Science & Nature
'Bird Flu' Has Been Confirmed in Rats for the First Time: USDA
(Credit: Nigel Harris / iStock)
Add rats to the list of mammals in which a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of the “bird flu” virus in four rats submitted for testing. All of the rats were found in Riverside, California.
In the last month alone, APHIS has confirmed bird flu in a number of wild and domesticated animals. In addition to the rats, numerous house cats, a harbor seal and a pair of bottlenose dolphins tested positive for HPAI.
Previously, the virus has been detected in squirrels, mice, foxes, bobcats, mountain lions and even a polar bear.
U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Since the beginning of the latest HPAI in 2022, nearly 163 million poultry birds have been affected — including some 4 million reported in the last week at a pair of commercial operators in Indiana and Ohio, according to USDA data.
An untold number of wild birds have also died from the virus, largely ducks and geese.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
