Four backyard alpacas in southern Idaho have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, marking the first time the virus has been detected in the woolly camelids. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA said Tuesday that its National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the infection on May 16 at a farm in Jerome County. It’s the first known infection in a spitting llama, but the USDA said it wasn’t particularly surprising. The alpacas had been in close contact with HPAI-infected poultry on the farm that was “culled” this month. Of the 18 alpacas on the infected farm, only four were found to be infected. No deaths have been recorded. USDA report to the World Organization for Animal Health.
Genomic sequencing revealed that the H5N1(B3.13) virus infecting the alpacas matches both viruses currently circulating among dairy cows in the United States and viruses that have infected farm birds.
by Alpaca Owners AssociationThere are over 264,000 alpacas in the United States.
While the discovery does not increase the threat of H5N1 to the general public, it does highlight the virus’ surprising ability to easily infect mammals. Hundreds of H5N1 cases in a wide range of mammals since May 2022The virus strain began spreading in North America in 1990. In March, the USDA announced an unprecedented outbreak among dairy cows. However, USDA has found the virus spreading among a variety of animals, including mink, raccoons, foxes, cats, seals, bears, pumas, bottlenose dolphins, goats, and coyotes. With each new species or infection, H5N1 has the opportunity to adapt to infect and spread among mammals. And when the virus infects mammals that have close contact with humans, it increases the risk that the virus will adapt and have the opportunity to spread among humans.
USDA and state officials continue to identify H5N1 in dairy herds. At least 66 dairy herds in nine states are infected, according to the latest data on the USDA’s tracking site.
