The USDA added black rats to an increasing list of mammals infected with H5N1 bird flu.
The rats are located in Riverside County, and news reports show they live in an area where two infected poultry farms have been recently discovered.
The discovery of H5N1 in black rats, often urban species, provides another pathway for potential exposure to humans and their pets. The virus can be transmitted through feces, urine, blood and saliva. The rats also provide the virus with a ship moving between the farm and the house.
It is not clear which institutions were initially identified and tested for rats, or why the rats were tested for them. A spokeswoman for Riverside County Public Health said she was unable to provide answers to the questions and directed them to the USDA. The USDA did not answer questions Friday.
These are the latest versions of the latest version of the H5N1 virus debuted in North America since 2021, which are the rats who initially suffered from the disease in the United States. Other mammal species infected thereafter include skunks, domestic cats, bottle dolphins, seals, foxes, mountain lions and coyotes.
More than 50 North American mammals have been infected, including thousands of cows – cases have been confirmed in at least 973 cattle herds in 17 states.
The discovery was revealed Wednesday, based on so-called government efficiency departments or Doge's cost reduction recommendations as the Trump administration attempted to rehire dozens of USDA bird flu scientists.
Although the USDA did not respond to New York Times inquiries about rats or fired employees, the agency said in a statement to CBS News that it was “quickly correcting the situation” and said it had waived veterinarians and other emergency responses People who focus on bird flu.
The agency told the news agency that it “continues to prioritize responses to highly pathogenic avian influenza.”
