Researchers from the University of Minnesota (UMN) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) received a $1.5 million cooperative agreement grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a collaborative initiative focused on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), an Influenza A (H5N1) virus identified in numerous species including dairy cattle. This grant will support nine different projects aimed at understanding disease transmission and mitigating the impacts of HPAI on dairy herds and the broader agricultural industry.

A previous outbreak of HPAI in U.S. poultry occurred in 2014-15 and had a devastating impact on the industry. At the time, according to the USDA, it was the largest HPAI outbreak ever recorded in the United States and arguably the most significant animal health event in U.S. history. 

In February 2022, a new variant of the highly contagious virus was detected in U.S. commercial and backyard poultry, and it has since been identified in wild birds and an increasing number of mammalian species, including seals, foxes, skunks, cats, and cattle. In addition, there have been 68 confirmed human cases, including one death. 

The presence of the HPAI virus in U.S. dairy cattle was first confirmed in early 2024, renewing urgent concerns for animal and farm worker health and the dairy supply chain. While the virus to date has been far less lethal to cows than it is to poultry, its potential to disrupt dairy health and production, as well as growing recognition of interspecies transmission, underscores the necessity for immediate scientific investigation.

Coordinated by CVM professor Scott Wells, the collaborating research teams include experts in virology, epidemiology, microbiology, veterinary medicine, and agricultural biosecurity. The nine projects funded under the grant will contribute critical learnings to a broader national effort to safeguard public health and food security, and to maintain food security of the U.S. dairy sector.

The investigators developed the projects in direct response to questions from the USDA, which is actively formulating its outbreak response strategy as research makes new information about the virus available. Wells, who was first approached by the USDA in 2024, says several of the studies will evaluate different aspects of viral transmission to and within dairy cattle herds to support the development of prevention and control methods.  The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is also a crucial partner in ensuring that learnings from the studies can be directly applied to the development of control programs in the state. 

Some of the projects will focus on herd-level infection, such as one to identify risk factors and potential pathways for the virus to enter farms. The team will work with producers to gather and analyze data on different pathways of spread to farms, including movement of cows between farms, proximity of dairy farms to infected poultry farms, use of shared equipment, introduction from wild birds, and more. 

“Identifying the likely epidemiological connections is a crucial first step for effective control of the disease,” Wells says. 

In addition to studies that examine HPAI transmission and infection at the herd level, several studies will examine transmission within a herd, from animal to animal. One project, for example, will analyze samples from HPAI-infected or suspected cows to identify comorbidities, or coexisting conditions that could impact an animal’s immune function and disease severity. Others will investigate the potential for HPAI transmission to newborn calves via colostrum; how the virus behaves in cows at the cellular level; and risks and possible mitigation strategies for airborne transmission.

The teams’ research begins as the new national milk surveillance program comes into effect—another prong in the USDA strategy to control the disease by first identifying all infected herds, which will enable states to take appropriate mitigation measures. In Minnesota, the surveillance testing will be conducted at CVM’s Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL).

“Minnesota is unique in having multiple really strong livestock and poultry industries, including turkey, swine, and dairy—and this disease affects all of them” Wells says. “At the CVM, we have experts working with all of these industries, and who have looked at influenza from many different angles, in addition to the cutting-edge capacities of our Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. We’re well-positioned to help address this challenge.”

As HPAI continues to pose challenges worldwide, the findings from these projects will play a crucial role in shaping future surveillance, response, and prevention strategies. The research conducted under this grant will provide key insights to inform best practices for dairy producers, veterinary professionals, and policymakers alike.