Washington’s Turmoil Hinders Efforts to Combat Avian Flu

Interviews with over a dozen scientists and federal officials reveal that the initiative to control bird flu on farms has been hindered by a tumultuous administration transition, which prioritized cost-cutting, reduced federal employment, and limited communication.

On one poultry farm alone, more than 168 million birds were culled to mitigate the outbreak. The virus, first identified in American dairy cows about a year ago, has spread to 17 states and is increasingly prevalent. A flock of 1,000 birds was affected.

In the early months, the Trump administration dismissed a team of scientists crucial for tracking the virus’s spread, canceling significant meetings and limiting data access for federal scientists.

The Department of Health and Human Services has not held a public briefing on bird flu since January and has not responded to inquiries for comments.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested letting the virus spread unchecked among poultry to distinguish vaccinated birds, an idea supported by Democratic lawmakers. This opened the survey into the federal response.

The Trump administration also removed funding for the Food and Agriculture Organization’s program, a UN body responsible for monitoring and controlling avian flu in 49 countries.

“We’ve noted considerable challenges,” highlighted Lindsay Mar, a specialist in airborne viruses at Virginia Tech.

“Animals and people provide strong warning signs. Yet we merely observe them and fail to act,” she remarked.

Avian influenza has impacted various mammal species, including 150 cats, with at least 70 cases across 26 states resulting in four hospitalizations and one death. Following the winter lull, the spring travel season has reignited the infection rates.

In the past 30 days, the Ministry of Agriculture has reported 47 new infectious cases across three states.

Currently, the H5N1 virus does not seem capable of human-to-human transmission. Nonetheless, a recent mutation appears to be edging closer to that possibility.

This week, an international group of virologists concluded that continuous monitoring of milk from dairy farms, wastewater, and individuals working with infected animals is vital.

Authorities are testing bulk milk to help identify infected herds. However, the agricultural sector’s strategy to counter bird flu is currently focused on lowering egg prices, with little mention of dairy cows.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has proposed enhancements to farm biosecurity to assist farmers in ten states in curbing the virus’s spread on their premises.

“The initial emphasis of these ongoing efforts will be on egg-soaking facilities as part of USDA’s coordinated strategy to tackle egg prices, but we anticipate the inclusion of other poultry and dairy producers as the program expands,”

An early wave of federal layoffs impacted a veterinarian in the avian flu-focused agriculture sector, leading to both terminations and rehiring. Today, many continue to manage government-issued credit cards with restrictions that complicate travel and procurement of necessary supplies without seeking extended credit.

The Agriculture Department defended its policies, stating, “The restrictions on government-issued credit cards will automatically relax once personnel obtain travel approval,” according to a department spokesperson via email.

On April 1, the Trump administration dismissed veterinarians and scientists at the Food and Drug Administration investigating raw pet food contaminated with H5N1, which had adversely affected cats, and was pivotal in assisting veterinarians in developing proposals for vaccines and treatment of infected animals.

According to an anonymous official fearing retaliation, the CDC has begun withholding genetic analyses of virus samples collected from patients. Even some internal teams can no longer access this information.

Typically, federal agencies release data 242 days post-collection, as revealed by a recent analysis. Ideally, this process should only take a few weeks, according to scientists. Such delays complicate the tracking of the virus’s spread and accurate assessment of risks to the public.

Significant reports in the agency’s publications, such as weekly morbidity and mortality records, have been affected, mentioned the former anonymous official.

In February, instead of the scheduled reports on avian flu infections in domestic cats, agency scientists were instructed to prioritize a paper on the impact of LA wildfires on air quality.

While research on avian flu emerged weeks later, agency staff expressed their discontent with the delayed directives from superiors.

The Biden administration has been holding regular inter-departmental calls on avian flu, involving numerous external experts and state health officials, to share the latest findings. These discussions have been diminished, much like the CDC’s guidance on monitoring.

All communication from the CDC requires clearance from federal health officials in Washington. The agency has not held an avian flu press conference since January.

“There have been numerous health challenges,” remarked Dr. Adam Rowling, a virologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan.

The nation retains stockpiles containing millions of doses of human vaccines against avian influenza. However, amid budget cuts, agencies responsible for these stockpiles and rapid emergency distribution have shifted under the CDC.

Dawn O’Connell, who leads the administration for strategic preparation and response, an agency that has maintained its stockpile under the Biden administration, noted that this shift would “add a layer of bureaucracy instead of removing it.”

In interviews, several employees from the CDC and agricultural sector expressed low morale, worsened by successive layoffs. During a City Hall gathering on April 16, around a quarter of the veterinarians present indicated they would consider signing onto a deferred resignation program that offers full pay and benefits until September 30th.

Over the past year, it has been challenging to monitor cows infected with H5N1. They exhibited fever and produced thick yellow milk, with some cows suffering voluntary abortions.

However, reinfections have been found in cows, with second-round symptoms being subtle, complicating the identification of infected cows and protecting those who interact with them. Currently, rapid testing for the virus in cattle and humans is unavailable.

Reinfection indicates that the virus may permanently colonize dairy cows. Meanwhile, the virus continues to circulate among wild birds, evolving approximately twice as fast in birds as in cows.

A new variant, known as D1.1, which is believed to cause more severe illness, emerged in September and quickly became the dominant strain. The government’s response has not matched this rapid evolution.

In Nevada, milk samples collected on January 6th and 7th tested positive for avian influenza by January 10th. Ideally, the 12 farms contributing these samples would have been quarantined while confirming results.

Instead, further samples were gathered on January 17th, with results confirmed a week later.

The Agriculture Department stated that delays in test results would not impede the outbreak response. “It is crucial to note that response activities operate independently of the sequence of the results and occur as needed,” the department claimed.

Michael Warby, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, expressed skepticism, noting, “This appears to be a situation where the barn door is closed after the cows have escaped.”

He suggested that it’s still feasible to eradicate the virus on American farms if the Agriculture Bureau enhances containment measures.

For instance, a rapid testing method that detects H5N1 in bulk milk could provide officials with more time to eliminate outbreaks, compared to tests that yield results after several weeks.

“We believe this is a goal to pursue unless it proves futile,” Dr. Warby commented regarding the virus’s expulsion.

At present, removing the virus from farms is not straightforward.

For example, if an infected duck flies over a farm and defecates, an outbreak could commence among millions of birds. Farmers may inadvertently transport remains into chicken coops, and infected rodents can enter through small openings.

Chickens are densely packed and have weak immune systems; a single sneeze can quickly infect hundreds or even thousands.

Over the past two years, the Agriculture Department has collaborated with egg producers in four states: Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Federal officials have assisted in identifying and removing surrounding wildlife, including mice, and have eliminated potential virus entry points that farmers might overlook. Notably, only two out of 108 facilities involved in the pilot program reported subsequent virus outbreaks.

This project is slated to expand this year to ten states, including California, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with plans to reach all 50 states by 2027. Agricultural experts aim to help farmers identify even the smallest vulnerabilities against avian flu.

While this proposal has garnered praise from scientists, some experts, including veterinarians in agriculture, are uncertain about its implementation.

Department staff have been striving to combat bird flu since early 2022. There is already an insufficient workforce to detect facility weaknesses necessary for farm operation and readiness for reopening.

“We’ve been working continuously for three years, leading to increasing fatigue among staff,” noted a veterinarian who requested anonymity without permission to engage with the media.

Given the current situation on farms, even stringent measures may not suffice to bar the virus, remarked Andrew Decoriolis, executive director of Advocacy Group Farm Fight.

“The outbreak is likely to persist until the industry undergoes significant transformation,” he remarked.