from studies funded by the NIH suggest an absence of infectious virus in their examination of retail milk.