New bird flu variant in cattle adds to concerns about federal response under Trump
The strain of bird flu is distinct from what has previously been found in dairy cattle. The finding raises some worrying questions — and concerns over the Trump administration's muted response.
The variant, known as D1.1 genotype, belongs to a different genetic lineage than what's fueled the infections in dairy cattle over the past year.
Scientists believe a single spillover event, from birds to cattle, in the Texas Panhandle in late 2023 seeded the current nationwide outbreak. But this new finding points to at least one additional instance of the virus hopping into dairy cattle.
"It shows that even if you get rid of one virus that's established itself, another one can pop up like whack-a-mole," says Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona.