As avian influenza is being detected in more and more dairy herds across the U.S., Iowa State University researchers have found a possible explanation for why the virus shows up in raw milk.
A study published this month by a team at ISU’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that bovine mammary gland tissue holds receptors for the avian influenza virus.
Todd Bell, a professor of veterinary pathology and co-author of the study, said the idea to look at mammary glands as a potential entry point for the virus came after it was identified in raw milk. Two ISU alums in the spring identified an illness impacting cattle in Texas as avian flu, and ever since, teams at the university and in partnerships with other organizations have been working to tackle the virus and its spread from different angles.