In a recent study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), researchers have found that heat treatment significantly reduces the amount of infectious H5N1 influenza viruses in raw milk. However, small, detectable amounts of the virus remained in samples with high initial virus levels when treated at 72 degrees Celsius (161.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 seconds, a standard pasteurisation method used by the dairy industry. These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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This research comes amid a backdrop of heightened concern following a recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 among dairy cows in Texas, reported by U.S. officials in late March 2024. The outbreak has since affected 95 cattle herds across 12 states, with three human infections detected in farm workers presenting with conjunctivitis. To date, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus, but public health officials are closely monitoring the situation as part of pandemic preparedness efforts.
